I appreciate this discussion, as I'm currently working on a variation of this issue: transitioning users from usernames to email addresses as their logins and identifiers on a site. It's being triggered by a change to a new platform, and unfortunately, it won't be an optional change, so I'm trying to find the best ways to mitigate the pain. My guess is that many users will actually welcome the shift rather than resenting it, because it seems to be increasingly common practice to use email address as login, but we've got a user base with a relatively low comfort level with technology and a history of resistance to change, so it's going to be a challenge.
On the issue of email addresses changing, I wonder if this is becoming less of a problem as more and more people use Gmail. I know I no longer use the email address provided by my ISP for almost anything, preferring to use my Gmail addresses for most of my online presence, in part for the exact reason that it doesn't change even if I move, switch ISPs, etc. And though I'm not really a typical user, my sense is that a lot of "ordinary" users are doing this too. I have no statistical evidence to back up that assumption, though, just anecdotal experience. 2009/1/30 USABILITY MEDIC <[email protected]>: > I have not done any work or research in this area but based on personal > experience, I agree with Yohan for precisely the same three reasons. > > I'll also add the following for your consideration: > > Despite being someone who has multiple email addresses, I would still have > an easier time figuring out which one of them to use versus trying to > remember which user ID to use (from the multitude of variations that I have > had to craft over the years based on the different requirements each website > has imposed). > > As for email addresses changing...yep it's a drawback Am currently noodling > ideas for the best way to manage this on my end. Didn't think about what > sites could do to help. > > First thing that comes to mind is something I've seen a few > times...providing for an alternate email address as backup. Still has > similar issues but it's a start. > > > Sent from my iPhon > > On Jan 29, 2009, at 1:00 AM, Yohan Creemers <[email protected]> wrote: > >> The email address as user id is becoming the preferred way in my >> opinion. >> >> Pros: >> an email address is unique; >> an email address is easy to remember; >> in many cases the system requires the email address also for sending >> messages. >> >> Cons: >> still not everyone has an email address; >> an email address may change over time. >> >> Did you consider OpenID? >> http://openid.net/ >> >> - Yohan >> >> >> >> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . >> Posted from the new ixda.org >> http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=37879 >> >> >> ________________________________________________________________ >> Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! >> To post to this list ....... [email protected] >> Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe >> List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines >> List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help > > ________________________________________________________________ > Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! > To post to this list ....... [email protected] > Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe > List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines > List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help > ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [email protected] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
