[OpenID] Windows Live ID OpenID CTP Status Update (August 2009)

[Nate Klingenstein]

Allen,

>> Hypothesis: <heresy> Directed identity choices don't work for  
>> *mainstream* users </heresy>
>>
> This is not heresy, this is the truth. I'd go even further and claim  
> that directed identity doesn't work for most technically  
> sophisticated users. Obviously, the folks on this list are an  
> exception.

I'm not convinced at all that that is truth.

If we look at the UK Federation, for example, which I would consider  
as serving both a very large user base and a wide variety of services,  
eduPersonTargetedID(e.g. directed identity expressed in SAML 1.1) is  
one of the core attributes.  Many of the largest services rely either  
on directed identity alone or directed identity and institutional  
affiliation.

http://www.ukfederation.org.uk/content/Documents/AttributeUsage

This may have something to do with differential privacy laws or user  
interfaces, or different priorities in deployment.  But with evidence  
in hand that a lot of services and a lot of identity sources prefer to  
use directed identity in a very large deployment, it's hard for me to  
agree with the conclusions you and Jorgen have reached.

I think that George's statement that informed RP's and OP's can make  
appropriate decisions in identifier usage is right on.
Nate.