Clickpass, a startup that has simplified the OpenID login platform, has built out support for additional third parties that brings the promise of a universal login even closer. Users will now be able to use their Google, Facebook, Yahoo, or Hotmail passwords on any site that includes the Clickpass authentication system.
The new Clickpass system requires almost no effort from the end user. Supported sites simply embed a button on their login page which prompts users to login with their credentials from one of the aforementioned services; you don’t even need to have a Clickpass account. On supported sites, creating a new account is as simple as logging in with your preferred service (I use Gmail), and picking a display name to show other users. This is what OpenID should be.
So what’s the catch? At launch the service only works on a handful of sites, but CEO Peter Nixey says that implementing it on a website is easy - we can expect to see the number of supported sites skyrocket in the next few days. Developers need only implement the standard OpenID protocol along with the Clickpass system and they’re good to go.
One problem that Clickpass will soon face is that it is really a temporary solution to a problem most of these companies are already working on. We can expect Google, Yahoo, and the rest of the lot to implement their own version of OpenID, which will effectively take Clickpass out of the equation.
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hotmail doesnt use that logo
yeah but if I can use clickpass to log into any of them… I only need one identity/ password to remember. That is the only reason I want openID. I might want clickpass çause it’s easier than openID
Proof that you don’t need millions to create a great, easy to use service.
Identify yourself at site A using site B’s credentials via Clickpass? …
> One problem that Clickpass will soon face is that it is really a temporary solution to a problem most of these companies are already working on. We can expect Google, Yahoo, and the rest of the lot to implement their own version of OpenID, which will effectively take Clickpass out of the equation.
I’d argue that this roundabout approach is obfuscating the process. OpenID is already hard enough to grok on the user’s end. I just connected my Google account to my Clickpass and merged my Hacker News account as well. Not only did it not work (bugs are fine..) but the flow was strikingly different than the standard OpenID identification flow — which has had a fair amount of community input throughout it’s two 2.0 specification.
It seems that rocking the OpenID boat at a time when it’s mass adoption is just inches away is not helping but distracting. Just my opinion. I’ll try again when the bugs have been worked out. Nice design either way.
Nice one ClickPass. Looks like you’re gonna have fun in SF, Jude.
You’ve got to be kidding me. How does this even make news? $20k funding? LOL!!!
AS you mention, it’s a short-term solution - at best.
The problem I see with OpenID is that everyone supports it but they all want to be “issuers”. Google wants to handle all the OpenID, so does Yahoo and so does everyone. I don’t see ClickPass being able to convince them that they should be the one - I bet there are going to be several OpenIDs - and we’ll be back to the same thing.
@Angelo (#4)
with hope, the ‘distraction’ helps the openid community focus to win. credential mgmt’s been far too crappy for far too long. as we want access to more apps in the cloud, we need a better way to do it than we’ve got. openid is better. so is ldap. so are other federations and consortia.
standardization’s required, but waiting for it’s not the way - pushing toward it is.
a good if temporary solution is better than sitting still waiting, IMO.
to your point, though, fragmentation doesn’t help much. let’s hope for more push and less fragmentation.
S
Open ID is good concept but how we do it for our own site or blogs
check mail