Here’s an addendum for my previous post about OpenID: AOL supports OpenID authentication for all(?) screennames. I’ve verified that this works with AIM usernames, even if you don’t have a “real” AOL account. In other words, if you have an AOL account or even just an AIM account, you already have an OpenID. For example, my AIM ID is EMCampbell3, which means that I could authenticate on any OpenID site using openid.aol.com/emcampbell3 as my login. I’ll be redirected to AOL’s servers, which will ask for my password, and once it’s verified, I’ll be sent back to the original site with my identity verified.
AOL, Yahoo!, Microsoft, Six Apart (including LiveJournal and Vox), Ma.gnolia, Technorati… Who’s next?
6 Comments
Digg says they will be going along with it as well.
Digg can’t do it since most of the AOL nicks will be taken by other people. Am I right?
interesting read.
If you don’t have an OpenID, you can also get one at http://www.myOpenID.com. MyOpenID is the first pure play OpenID provider (launched in 2005) and offers a wide range of features including anti-phishing site verification protection, multi-factor authentication, multiple profiles (home, work, anonymous, etc.), SSL certificate and InfoCard integration, a public profile page, etc.
You can also set up your own OpenID provider for employees, partners, or customers through the various partner programs.
I would suggest using your AOL OpenID if you already have an account with them. The AOL OpenID provider supports many anti-phishing features and is incredibly reliable. They also offer multi factor authentication as well through RecognitionAUTH from ConfIdent technologies: http://www.confidenttechnologies.com/recognitionauth
Another option of course is the VeriSign PiP (http://pip.verisignlabs.com). The PiP in addition to offering all of the capabilities listed above also integrates with VeriSign’s 2-factor authentication VIP network. Users who for example have a paypal key https://www.paypal.com/securitykey for accessing their Paypal/ebay accounts can also use them on the PiP.
That said..if you’re a AOL user this is a great way to extend and leverage your account and I’m sure that “photo retention schemes” will be considered against a variety of different options.
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