Should superuser.com users be able to log into the site w/o creating an openid? That seems a little advanced. Maybe the least technical of the SO trilogy should have the least technical entry requirements.
When SO was built, Jeff and Crew went with OpenID because it was expected to have a more sophisticated audience of programmers. SuperUser.com clearly is not targeted at that group. Should the the openid decision be rethough?
You don't need to have an account to browse and post questions or answers. You only need a login for the more advanced participation, gaining rep, or keeping track of all your questions and answers.
I think that bar is low enough. General users with a specific question can post it an get an answer without ever needing an OpenId.
I don't think so. Most people have a Google/Yahoo/Flickr/blogger/LiveJournal account that will serve as an OpenID.
I suspect that a lot of people will use the cookie method of logging in for limited use of the site, as Google will be their first point of contact with SU.
Actually Facebook is adopting OpenID. It seems to pick up thrive. And once the user has set up a OpenId, it makes things easier for him not having to remember multiple passwords.
All we have to hope for is Google revisiting their faulty implementation.
There is a question on SU about this, asking about OpenId's future.
It's not really rocket science to make an OpenID account. Currently there's a link to: http://openid.net/get/ Where you can find links to several sites that have OpenIDs
The only thing they could add is direct links to the (free) standalone OpenID providers for people who don't want to sign up at any of the large suppliers.
But I reckon most people that will come to Superuser will have an account that's on the list...
The google and other "popular" login mechanisms could be made more prominent, to reduce confusion and concern on the logging method, which is too hi-tech for superuser users.
