Re: Allowing e-mail address to be a username

No. The script has been specially written to provide the security and hack-resistant measures required to functionalize such a competent feature.

Your wish to include such an ability to allow a functional symbol is out of normal parameters as far as internet protocol and traditional manner, and exceeds Visitor expectations as well, as for the most part they are quite accepting of what is a universiality and a doubly beneficial security measure that is present across the web already. Only the very naieve do not understand it as a means to keep their email address more private by not offering it to a open view by using it as a User name.

Re: Allowing e-mail address to be a username

Thanks Vasili for your prompt reply. I kinda thought the answer might be no, although I do see more than a few sites that allow (or even direct) the would-be member to use an e-mail address as his or her login ID.

Quick follow-up question: If I send to my site's members an e-mail containing links to pages in the members' area of the site, and they click one of these links, I assume they will have to log into the members' area just as if they were trying to enter it from a public page of the site. True? And if so, would you say this practice also is widespread on the web today? THANKS.

Re: Allowing e-mail address to be a username

Agree?

Re: Allowing e-mail address to be a username

Wow . . . thank you for all that, Vasili. I'm glad I asked about this, as I had no idea of the security risks posed by email-addresses-as-usernames, and you clearly have a point of view on it(!) . . . and yes, I agree with it.

I can see how it's more secure to have members go from one of my e-mails to the login page for the members' area. The site owner (or person in charge of the members' area) just needs to be sure that after members log in, the page they land on clearly reflects the e-mail from which they clicked thru. For example:

- If this week's email to members includes summaries of articles A, B, and C, then the post-login landing page must have--"above the fold"--prominent links to the full text of A, B, and C.

- If NEXT week's email to members summarizes articles D, E, and F, then the landing page must have (by next week) prominent links to them "above the fold"--and above the links to A, B, and C.

Is this an example of the structure you recommend(ed)?

Re: Allowing e-mail address to be a username

That works ... as would be seen on a Wordpress or CMS site with their "Archives" being newest on top.

I was composing more from the perspective that I know you are building sites primarily for restaurants, pubs, and the like, thinking that there would be distributables for a more Loyalty-Based Member Area, not just for Special Offers, Coupons, or Articles. And if you were getting on the wagon by merging Social Media marketing with the email campaigns, being the initial point of origin, actually, thus the attention span is shorter for those SM Customers that expect some more explanation or pre-qualification prior to actually visiting the site ....

But yes .... having a separate Login/Registration page in the Public Area of the Main Site is important, and to include snippet ads or announcements is a graphical invitation to entice newcomers to register as much as it is an quick visual invitation to Members of what to expect inside (what is new and updated). In any event, the links from each will still need to direct to either the index page in the protected directory or to a specific page beyond the Login .... whichever is most logically feasible according to your needs and that which can best efficiently managed without becoming a burden (which is easier, to create a new page for each or to update a splash page at the same time?).

There is simply too much to get into here .... I think you get the drill though. Your originally posted question has been answered more than fully, I think.