[Official mod] Facebook Connect

[ShoeLace1291]

I think a really cool idea for v3.0 would be to integrate a facebook connect login feature.  It would let users register using their facebook connect session but would still add a member account to the SMF database to track posts.  It would also be cool to automatically set the facebook user's avatar to their default facebook profile photo.

Also would be cool to have an option to allow only facebook accounts.  I think this would also help to improve board security from autospammers.

Thoughts?

[Arantor]

I do not expect this will be adopted by default, the dev team have been unwilling historically to include services that depend on third parties, even the use of OpenID is surprising in that respect.

As for "preventing" spam, I doubt it given how many fake accounts there are on FB.

[Spoogs]

Also there is already a mod for that.
Import FB avatar and much more already included, the next release will allow FB only registrations and more.

[kingjazz]

I think it's a great idea, and it does not add any extra security issues because you still have to register on the forum in the same way, the integration to the FB account happens after the registration is finished...it just makes it easier for the user

And it also opens up for a lot more possibilities on integrating social media functions to your forum

But of course, even if integrated, this should be an options that can be turned on by will, and probably be turned off by default

Facebook do often make some changes without too much of a notice, so it might give the developers a bit of headache, but in my opinion it is worth it

[Kindred]

as noted: SMF as a core forum does not use third party connections. There ar emods and bridges (some of them even official) but it is unlikely that such would be part of the base product

[Arantor]

SMF as a core forum does not use third party connections

Other than OpenID, of course

[Kindred]

Opened is not actually a third party thing, becaus it's not limited to any single third party...  Its a standard, notbsomething that requires an account or connection to any specific other site.   SMF cn actually act as an openid provider for other openid sites as well.

[Arantor]

SMF cn actually act as an openid provider for other openid sites as well.

Since when? Did you break feature lock again?

[~DS~]

Facebook is standard nowadays.

[Arantor]

Facebook is standard nowadays.

So's gopher:// but you don't see that being used

[Kindred]

Facebook is not "standard" except by facebook users.

There are millions of forum users who don't use and don't want to use facebook.

OpenID, on the other hand is used by a dozen different sites and is actually A standard (not standard... A STANDARD, which is different)

And Arantor... no, we didn't "break feature lock".  Someone came up with a way to do it as an add-on

[Arantor]

And Arantor... no, we didn't "break feature lock".  Someone came up with a way to do it as an add-on

Then don't say it in a way that implies it's built in

[MotherBoard]

Although Facebook rules the world, I applaud not developing anything specific to third party applications...its too much and too godlike...

[Norv]

I think a really cool idea for v3.0 would be to integrate a facebook connect login feature.  It would let users register using their facebook connect session but would still add a member account to the SMF database to track posts.  It would also be cool to automatically set the facebook user's avatar to their default facebook profile photo.

Also would be cool to have an option to allow only facebook accounts.  I think this would also help to improve board security from autospammers.

Thoughts?

Thank you for the suggestion.
Well, for the forum itself, as long as designed as 2.0 is (core forum + mods) indeed we wouldn't necessarily be keen in integrating external services in core.
For 3.0 however, the landscape may change from what we may be used today. Core will always be only that, a core, but adding modules, including additional authentication modules, may be easier to do (for example, directly from the installer), and we're also targeting a much more developed area of official modules to choose from. I'm sure we will keep it in mind.

[robinson01]

that will be great,i think is going to be useful because facebook is a very popular website in the world.

[KensonPlays]

Agreed.

[Xarcell]

I read the title, not the message. I have to say: "Noooooooooooo!"

[Eliana Tamerin]

By the time SMF 3 comes out, Google+ integration will be more important.

[Norv]

By the time SMF 3 comes out, Google+ integration will be more important.

Hehe.

Xarcell, why would an official mod, offering an additional authentication method, be a bad idea?

[Fustrate]

I'd rather see it as a(n official) plugin, along with all of the other random login options. Provide the ability to easily hook into the authentication system, and then we won't have to worry about some new thing popping up or Google changing their API every three days

[Norv]

Exactly. Alternative authentication methods should be easy to add as optional mods, and methods for well known social sites authentication APIs use should be developed and supported officially by SMF development - meaning no risk of getting out of date and "abandoned" and so on, as it may happen for third-party mods. The current login subsystem of SMF 2.x may need some rework for that, though. Even OpenID was added in 2.0 with some changes that don't strike me as the best implementation... to put it mildly. But that's the core's job, and only that, have a decent design and implementation allowing additional modules to be hooked easily, while the implementation of a particular authentication method itself (for Facebook, for G+) is better as a mod IMHO - an official mod.

[awolexpat]

Aside from the coding issues that it might bring, I would have thought that having the option to use as many of the social networks as possible built in would be a good thing, with them off by default and the admin having the option to turn any of them on; as any others arise or get created/demanded after the release of SMF 3 that is where the mods should come in I would think, but ones that are already around should be built in if at all possible in my opinion. Surely the idea is to make SMF as good as it can be?

[Kindred]

official mod - yes - great idea.
default - no - bad idea (reasons already explained)

[awolexpat]

OK, so how about having pre-installed mods instead, again off by default, which could also be uninstalled by users if they wish? Would that fit more neatly with the concept? I think it would make SMF a much more attractive package. That could apply to anything else that is popular among existing users but is not desired by the SMF team to be part of the core product.

[Fustrate]

I don't think we'll ever have anything pre-installed. The package manager (probably "plugin manager" in future versions) can easily install it when needed instead of just activating it when needed.

[ModelBoatMayhem]

Official Mod - yes - Default - Definitely no - bad idea.