user id's

Hi all

I'm about to start a site that will encourage users to authenticate, and require it before they buy something.

In your vast experience, which is better, getting the users to provide a user name, or using their email address as a user name?

I'm thinking about using the email - what if they don't have one? Does anyone that uses the internet not have one.

In the last 2 years, I've started using email addresses where possible (if it's left up to me and not the client) as I'm finding it a real pain keeping track of my personal UserID's. It's highly likely that if you're using the net, you've got an email addy - even more so if you are purchasing something, as that to me suggests you have an above average level on knowledge..

I was personally just contempating this very subject earlier today...

I came to the conclusion that a small-scale site such as mine should be based on user-names... I figure a site based on a community is best done with usernames... forums, chat rooms, and bbs are great for usernames.

However, a retail site, such as Amazon or Ebay, is best using email addresses... Alas, ebay uses usernames, but I believe they should use email address... I would consider the best advantage of using email addresses is that the email has to be current, and not just some made up one (bgates@microsoft.com ?)....

I agree with MadCowDzz, though stumpy's comment has merit as well. MCDzz's is really a qualification of stumpy's, I guess.

dhouston, so you like #1 with a little #2? =D

As an added notice, I havent really seen a lot of sites that accept an email address as a login... other than Hotmail, Amazon, and Acidplanet... I personally don't visit too many others which use emails... all the forums sites (devarticles), yahoo, ebay, and so on, all use Usernames... I guess usernames are somewhat easier to remember, and certainly easier to type in... but I still stand by the conclusions in my first post...

I think emails are a great idea, however I would be concerned if I have to start giving out my email address to every site... Spam is already a huge concern....

Yup - I agree that if you're building a community site where people need/would like to have an identity, then yes, I'd definately use Usernames.

Not sure if this ties in but i'll give a poke at it. I posted in general layout forum. Don't think that was the right forum though.

I have a site that users use paypal to purchase a service and i want to auto generate username and passwords for the site.
How do i get the site to interact with the username and passwords that pay pal will creat?

Hi DRWebDesign - you will need to go post in a forum that deals with the programming language you are using - e.g. PHP or ASP.