The Next Generation of Identity

Too many sites, too many registrations and in the end we land up having too many user names and passwords. Its so much difficult to remember the log in credentials of all the web sites you get registered with. All having different user names and password authentication criteria. Don't you think there should an easy and convenient way to log in to all the sites with only 1 soul ID. Yes this is The Next Generation of Identity, a global user id to ease your log in problems. 'One ID to rule them all', kidding... Lets look at the whole new way of logging in to websites.

Open ID, Facebook Connect and Friend Connect

Developing Social  Application is too much of work

Identity Federation

The assembled identity, of a  person’s user  information across multiple systems.

Social Graph

The interconnection amount people groups and organization is a social network

What is OpenID?

Open ID is free and easy way to use a single identity across the internet. It has now been adopted by thousands of website

What problem does it solves?

• Too Many Passwords
• Somebody already have my username
• My Online Identity is spread over number of sites.

So what is openID?
Its a URL at a provider (http://xyz.myopenid.com).
User are redirected to their service provider and then redirected back

What can you do at openID?
You can claim that you own this URL.
So is it similar to Microsoft Passport.
Yes at some extent, but you don't have to ask for Microsoft Permission for it.
A single organization will never know everyone credentials. User decides who owns their credentials. You can pick your own provider, Similar to Email. If you have to ability to run your own server you can do it your self.

So my users doesn't have to sign in for an account?
Not Necessary
OpenID tells you very little about a user. You don't know who he is their name, email address, whether a spam bot or a person.

Where do i get that information?
You ask them. It augments your regular signup it doesn't replace it.
Make sure you filter evil Spam bots by challenging them with captcha.

Open IDs Pros

• Open Source
• Multiple programs (Yahoo, AOL , Google)
• No central control of user data
• Largest Pool of Users
• Possibilities limited by developer imaginations

Open ID cons

• Requires application developer to utilize (although it is a Standard)
• Only Addresses Authentication can be combined with other standards (Social Graph API, Portable Contacts, OpenID Attribute Exchange)
• Most non-technical users are unaware of it or don't understand it.

Facebook Connect

Allow  users to login to their site using familiar Facebook credentials

Allow sites to import users data from Facebook Profiles.

Site can add to users feed on Facebook

Facebook pros

• Already rich populated with data
• HUGE, self aware user data
• Familiar and usable to end users
• Quickly being adopted by many sites

Facebook Cons

• Proprietary
• Requires applications development to utilize
• New custom markup to learn
• Limited to what Facebook Implements
• Single provider of Identity

Google Friend Connect

Java Script Gadgets are put to your site to   add social functionality

Small but growing collection of gadgets becoming available  from the Open Social Community

 Actually uses OpenID

Friend Connect Pros

• Super simple to setup
• Register your site and paste some Javascript source
• Select social features you want friends, wall etc.
• Growing Gadget base
• Easy for non developers to implement
  

Google Friend Cons

• Interaction in sandbox behind Google’s Widget code
• No way  for developers to get access to the user’s data for incorporation in their site
• So far appears to be very widget

Which one Should I Use?
Examine your site needs and Audience

• Are your visitors more tactical?
• Will most of them be on Facebook?
• Do you need access to user data to act upon it?

Open ID if you:

• Want to comply with emerging standards
• Want to supply several source of identity
• Have technical  resources to implement

Facebook Connect if you:

• Want simple brand familiarity for general end users.
• Want to promote action on your site to a huge user base.
• Want to easily get data about a user from  one protocol.
• Have technical resources to implement

Google Friend Connect if you:

• Don’t need ready access to work with the user data.
• Want to quickly add fun widget to your site or blog.
• Don’t have technical resources to implement.

Which one should I Pick!

• You don’t have to pick!
• You can use more than one
• JanRain’s RPX integrates with all https://rpxnow.com

Who will win?

• No body will win
• Facebook connect will and is gaining quick adoption
• The open stack may gain more support due to developers backing.