Page ThePerfectLogin.

The Perfect Login: Respect the User

Web design is an art, I agree, somehow. Yet I am often amazed by the lack of humility of software designers. One recurrent case is login and register pages. It is as if "they" knew what is right and what is wrong. Whereas in fact "they" lack imagination.

Here is to you, Designers, a short list of some suggestions about what a gentle and polite login/register page should be.

Login and Register combined

I register to so many services, I lose track of them. I often use the same user id and password. I most always use the same email address.

I know that this is not the best security practice, please don't lesson me.

When I login to a service that I wrongly think I am alredy registered to, I would rather not have to enter my user name and password again when I then decide to register.

When I login, please assume that I want to register!

Log logins

The ability to monitor who accessed my account is a security savior. It makes me feel good.

Maybe you could remember what I did last time? That would put me back in context.

Don't Flash me bro!

I suspect that I am not alone using Firefox extensions like InFormEnter. They make it easy to pick an entry in a preselect list of answers. I almost never type my user name or password.

Unless... some annoying Flash site insists on that.

My country counts

I know that France is number 98th alphabetically. Yet, I feel like it would make sense to have it listed number 1 on French sites, and in the top 10 else. Besides, my IP tells you my country, doesn't it?

Some probability/heuristics makes life easier sometimes.

I speak English

It is not because I live in France that I want a French UI. I would actually rather have the original English UI rather than an half baked translation.

Plus, I know English speaking people that live in France. Country does not equals language.

My long name is part of me

I login jhr, jhrobert or, more often, JeanHuguesRobert. That later one is apparently too long for some sites.

Who are they to decide what it too long? Please don't restrict the length.

And please be flexible with Uppercase, - dash and other special characters that are very valid in some countries.

Don't pass on my password

Sure, 123 is not the best password ever. But I am in charge. So please accept my password, because you have no clue why I keep it "weak" as you say.

DarkKnight33 is not my name forever

I will eventually change my user id, moving away from a childish one for example. Those services that do not allow me to change my "name" will say bye bye to my account.

Don't ask for my password twice!

If I provided a wrong password, I will soon detect that next time I login. And the "Lost password" link is there to help me.

Empty email address is OK

Lower the barrier to entry, don't *force* me to provide you with my email. Maybe I don't trust you enought yet? Or maybe I barely want to try your service? Or maybe I cannot enter it right now? Who knows?

Empty password is OK

A blank password makes sense sometimes. I appreciate your warning, but please obey me.

Empty user id is OK sometimes

When I get back to you, I like it when you detect that I am a returning user. I don't like it of course when the next user on this PC gets the same treatment.

Maybe it is OK to ask for my password again, but can't you accept my empty user id? Just call me Anonymous84726, that's OK sometimes.

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