DecisionThe decision to drop OpenID support is very unfortunate.
I use OpenID as my preferred login method wherever possible. I would argue that most of those users using OpenID are probably also those more valuable in the community compared to masses of one visit facebookFacebook "users" and the likes. Why on earth would anyone want to use such an account to loginlog in to SO? To brag about answering question infrontquestions in front of their "friends"? Someone must have hit the ground with their head really hard.
On the note of simplification of code by removing OpenID. Since when it became a solution ofto a problem to "ignore the problem"? Is that why we write code? Do not think so. Making pretty pictures somewhat does not make much to support that.
How do you come to athe conclusion that OpenID is a failure? I am using mojeid.czmojeid.cz
as an authentication provider. The service is run by a non profitnonprofit organization whichthat is also maintaining our national TLD registry - CZ.NIC. It is steadily picking up traction and is on track to become a nationwide login method with verified identity, to have the same legal weight as declaring identity in person against state authorities. It is also gaining wide support on commercial sites as well.
ThirdpartyThird-party OpenID service allows me to loginlog in anywhere using two factor-factor authentication, which has only a poor replacement in using google or even facebookFacebook with questionable "trust feeling". That does not feel aslike an adequate replacement. How can we use prehistoric "mail+pass" with any sense of security and privacy compared to google and facebookFacebook login providers?
Are you planingplanning to add two phase authenticcation-phase authentication support for logging in with mail+pass?
Keeping the OpenID support would be preferable from a not-a-noob user perspective. Please reconsider and DO NOT remove it.