My Only Prediction For 2010

By the end of 2010, the majority of new online communities wont have a registration page. At least not in the sense we use today.

Instead we will use accounts created elsewhere.

This is a very good thing.

Comments

[Tasmijn]

So you are predicting OpenID to go mainstream?

[Michelle]

I don't know if that's really a good thing. When I started my site, I kept it as open as I possibly could because I wanted to encourage people to participate and not put up any barriers.

Then I got my first troll attack and had to keep locking it down more and more until now I have it set up that all accounts need to be manually approved. I rarely get any spam attempts because I'm pretty good at spotting the spammers when they sign up. And it's a lot harder for a troll because there's more hassle to make a new account. I may not get as many people signing up but I get more quality ones.

If you open your site up to people using accounts created elsewhere, you rely on the "elsewhere" to screen them. I think that takes a lot of control out of the hands of the site.

Michelle

[Cosmond]

I suspect the majority of registrations might not use a traditional form. However I think communities will continue to default to the old system - not everyone is going to be on Facebook or Twitter.

NB - just read that OpenID has hit 1Billion accounts:

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/openid_ends_2009_with_1_billion_users.php

Charlie
www.FreshNetworks.com

[Sue]

I agree wit Charlie, not everyone wants all their accounts connected. For instance I primarily use Facebook to connect with family, I don't want it connected up to my Twitter account, which I use primarily in a professional manner.

Local registration is an important element in keeping you connected with your community, (eg email) and I also wonder how such a thing as open ID would help a community keep track of it's membership statistics, post counts, activity etc.

[Ejly]

I agree. I think password fatigue limits community engagement. Offering a multitude of options - OpenID AND Twitter AND Facebook will be essential.