Disqus announced the addition of OpenID support yesterday. YAY!
But they get it all wrong. BOO!
They have implemented OpenID through the use of another site, ClickPass. This is where the problem lies. Instead of implementing OpenID themselves and allowing additional functionality through ClickPass, ClickPass has basically become a required stop in the chain of event required to use OpenID.
With there current system, using OpenID works something like this:
0) Write my comment and then realize I can "login" so then erase my comment (this assumes a user even recognizes that "login" applies to them. Otherwise, OpenID is never even considered)
1) Click "login"
2) Click on hard to see "Open ID" icon that doesn't even look clickable
3) Fill out URL
4) Press submit
5) read note about Clickpass
6) Press submit again
7) Verify OpenID Identity
8) Tell Disqus I don't have an account yet
9) Confirm my information
10) Press Submit
11) Write my comment
12) Press Submit
The "OpenID" bit should be automatic based on the "website" or "URL" field. The OpenID logo should be displayed next to it to show that it is enabled there. Having to press "login" is not intuitive since commenters don't know that they have an account to "login" to. If the URL box is filled in when the user submits the comment, Disqus should then do some magic to see if the URL is OpenID capable, and, if so, log the user in and work whatever magic they want to at that point. The comment should be saved immediately if the URL is not OpenID capable, and should be saved as soon as the OpenID is authenticated if it is OpenID capable. This way, all steps after authentication are optional. With this in place, the new path is:
1) Write my comment
2) Fill out URL field
3) Press submit
4) Verify OpenID Identity
5) OPTIONAL stuff that is not required like Clickpass, Disqus account, picture upload, blah, blah
I hope they fix this soon because, with the way it is now, it may as well not be a feature.
