One click registration on SLDrama.com, and the thoughts behind it. (multi-topic)

First, let me explain my reasons for not putting this in another more specific forum:
1- I'm going to be discussing the technology behind what I did and why.
2- I'm going to be talking about the social/commercial factors of why I did it this way.
3- I'm going to ask everyone who sees this to try and register and see if the system can take the heat of hundreds of registration requests at the same time.

Seems a bit general to me. YMMV...


On with the show!

First, let me explain what I've done in plain english:

I made it so that when you go to the kiosk at secondlife://Periwinkle/227/201/, that it registers you on the SLDrama.com website and sends you back a password by way of IM within about one minute (barring SL slowdowns).

Nothing else is needed. No other hoops to jump through. The system does all the work, and it seems to be foolproof on basic spoofing. Mind you, I still have some work to do on heavier security, but it's a working example of what I originally wanted.


Now, compare this with the standard method of most SL-related websites: You register there, and then link your account to SL after the fact. The problem with this method is that it does not make sure the user's 3rd party web account is using the same user name as they use in SL. This makes it impossible to know who your talking to in a forum conversation.

So, is my method better? Well, one click vs. 3rd party registration and linking it afterward? Supposedly fool-proof username/key linking?

Seems better to me.

My opinion is this: Most of the reason that people don't register on 3rd party websites is because it's too much effort. The one click method makes it easy for them to register, and removes several hurdles that might make prevent the less technical or patient of us to take the time to do so.

And if the site really needs more data? Then just forward them to a data-request form on their initial login. They fill that out, and you're done! I personally think this ease of registration will increase user participation, security, and enjoyment.


Now, what I would LIKE, and it's not anything but you guys helping out an old Fool, is for as many of you to register on SLDrama.com as are willing. You don't even have to login, though I WOULD like to know if any of you have problems logging in. The point of this is not to get people on the website, but to get a good test of the scripts that send the data to the site.

secondlife://Periwinkle/227/201/

Now, let me bring up two things:
- Your SLKey is going to be sent to the website. If this worries you, think on this: Any sensor that scans you in SL gets your key. Your key has never been private, and is just a way to communicate with your avatar.
- I'm not going to spam, sell, or otherwise do any evil to you with your key, because I don't want Linden Labs to hammer me into a puddle of goo...

Now, the question you likely have now, is why I'm bring this up...

Easy, I plan on releasing the development code and concepts to Linden Labs as soon as I have it cleaned up and tested. I do this because the process I'm using is exceedingly simple, and anyone could really have come up with it. I have not created anything really innovative or new, I've just streamlined it into a really nice kit.

Anyway, discuss...

I'll be signing up, meant to when I went to the page yesterday, just been procrastinating.

I think streamlining the experience of linking your avatar to external sites is a wonderful goal, and your ideas fit along well with what I had considered a while back -- before I got entirely too disinterested in SL.

One thing I would suggest is to have two-way registration, some people at work may want to register and then come home to complete the process. It can still force them into an avatar name rather than a separate user name.

Finally, since you are interested in this subject:

I think what would go a long way toward making registration less complex would be something like Proposition 654. This would give a standard way for any website to verify identity, with the added security for users of not having to have Yet Another Password. Since Linden would be doing all authentication, it would make things much easier.

Extensions could be made, and I believe there is a standard way of doing this, to allow a Linden-provided way of accessing a user's key (with allow/deny control from the user, of course).

What if you are already registered?

Can you provide folks with an alternate set of colors for your forum? Something that looked more like this might make them feel more at home. Or at least something other than pure black background and pure white letters?

Well, more at home is relative.

After I get some things cleaned up, I can work on a new theme, but for now I'm secured to the theme I have to try and prevent problems. I'm looking at it now, and seeing I still have a few. Are you wanting to make a theme for it? I'm open to suggestions on that...

As to already being registered, I would say that then your kinda exempt from this test, since I don't want to delete users to re-register. You can still go bye the kiosk and try it, it will just sent you an IM that says you are already registered when you try.

Nu-uh! I covered why this is a General! I EXPLAINED!

<pulls out heavy pulse cannon>

I'm REASONABLE...

<looks about casually>

Now, we ain't got no problems, do we?

(The above is humor. Those humor impaired will need to have a supplimental humor implant to understand the above. Please see your local humor upgrade specialist for details.)

LOL... I'm pessimistic lately about any thread's staying powers in General. good luck to you and your thread! god speed!

HEy. Want to hook me up with a simple method for registration. I happen to have a website I want to relaunch and a simple method like that would be kick ass!

SuezanneC: I just cleaned up the forum forms so that you can find them in Internet-Explorer. See if that's just a bit better.

Burke Prefect: Be patient and we'll see what we can do. Remember, this is the alpha version. It needs additional security checks, encryption, blahblahblah before it's ready for commercial use.

SLDrama is not making me any money, and is something of a prototyping for SL -> Web account creation. I am planning to have a class/discussion/brainstorming get-together later to see what people think of it...

Either way, give me time. I coded this new system from scratch last night and am worried that something will go terribly wrong. Alpha/beta is a scary time for programmers.

Anyone want to get a SL-website creators meeting together for some time?

Moved to Bangor, Maine.

<lifts gun and takes aim>

Sorry, lad. It's for the best...

<sounds of gunfire and screaming>

MY best, mind you, but I doubt you have a problem with that anymore...

Every injury you give me is just a sign of your concern ~sniffs~ you love me so much

More like Fansites I would think...

Haw! BRING IT!!!

<begins swinging the gun around randomly, wild look in his wide eyes>

You all want a piece of me? C'mon! I will take you ALLLLLL with me!


(The above is STILL humor. Those humor impaired will need to have a supplimental humor suppository implant to understand the above. Please see your local humor upgrade specialist for details.)

Sad that I cannot register for SLDrama.com directly on the website. I cannot log into Second Life and won't be able to for a little while. No drama for me.

I know. I built it that way. I can override and add you manually, or would you rather try out the in world registration later?

Anyone having problems with it, we got up to 29 users, and it stopped dead. I just want to make sure the process is still working?

Well considering that I just do not know know when I am moving out and will have access to my computer with SL again...could be weeks, I would certainly be very much apprecaited if I could be added any way.

Setup and sent.

I don't think my health plan covers this and I blew all my money and smokes and pork rinds.

FYI, SL Exchange has had this method of signing up available since September 05.

I have a one click access to SL drama-the gernal forum is bookmarked on my browser

Really? Never heard about it! Then again, I signed up before that, I believe?

I guess we need to get together and compare methods later, if you like!

Darn, and I thought I had done something unique!

Dude, it's cool you want to build community and all, but that layout and interface is just discouragingly unappealing. Hook up with one of the many design-minded folks in SL, make that thing look less fugly and you'll be on your way.

(fu guys, someone had to say it. Also, the UN really needs to restrict the use of Impact in the future. Save people from themselves -- they know not what they do.)

I used this method as well when we first got email <-> the world with my sldata vendor service - can't remember when that was, sometime in 2004? It's much easier for the end user and good for guaranteeing the identity of the avatar.

Acutally thinking about it, this is probably one of very few things Eggy didn't already do in Beta (Go on, prove me wrong. Somehow I know you have it in you! )