The good, the bad and the ugly Robin Hastings Info Tech Manager Missouri River Regional Library Social Software
Dec 03, 2014
The good, the bad and the
ugly
Robin Hastings
Info Tech Manager
Missouri River Regional Library
Social Software Showcase – ALA 2008
What Is OpenID?
• Shared identity service
• Log into many websites (not related) with single digital identity
• Use OpenID “identity provider” instead of multiple user/pass combinations
• ID providers include AOL, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Google, IBM, Verisign and more
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Openid
What Is OpenID?• Personal Use
– Simplify sign-ins– Free & moveable
• Business Use– “Outsource” password &
account management– Easier logins, more
visitors
• Geek Use– Open, decentralized &
free– Uses existing tech
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44532984@N00/755378645/
http://openid.net/what
The Good
• Single Sign-On• Lots of providers –
lots of choices• Easy signup • Works at lots of sites• Open standard – not
owned by any one entity
• Providers can be feature-rich!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47873724@N00/22109450/
The Bad
• Security Issues• Privacy/Tracking
Issues• Not a “trusted
system”• Usability Issues• Adoption problems• Single Point of
Failure Issueshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/7453215@N08/2192953256/
The Ugly
• Usability Issues– Explanations (where
they exist) aren’t simple/non-technical yet
– Without using the registration extension, requires profile duplication
• Privacy Issues– Tracking– Hacking– Reuse/Recycling of
user names could cause privacy breaches
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28801512@N00/2491827977/
Identification 2.0
• Multiple social sites means LOTS of user/pass combinations
http://www.flickr.com/photos/35034360660@N01/32953845/
My Implementation
• webgoddess.myopenid.com – or openid.rhastings.net/webgoddess
• Uses registration extension – sends info I choose to social sites to start my profile info
• Used at wetpaint.com, firstpagr.com and a few other sites
Your Implementation
• Get an OpenID (or use one you already have…) - http://openid.net/get/
• Log into an OpenID enabled site– https://www.myopenid.com/directory– http://openiddirectory.com/
• …
• Profit!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License.
Credits:
Photo on title slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/98652633@N00/68034527/
OpenID Logo on title slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/68415646@N00/1305693334/