[OpenID] A selector for OpenID

[Johannes Ernst]

In defense of JanRain, I'd say that as the OpenID Foundation, so far  
we have given insufficient guidance on which domain names or product  
names are okay and which aren't.

In defense of the foundation, I'd say that we are only a few steps in  
the process of obtaining the trademark registrations that gives us the  
power to actually mean what we say (which is why we haven't said  
much...)

So among friends, I'd like to encourage JanRain to perhaps find  
another really cool domain name *before* lots of people use it and  
hard-code their links to it -- after all, we'd all hate having to rip  
it out once it is really adopted by many sites ... and I'm sure we all  
agree that the resources of the OpenID Foundation as well as the  
OpenID community should be spent on better things than on (avoidable)  
trademark issues.




On 2008/04/18, at 19:15, David Recordon wrote:

> While generally I like it, I think your choice in domain name is
> innapropriate and not in support of the OpenID community. By choosing
> to use the domain OpenIDSelector.com you're creating the impression
> that this is *the* OpenID selector which I highly doubt you guys
> intended to do.  I did provide JanRain with this feedback directly,
> but I guess you guys disagreed. I'm so used to JanRain doing great
> things for the OpenID community that this move really surprises me.
>
> --David
>
> On Apr 18, 2008, at 6:46 PM, "Brian Ellin" <brian at janrain.com> wrote:
>
>> Hello OpenID Folks,
>>
>> Working at JanRain, the recurring stories we hear when talking with
>> website operators about adding relying party support is "our users
>> won't understand URL as an identifier", or "we're waiting until it's
>> easier".
>>
>> Using all the feedback we've received while developing OpenID related
>> products,  we developed a widget that we think addresses many of the
>> usability issues surrounding OpenID.  We're hoping you'll take a look
>> and provide feedback to help us make it better.
>>
>> It's a widget (https://www.openidselector.com/) that you add to the
>> existing OpenID login form on your relying party website.   It's all
>> about getting users signed into your website as quickly and
>> efficiently as possible, and achieves this by providing a simple,
>> consistent, provider neutral interface, all while educating  the user
>> about OpenID during the process.  It hooks into your already
>> functional OpenID login form, and enhances it with a little bit of
>> javascript.
>>
>> (See attached screenshot)
>>
>> The first time a user sees the widget (at your site or any other
>> site), it helps them choose an OpenID provider at which they may
>> already have an account.   If the user doesn't have an account at any
>> of the services listed, they simply click the "Get an OpenID" or the
>> "Help" links, both of which are configurable by you.   You can also
>> customize which OpenID providers appear in the widget and in what
>> order they are presented.
>>
>> When a user returns to your website, or any other site that uses the
>> widget, their OpenID is filled in for them automatically for a "one
>> click" login experience.  If you choose to use different OpenIDs at
>> different websites, it remembers that too.
>>
>> Also, it's smart and knows the capabilities of your relying party and
>> the OpenID providers, so that it won't lead your user down a dead  
>> end.
>> For example, if your RP only supports OpenID 1.x right now, it won't
>> show 2.0 only providers in the list.
>>
>> We pre-populated the widget with the providers from
>> http://openid.net/get, but any OpenID provider may be added to the
>> widget.  Details are here:
>> https://www.openidselector.com/partners
>>
>> It's a beta, and we're hoping you'll give it a try and provide
>> feedback to help make it better!
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Brian Ellin
>> JanRain, Inc.
>> brian at janrain.com
>> <selector-screenshot.png>
>> <mime-attachment.txt>
>
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