Modern Web Identity: Why Your Web Applications Should Be Offering OpenID, OAuth, And Probably Facebook Connect

Nice overview of the web application and digital identity ecosystem:

http://hinchcliffe.org/archive/2009/04/15/16745.aspx

Are you creating a new Web site and developing a user registration system that requires new visitors to sign-up and create a user ID and password? Stop now and read this. There are now more effective approaches for dealing with Web accounts which are more powerful and are better for you and your users.

The concept of Web identity has recently undergone significant evolution that all Web developers and architects, both consumer and enterprise, should be readily familiar with today. These new identity options, specificallyOpenID, OAuth, and Facebook Connect, when individually used can:

• Make it easier, faster, and safer for users to establish their identity on your site.
• Enable businesses to have single sign-on to your applications.
• Turn your site into a platform for 3rd party applications which can access user data safely and securely.
• Can integrate your site or application into the social experience of the user and their connections.

This post explores these three new ways to provide user identity that will make your Web applications work substantially better and make your users more secure and satisfied. There are also some important caveats and issues to be aware of and which we'll also discuss.