phpMyID - and web application do’s and do nots

phpMyID this is a PHP module to include OpenID identification on your web platform. I believe this it is particularly important for web applications to reduce the work required to recruit new members. Web users do not want to have to enter their information time and time again, this is where OpenID solutions are useful.

Web users also do not want to list all their contacts one by one, it is a pain. I know it is unethical to ask users to donate their contact list to an unknown application, but if an application takes the list and spams the contacts - well that is likely death (after some short term success). If the application allows users to manipulate the contact list, see who is already signed up - this will ensure long term success.

Lastly, an application should open up their API, either by providing modules that easily access their interface or by providing simple Web services. This ensures publicity, applications like Twitter are unlikely to fail with some many applications integrating the Twitter API… if Twitter was to lose popularity, anyone of these applications could provide enough traffic to ensure Twitter continued.

Web application do’s and do nots summary: