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Why AOL Created 63 Million New OpenIDs

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Saved by 2 people (0 private), first by anonymouse user on 2007-02-20


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Late last week AOL announced its support of the open identity system OpenID, for all 63 million of their AOL/AIM Ids (for those looking for a quick introduction to OpenID, click here). The details of the announcement, via the dev.aol.com blog, are as follows:

Highlighted by marcel

  • Every AOL/AIM user now has at least one OpenID URI, http://openid.aol.com/screenname.
  • This experimental OpenID 1.1 Provider service is available now and AOL is conducting compatibility tests.
  • AOL's blogging platform has enabled basic OpenID 1.1 in beta, so every beta blog URI is also a basic OpenID identifier. (No Yadis yet.)
  • AOL doesn't yet accept OpenID identities within their products as a relying party, but they're actively working on it. That roll-out is likely to be gradual.
  • AOL is tracking the OpenID 2.0 standardization effort and plan to support it after it becomes final.

    • Highlighted by marcel

    How does it affect AOL/AIM users? With the OpenID integration, an AOL user will be able to login to a service provider that accepts OpenID, using their AOL/AIM username/password, without needing to create a new service-specific username/password. This is a great way for AOL to try and retain its once formidable (and still significant) user base, by providing an OpenID-based solution to the knotty problem of web single sign-on. So AOL user names will potentially be an entry into hundreds of different web sites and services, thanks to OpenID.

    Highlighted by marcel

    Still, AOL opening up OpenID to its 63 million users is a great validation for OpenID. On the heels of the Microsoft announcement, the AOL announcement builds further momentum for the OpenID solution, as the answer to the long sought after goal of Web single sign-on.

    Highlighted by marcel