New UI got changed from some iteration of this...
to this:
The change is of the meta-message is essentially:
- before: "hey did you know that with OpenID you can accept users already existing logins from other sites? Ain't it nice?"
- after: "GOOGLE FACEBOOK (EMAIL) ((losers' entrance))"
Disclaimer: I am aware that the stackexchange openID is not an "email". However, the current new UI promotes what is essentially fooling users by letting them be the cargo-cult follower they were modelled as, to continue to think that this is the case. And never ever mind them the open part about openID.
What's essentially wrong with Gmail as Facebook as OpenID providers, making them the worst choice to be promoted?
- google provides openID
- google does not accept openID provided by others
- facebook: same case
While openID providers can theoretically of course choose whether to let users use other provider's openID, this is not the dominant issue here. The dominant issue is that these two providers are massive monopolies in the openID market and their tactics seem dangerously fit in a strategy reminding one of Embrace, Extend and Extinguish. Honestly StackExchange used to be the Fair Cool Guy here, now with this move, it's slowly slipping to under the dominance of the above two monopolistic giants.
The difference about the old UI was that it visually featured all OpenID providers equally. On the meta level this constituted as an experience that allowed users to learn about what essentially is OpenID and what's great about it as a 'free market' kind of community.
The new UI radically changes this by hiding the essence of OpenID and turning the already unbalanced table to the benefit of the unfair players.
Please, let yourself promote a fair and healthy community of OpenID by taking providers equally and presenting them as such.
