

Why do we require user registration? - migpwr

So I've recently been driven nuts by having to register for new services. I just cant justify spending the time registering anymore... I know I wont come back but maybe a handful of times.<p>The app I am writing is a small video editor and I am starting to change my mind about requiring user registration. It seems like the default these days but I cant see any significant gain to the user from an account on my site. Keeping track of a few video clips does not seem like enough justification... not to me anyway. There is no profile to what I'm writing and there are no friends.<p>Aside from being able to say I have xx number of users why do we require user registration? Would your usage not increase if it's completely open? Thoughts?<p>Thanks and my apologies if this has been discussed before and I missed it.
======
koobe
How about automatically created anonymous user accounts and ability to later
merge into a regular user account with username and password.

An anonymous account would essentially identify a single browser and enable
server side storage required for full application functionality.

Should the user later feel like the registration is worth the trouble after
all, he could merge one or multiple anonymous accounts into a single regular
account.

One thing to think about in advance could be to prepare for merging data from
multiple accounts.

I think Amazon shopping cart did something along these lines?

~~~
darius
We are using this method on our site. Create temporary user on the fly and let
the user overwrite it if they select to save their state and it works great
for us. I think just by renaming the registration page to save work page gives
you an advantage since the users are sick and tired of having to register in
order to get any value.

------
ed
You can only offer a limited feature set if you lack true user accounts.
Photoflock.com for example relies purely on client persistence to manage the
user's upload history. It's a simpler solution than requiring accounts --
there's less friction for a user to begin interacting with your site (ie no
registration process) -- but doing things like tracking accounts and providing
reliable usage stats is pretty difficult.

Additionally, your users will never be able to (easily) sych between computers
and to be honest you'll eventually add user accounts anyway. That's not to say
that you'll implement a full username/password scheme, but you will need some
sort of server-side persistence.

That's where I'm at in my development right now, and I'm looking at a happy
middle ground where the user CAN have an account (optionally) to do things
like sync between computers but will vary rarely be asked for account
information. My advice would be to sketch out a road map and assume that you
will eventually add some sort of user account -- and then architect your site
so that when you make that transition your users won't lose all of their data
(as will be the case for photoflock's history data).

------
dood
If I understand, you're saying people use your site to do a bit of video
editing. In this case, I guess the purpose of registration is to save user
state, beyond sessions/cookies. Therefore, you could simply have a 'save'
button, only asking for name/pw once it has been clicked. This way its up to
the user to decide when/if to register.

------
jamongkad
I was actually pondering about this one time. Do we really need user
registrations and accounts? The answer I can give you it depends on what app
you're building.

I would say yes if you require your user to save some sort of content online.
Giving them incentive to come back to your site.

I always thought that user registration adds friction to any app. I guess it
all comes down to _how_ it's implemented and how easy it is to get user from
point A to B on your app.(e.g. reddit's way of user registration comes mind)
Although the implementation of OpenID should ease that restriction a bit.

In short I personally like the idea of not having to register on your app. Why
don't you try it? see if users like the system. Besides it's their opinion
that matters anyways. Is seems like a novel way of approaching web apps these
days. Hope this helps....

------
migpwr
Thanks to everyone for all the great feedback. You all present really good
arguments on the topic... I think the "best" solution for my app would be to
create the temporary account converted to a registered user upon save. Like
some of you mention, I will probably end up registering users at some point
but I don't think what I'm offering now justifies a sign up...

I was thinking about making it very basic, no registration, user can create
and save but they have to take care of tracking their own edits... bookmarks
or taking the embed for a one time use. I realize it would not be all that
feature rich but does it need to be?

Light, nothing to commit, like tinyurl with video edits...

------
run4yourlives
Here are a few valid reasons, from a user's point of view for registration:

1\. I want to use your site on different machines.

2\. I have no idea when where my cookies go or do, but I know it's good to
delete them from time to time.

3\. I have information on your site that I consider semi-private.

4\. I really like you app, and I like being a part of your community (assuming
you have one).

5\. I really like the people who use your app. (You've already said this isn't
valid in your case)

I wouldn't discount the first three points though.Instead of requiring it,
just make it optional and ask why people are signing up during the process.
They'll let you know.

Good luck!

------
ks
Many blogs require an email address if you want to comment. I've never
understood why. I just enter a bogus address

~~~
dcurtis
If they require you to activate your email address, it's probably to reduce
spam. That, I think, is a very good reason to require registration.

------
sabat
Why do we require user registration? Because the value of an application is
usually tied to the community it serves. The larger the community, the more
value. Without a login, it's more difficult to gauge the community.

Also, personalization of site. You could do that solely with a cookie, but
then when I'm on another computer ...

