[OIDFSC] Request to consider creation of the User Interface Work Group

[Dick Hardt]

+1 (not sure if I am still on the council or not though :-)

On 23-Feb-09, at 11:39 AM, David Recordon wrote:

> +1
>
> On Feb 20, 2009, at 6:19 PM, Allen Tom wrote:
>
>> Hi Specs Council,
>>
>> Please consider the attached proposal to form the User Interface  
>> Work Group.
>> http://wiki.openid.net/OpenID-User-Interface-Work-Group-Proposal
>>
>>
>>  Charter Proposal
>>
>> In accordance with the OpenID Foundation IPR policies and  
>> procedures this note proposes the formation of a new working group  
>> chartered to produce an OpenID specification. As per Section 4.1 of  
>> the Policies, the proposed charter is below (still liable to change  
>> during this feedback period).
>>
>>    Name
>>
>> OpenID User Interface Working Group
>>
>>
>>    Background Information
>>
>> OpenID traditionally requires the Relying Party to redirect the  
>> entire browser window to the OpenID Provider for the user to  
>> authenticate before redirecting the browser back to the Relying  
>> Party. It is believed that the User Experience (UX) could be  
>> significantly improved if the authentication flow occurred within a  
>> smaller popup window, making the experience less disruptive to the  
>> user.
>> Although it is possible for Relying Parties to open a popup window  
>> for the user to authenticate at the OpenID Provider using the  
>> Provider's default user interface, the overall user experience can  
>> be optimized if the OP was aware that its UI was running within a  
>> popup. For instance, an OP may want to resize the popup browser  
>> window when using the popup interface, but would probably not want  
>> to resize the full browser window when using the default redirect  
>> interface. Another optimization is that the OP can close the popup,  
>> rather than return a negative assertion if the user chooses to  
>> cancel the authentication request.
>> Users who begin the OpenID sign in process on a Relying Party in  
>> one language and then transition to their OpenID Provider's site in  
>> a different language may find the overall experience to be very  
>> disruptive. In many cases, the Relying Party may want to pass a  
>> language hint to the OpenID Provider to use to display the User  
>> Interface to the user, especially if the user is not already  
>> authenticated at the OP.
>>
>>
>>
>>    Statement of Purpose
>>
>> This workgroup intends to produce a very brief OpenID extension to  
>> enable the OpenID Authentication User Interface to be invoked in a  
>> standalone popup window, and to allow the Relying Party to request  
>> that the user interface be displayed in a particular language.
>>
>>
>>
>>    Scope
>>
>> Produce an extension that allows an OpenID Provider to indicate its  
>> support of a popup friendly user interface, as opposed to the  
>> default user interface optimized for a full browser window. The  
>> popup must be in an independent browser window, and must not be  
>> framed by the RP.
>>
>> The extension will also define a mechanim for RPs to pass a  
>> language hint to the OP to help determine the langange used to  
>> display the OpenID Authentication user interface.
>>
>>
>>
>>    Out of Scope
>> The content of the user interface other than the language that the  
>> interface is displayed in is out of scope.
>>
>>
>>
>>    Specifications
>> OpenID User Interface Extension 1.0
>>
>>    Anticipated audience
>>
>> All those interested in improving OpenID Usability.
>>
>>    Language of business
>>
>> English.
>>
>>    Method of work
>>
>> Mailing list discussion. Posting of intermediate drafts in the  
>> OpenID Wiki. Virtual conferencing on an ad-hoc basis.
>>
>>    Basis for completion of the activity
>>
>> The OpenID User Interface Extension 1.0 final draft is completed.
>>
>>    Proposers
>>
>>  * Allen Tom, atom at yahoo-inc.com, Yahoo!
>>  * Brian Ellin, brian at janrain.com, Janrain
>>  * David Recordon, david at sixapart.com, Six Apart
>>  * Chris Messina, chris at citizenagency.com, Vidoop/DiSo Project    *  
>> Breno de Medeiros, breno at google.com, Google
>>  * Luke Shepard, lshepard at facebook.com, Facebook
>>
>>
>>    Initial Editors
>>
>>  * Allen Tom, atom at yahoo-inc.com, Yahoo!
>>  * Breno de Medeiros, breno at google.com, Google
>>
>>
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