It’s nice to see that Google is now throwing its weight behind OpenID, a free and open standard that allows web users to log on to different web sites using a single digital identity and eliminates the need for a different user name and password for each site. Google joins the ranks of AOL, Microsoft, MySpace and Yahoo! in offering this service, and their involvement will certainly put OpenID in a position for massive adoption throughout the web.
Also notable is how Google is communicating this feature to users; in lieu of mentioning OpenID, Google is using the phrase “Sign in with a Google Account.” This is similar to Yahoo’s messaging, “Sign In with a Yahoo! ID.” The choice is likely influenced by the Yahoo! OpenID Usability Research, which concluded that users do not understand OpenID, but do support using trusted providers such as Yahoo! for authentication.