Improve UI for commenting when not logged in

[tim]

Title:
Improve UI for commenting when not logged in

Area:
entries

Summary:
Users who are not familiar with Dreamwidth may not realize they can post comments on public posts in journals that have anonymous commenting disabled but OpenID enabled. I suggest improving the text that's part of the comment area.

Description:
I have anonymous commenting disabled on my journal, but have OpenID commenting enabled. If someone isn't familiar with DW and follows a link to one of my public posts, and they want to comment, what they see is a grayed-out "anonymous" radio button option and a grayed-out "OpenID" radio button, with the text "OpenID commenting on this post is limited. Please sign in here." To someone who is reading quickly, I don't think that text conveys the message "You can post a comment here using credentials you already have." Indeed, I had someone think that they couldn't comment on my blog without buying a DW account.

I suggest changing the text that appears when non-logged-in users view the comment areas on public entries to say "You can comment here without creating a Dreamwidth account, using OpenID", with a link to an explanation of OpenID. I'd welcome any comments as to how to make that text even more user-friendly -- I just know it's not good enough as is.

Poll #5110 Improve UI for commenting when not logged in

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 38

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
28 (73.7%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
8 (21.1%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
0 (0.0%)

(I have no opinion)
2 (5.3%)

(Other: please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[cesy]

How about "To comment using OpenID, please sign in here"? It should be kept distinct from when unvalidated OpenID commenting is allowed.

And of course it's all going to change soon when commenting levels are revamped, but a change of the text would be a good improvement for now.

Also, the link should be on "sign in here", not just on "here", for accessibility.

[noracharles]

I would find that more confusing, because it could give the impression that if you sign in, you will be able to comment, which is not the case unless you have verified your email address.

I would prefer:

"OpenID commenting on this post with verified email only. Please sign in here."

[axiom_of_stripe]

+1

[sofiaviolet]

That's pretty useful and well-phrased info. Definitely better than the current situation.

[twisted_times]

I'll third/fourth this wording. :)

[zing_och]

+1

[matgb]

I have doing a mock up of how I'd like to see OpenID login on my increasingly long list of things I've promised people that can code better than me. We definitely need to do something, and I'm suspecting that a radical overhaul is the best approach.

The current OpenID workflow experience is poor, even for experienced users, and for people that have no clue what it is it's very difficult to walk them through it.