Filed under: Security, Web services, Google
Google hates passwords, wants you to sign up for sites without them
The information never gets stored by the new site you're signing up for, so using your existing credentials is both convenient and secure. Plus, you don't get one of those annoying email messages asking you to confirm your account. (Is it just me, or do those things get marked as spam most of the time, anyway?)
Google's working on some code that will let companies offer this service - it's called "hybrid onboarding," technically - to their users. It's not going to have an immediate impact, but I hope this will cause more sites to get on board with hybrid onboarding and ditch the annoying signup processes and endless passwords.
[via AppScout]
I don't know if this is a labor of love or merely the brainchild of four very gifted games designers, but Level Up is a really weird mash-up of gaming elements that you have probably never seen in a Flash game before.
Let's start with the premise itself: Groundhog Day meets Memento. The game experience revolves around 'days': you explore the world and the clock slowly ticks towards the evening. You bounce around picking up gems and talking to the denizens of 'Level Upland'. Eventually you feel tired and head back to ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Markus said 4:06AM on 11-11-2009
Looks like the same thing Microsoft tried with their passport. Amazing that the same people who hated passport now like a very similar approach.
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risk said 11:27AM on 11-04-2009
every site should have this, IIRC i have well over 100 different usernames/password combinations i have to remember..
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Jan said 11:57AM on 11-04-2009
how is this different than OpenID which google already does ? aand a milion other providers ?
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pmow said 11:59AM on 11-04-2009
Have they not heard of OpenID?
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pmow said 12:07PM on 11-04-2009
I just signed up for PIP from Verisign, which uses my Paypal security token card ($5). Not only does it protect Paypal/eBay, but now it protects my openID login.
ippapyttu_454 said 1:37PM on 11-04-2009
Terrible idea. Another reason not to use Google.
I will stick with RoboForm Pro.
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kojo87 said 1:56PM on 11-04-2009
why is this terrible? you only worry about keeping one online ID secure instead of the dozens you would have otherwise.
Jeebus said 3:51PM on 11-06-2009
Because now tracking you online becomes even easier. Imagine the data mining possibilities.
Saint Seminole said 1:44PM on 11-04-2009
If it works, and if it's secure, I like the idea.
I tried OpenID, and simply couldn't get it to work, even after reading pages of FAQs. I'd much rather use a simple username and password.
And, I'll admit that -- when possible -- I use very similar usernames and passwords across multiple sites anyway.
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Dave Forster said 2:25PM on 11-04-2009
if you are an asp.net developer here's an article on my company website explaining how to implement this using RPX.
http://www.softwarenation.co.uk/ShowArticle.aspx?id=5542847160244501962
For the developer this could become a magic bullet for letting users log into your service(s) because you no longer have to implement a lot of the user management/authentication code which can get a little repetitious.
How well end users embrace this remains to be seen.
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Monica said 7:07PM on 11-04-2009
I don't mean to be too obvious here, but isn't this a huge security issue? I can see where the convenience comes in, but I can't understand why anyone would want to do this. What would be several break in points for someone trying to steal your password such as your email account, bank account and so on, now becomes a single break in point. All you have to do is accidentally type your password on a key logging public computer and everything you do on line is available. This happens far more to lay people then you can imagine.
Just a thought.
Monica S
Los Angeles Computer Repair
http://www.sebecomputercare.com
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Kat2 said 9:32PM on 11-04-2009
It might be convenient but I don't want every site I use linked together. I don't need some psycho trying to stalk me online at every website I go to.
@risk (commenter #1): Sounds like you need Keepass.
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TQ said 4:42AM on 11-05-2009
Open-ID
works like a charm on dailymotion.com
Then again Dailymotion.com allows you to sign-up/login with your facebook account.
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JayMonster said 10:42AM on 11-10-2009
I find it funny. When Microsoft did this (Remember Microsoft Passport?), it was a "terrible idea because no one company... particularly a for profit one... should hold the keys to the land" but somehow this is a good idea for Google?
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