This is tricking people. At least, I feel tricked whenever I'm made believing I just have to provide an email and a password. I usually leave the site unless it is compelling. Being able to know beforehand every field I'll have to fill is paramount.
Thanks for the feedback. Would your feel "compelling" if the website provides you some kind of information for additional information? For example credit or voucher in an ecommerce website. And the additional info is totally optional, meaning you could still use every function of the website without filling in those information.
Yes. I don't think I'm alone in feeling more comfortable when I know what you are looking to get from me. Moreover, whatever works to lessen the cognitive load whenever I fill forms is welcome (for instance; optional fields, choice-based answers over free form ones when appropriate (albeit _optional_ comments are welcome too), delayed filling, etc.).
Problem is, we have to subscribe to a heap of websites, and so having to provide much information every time gets old, even when such questions are legitimate. I think websites should strive to balance between what they need (information) and what the user is looking for (a service). At registration time, I don't know how much value you will provide me, and still you want me to take the hassle to register. So to speak, you should sell me the need to provide you information. For instance, I liked when I visited Ebay the first time and it allowed me to watch items _without having to register at all_. Ebay proved itself useful before asking me to register (of course, later I was _eager_ to). Ryanair offers to remember your form, _without you having to register_. OTOH, I hate whenever I'm asked to register to an e-commerce website just to order one item, while I'm unlikely to visit that site again.
