[OpenID] OpenID Extension to handle Emails Addresses?

[SitG Admin]

>The Internet has an identifier for users - it is their email 
>address. Trying to tech users to use anything else is pointless.

Once upon a time, users *didn't* have E-mail addresses as 
identifiers. They learned. I'm sure they can learn something else the 
same way.

>Identity providers:
>     This is a serious business. I don't consider it necessary to 
>make barriers to entry any lower than they currently are for 
>administering a mail server.

I'm currently providing an OpenID identity. My own. I don't consider 
it necessary to create barriers to entry in the "running your own 
identity provider" business. It may be "good for business" (other 
people's), but it's not good for the decentralization part to raise 
requirements until even the tech-savvy users whose only crime is not 
acting under the umbrella of a rich corporation *can't* qualify to 
run their own IDP!

>OK so now lets think about market building a bit. Lets try to 
>embrace and extend the competition.

Are you sure you're with Verisign and not Microsoft? ;)

>The only real arguable point in what I wrote is that I do not have 
>solid data on how users will react. It is my hypothesis that they 
>will find an email address easier than a URL. If folk want to argue 
>that point lets test it out.

I concede that users may find change more difficult than remaining as 
they were. I'm still in favor of educating users to move forward - I 
don't think it's pointless.

-Shade