

OpenID: Great idea, bewildering consumer experience - nickb
http://miksovsky.blogs.com/flowstate/2007/08/openid-great-id.html

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brianmckenzie
Great post. I'm working on an OpenID implementation for my site right now so
I've been thinking about this stuff. I really want to use OpenID exclusively,
but not sure it's ready for prime time.

What we really need is a way to wrap the OpenID sign up process within our
site registration, and when the registration is done tell the user 'Hey, you
now have an OpenID which you can use on tons of other sites!'. I doubt that
many non-geek users will be wading through all OpenID pages to find out how to
actually get one - they will use it if they can sign up for one _on my site._

Also, there should be an OpenID signup form right on the front of the
openid.net site - why isn't there? They could just send it to a random
provider or something. OpenIDs are so easy to use once you have one, yet so
difficult to get.

Here's another thing I'm considering: since all AIM addresses are OpenID's
now, just ask people for their AIM address and never even mention OpenID.
Maybe make the login form default to AIM with a little text link to switch to
OpenID, for people who know what it is.

If I figure out a frictionless OpenID strategy, I'll post it up here on
news.yc.

~~~
samson
Brian i think a wrap system would be a great idea. it would probably be the
best way to get a program like this off the ground, while benefiting other
webmasters at the same time. Unfortunately such a thing like that reqiures
coordination between webmasters (or hackers should i say) that still doesn't
exist in the commerical webscene (we all see each other as competitors trying
to steal one anothers members).

It seems like the only way something like OpenID could get its start is if a
big player adopts it like wikipedia and the rest of us follow.

But a great creators community is starting to emerge here at ycombinator,
perhaps with a forum or something here at hackers news we can lead the way to
a universal ID system that would make the web better for everyone.

~~~
brianmckenzie
The benefits of a robust, frictionless OpenID/reg solution probably outweigh
competitive concerns for most people (on here, at least). Sometimes the
potential benefits of cooperation outweigh the risks.

It would really help if a big player made a commitment to OpenID, but I'm not
sure that's the only way it could catch on. If tons of smaller players could
come together on a wrap-type system, we might eventually force the big fish to
adopt it via pressure from the margins. It could happpen, it's a very
compelling technology in a lot of ways. It would have to be really, really
well-designed - that's key. I think it's do-able.

That being said, I want to see what YC-funded clickpass.com is like before I
go crazy on some big new effort. If they have a killer solution I may just use
that. Also, I doubt YC would appreciate it too much if I start an open-source
competitor to one of their companies on hacker news.

------
ph0rque
There's a YC company (sitepass, I believe) that is working on using OpenID. I
assume they are working to assuage these problems?

~~~
zach
I read where the name you mentioned was effectively unusable because it
previously belonged to a (um...) salacious enterprise. As a result, it's
blocked in nearly all web content filters, which is a problem in lots of
schools, workplaces, etc. Something to watch out for if you re-use a domain
name...

