OpenID

What is an OpenID?

OpenID is the decentralized, lightweight protocol for single sign-on and portable identity that is causing a massive disruption in today’s internet. More than 8,000 Web sites currently accept OpenID, a figure growing by five percent week over week, and many of the world’s leading companies, including Google Blogger, AOL, VeriSign, France Telecom and Sun Microsystems have adopted or announced support for OpenID enabling over 160 million users.

This simple community built technology lets you use your existing presence on the web as a form of identity. It was designed to solve real-world problems around single sign-on, without unnecessary complexity. Just like you can use an email address as a form of identity, OpenID lets you use a web address (URL) that you control to sign in on other sites. And just like email ddresses, you can have more than one, for work, or at home, or for any other use. But unlike email, the sites you use can’t spam you or access your data unless you give them permission.

An OpenID is a URL. An example OpenID URL would be ‘http://bob.myopenid.com/’, and when asked to sign in to an OpenID-enabled site I would type “http://bob.myopenid.com/” into the sign in box.

Why OpenID?

OpenID makes signing up for and logging in to enabled sites simple and secure. It puts you in control of your online identity, and saves you time.

With OpenID, you don’t have to sign up and create a new account for each site that supports OpenID – you can just use the identity you already have. Hundreds of millions of OpenIDs already exist, and it is likely that you already have one from a service you use.

How Do I Create an OpenID?

Getting an OpenID from our own myOpenID.com is simple and only takes a moment. Get one now.

Also, you may have an OpenID from a service you already use. OpenID.net maintains a comprehensive list of services that provide OpenIDs to their users, including AOL, LiveJournal, Technorati, Vox, Wordpress.com, France Telecom, and more.

How can I use it?

You enter your OpenID on the login page of any site that supports OpenID (look for the OpenID logo OpenID Logo Med.), authenticate with your OpenID provider and surf on.

Where can I use it?

Thousands of websites support OpenID login, with more coming online every day. The best places to look for enabled sites are at:

Also, be sure to check out Pibb our OpenID based communications product.

Where can I learn more?

The OpenID Foundation has a wealth of information available.

Remember that no one ‘owns’ OpenID, it is an open standard that already has support from AOL, Microsoft, Netscape, Sun and many others. OpenID is a protocol made for the public, by the public. No one owns or controls your information… You do.