5 ms·

For a simple webapp like this, please don't make me get a twitter account/sign in to use. Generate a unique URL for me to use, or hash my email address or some

by il 16y ago

For a simple webapp like this, please don't make me get a twitter account/sign in to use. Generate a unique URL for me to use, or hash my email address or something like that. Reduce friction, I want to be able to use this with 1 click.

kylebragger 16y ago
Very good point. I've got plans to add "use it now, sign up later" stuff in, it's just not made it into production yet.
- anonymous236 16y ago
  Yep, needing to use Twitter account for login is a major minus. Maybe I am too old-fashioned, but if I click on Sign-In and it automatically logs me in, this is more of "WTF has just happened and where did it get my login credentials?" rather than "Ohhh, very cooooool, dude. Just saved 5 seconds and not needed to press 20 (twenty!!) keys. Awesome.".
  - kylebragger 16y ago
    This is actually refreshing to hear; I'm usually used to seeing the exact opposite - "what do you mean another account?!?". I wonder if adding an interstitial page with something to the effect of "you're signing up with Twitter FYI" would be a decent intermediary step.
    - zalzally 16y ago
      Good idea, Kyle. I don't mind Twitter or Facebook OAuth logins for non-sensitive consumer apps (sensitive = apps dealing with financial info, dating sites, health, etc.). Just tell me upfront that you're using the service, and I'll be happy that I don't need to create a new account.
      - kylebragger 16y ago
        Great point. I'm going to make it a top priority.
    - tomjen3 16y ago
      Thats because those people haven't reduced the friction to create an account yet - I have it down to about 20 seconds and making the browser remember the password means it is actually faster from then on. If you absolutely must, then use OpenId. It is was pretty much made for that (and it works with twitter, facebook, gmail, your mom, etc).
jm3 16y ago
really? creating a twitter account takes about 15 seconds. if you're not one of the 150 million people with a Twitter account, then why not just be patient? i'm sure kyle will get around to supporting other login methods eventually. i believe you're genuinely trying to be helpful with your suggestions, but comments like this reminds me of the vocal 0.1% of users who exercise troublesome preferences like disabling javascript, or installing ad-blocking plugins that break half the web, (which is fine!), but then complain that their (pathological) preferences prohibit them from enjoying the experience (which is not so helpful). feedback like, "i can't be bothered to log in to give you feedback because i don't like your login" isn't great feedback. it might even be viewed as a sign to you that you're not the intended user. yet.
- il 16y ago
  I wasn't aware not having a Twitter account was considered pathological in our Web 2.0 world. Why do I need to sign up for a microblogging platform to use a completely unrelated calendar app??? Anyway, my comments about reducing friction aren't based on my own preferences, they're based on dozens of multivariate split tests I have conducted across many thousand unique visitors. Every single time, forcing the user to sign up, login, enter their email or anything of the sort before getting to use the site SIGNIFICANTLY decreases engagement, time on site, conversions, and pretty much every other metric you should care about.
  - jm3 16y ago
    The "signup friction" argument's a straw men; no sane startup seeks to add friction to the signup process. the bogus (implied) assertion in the comment is that requiring a Twitter account to use a new web app in beta is overly restrictive / cumbersome. The only way that would make sense is if beta testers don't have Twitter accounts, since OAuthing with an existing account reduces friction. Twitter's been around for four years and seems fairly well established among early adopters like HN readers, so counting on a critical mass of beta testers to have Twitter accounts hardly seems a stretch, even if those users aren't very active tweeters. i for one was very glad not to need to enter an email address, pick a login name, etc; the oauth process handled that for me. ymmv
jayliew 16y ago
Actually, I'd like to provide a counter view point because this is really how I view it: but I actually prefer it if you had the "login with FB or Twitter or Google" because to me, I absolute get annoyed by having to sign up for yet another service. Another username, email, password, to remember == annoying for me.
- tomjen3 16y ago
  That isn't really so annoying though - use the same username you do everywhere else, use the same password (click supergenpass so it doesn't matter if the site gets hacked) and make your browser remember it. Because there sure as shit isn't any way I will just give some random website my google account - they get a dummy email forward, just like everybody else.
  - jayliew 16y ago
    Same username? That's assuming it's still available. If it isn't ? Then you have to remember a one-off username. Also, I do not use the same password for all web sites. That's the most basic security FAIL. If someone figures out your password, then all your accounts are compromised. This is the worst security advice ever. I'm sorry - but you know this is true. Yes - I also do the dummy email forward. I agree about not giving random sites your google account. So create a dummy google account.

by il 16y ago

kylebragger 16y ago

Very good point. I've got plans to add "use it now, sign up later" stuff in, it's just not made it into production yet.

anonymous236 16y ago
Yep, needing to use Twitter account for login is a major minus. Maybe I am too old-fashioned, but if I click on Sign-In and it automatically logs me in, this is more of "WTF has just happened and where did it get my login credentials?" rather than "Ohhh, very cooooool, dude. Just saved 5 seconds and not needed to press 20 (twenty!!) keys. Awesome.".
- kylebragger 16y ago
  This is actually refreshing to hear; I'm usually used to seeing the exact opposite - "what do you mean another account?!?". I wonder if adding an interstitial page with something to the effect of "you're signing up with Twitter FYI" would be a decent intermediary step.
  - zalzally 16y ago
    Good idea, Kyle. I don't mind Twitter or Facebook OAuth logins for non-sensitive consumer apps (sensitive = apps dealing with financial info, dating sites, health, etc.). Just tell me upfront that you're using the service, and I'll be happy that I don't need to create a new account.
    - kylebragger 16y ago
      Great point. I'm going to make it a top priority.
  - tomjen3 16y ago
    Thats because those people haven't reduced the friction to create an account yet - I have it down to about 20 seconds and making the browser remember the password means it is actually faster from then on. If you absolutely must, then use OpenId. It is was pretty much made for that (and it works with twitter, facebook, gmail, your mom, etc).

jm3 16y ago

really? creating a twitter account takes about 15 seconds. if you're not one of the 150 million people with a Twitter account, then why not just be patient? i'm sure kyle will get around to supporting other login methods eventually. i believe you're genuinely trying to be helpful with your suggestions, but comments like this reminds me of the vocal 0.1% of users who exercise troublesome preferences like disabling javascript, or installing ad-blocking plugins that break half the web, (which is fine!), but then complain that their (pathological) preferences prohibit them from enjoying the experience (which is not so helpful). feedback like, "i can't be bothered to log in to give you feedback because i don't like your login" isn't great feedback. it might even be viewed as a sign to you that you're not the intended user. yet.

il 16y ago
I wasn't aware not having a Twitter account was considered pathological in our Web 2.0 world. Why do I need to sign up for a microblogging platform to use a completely unrelated calendar app??? Anyway, my comments about reducing friction aren't based on my own preferences, they're based on dozens of multivariate split tests I have conducted across many thousand unique visitors. Every single time, forcing the user to sign up, login, enter their email or anything of the sort before getting to use the site SIGNIFICANTLY decreases engagement, time on site, conversions, and pretty much every other metric you should care about.
- jm3 16y ago
  The "signup friction" argument's a straw men; no sane startup seeks to add friction to the signup process. the bogus (implied) assertion in the comment is that requiring a Twitter account to use a new web app in beta is overly restrictive / cumbersome. The only way that would make sense is if beta testers don't have Twitter accounts, since OAuthing with an existing account reduces friction. Twitter's been around for four years and seems fairly well established among early adopters like HN readers, so counting on a critical mass of beta testers to have Twitter accounts hardly seems a stretch, even if those users aren't very active tweeters. i for one was very glad not to need to enter an email address, pick a login name, etc; the oauth process handled that for me. ymmv

jayliew 16y ago

Actually, I'd like to provide a counter view point because this is really how I view it: but I actually prefer it if you had the "login with FB or Twitter or Google" because to me, I absolute get annoyed by having to sign up for yet another service. Another username, email, password, to remember == annoying for me.

tomjen3 16y ago
That isn't really so annoying though - use the same username you do everywhere else, use the same password (click supergenpass so it doesn't matter if the site gets hacked) and make your browser remember it. Because there sure as shit isn't any way I will just give some random website my google account - they get a dummy email forward, just like everybody else.
- jayliew 16y ago
  Same username? That's assuming it's still available. If it isn't ? Then you have to remember a one-off username. Also, I do not use the same password for all web sites. That's the most basic security FAIL. If someone figures out your password, then all your accounts are compromised. This is the worst security advice ever. I'm sorry - but you know this is true. Yes - I also do the dummy email forward. I agree about not giving random sites your google account. So create a dummy google account.