[Sigia-l] challenging users vs. revealing that content/products are unavailable

[Listera]

Samantha Bailey:

> 1) What do you think about challenges in public space?

I wouldn't use the word "challenge" for this.

At least in the minds on geeks, "challenge" is associated with
authentication schemes where the authenticating server has a client's
password, sends a string which the client one-way encrypts it with its
password into a hash, sends it back, whereupon the server matches it to the
stored password. Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP), for
example, is an example of this. The result is binary: the user is either in
or out.

In your case, you are not really challenging users, you are giving them a
*choice*.

In other words, a newspaper site demanding Name, Email, Zip code and Gender
is not doing users any specific favors. But you are actually, explicitly
offering to help their visit to the site more efficient and fruitful.

So dress it up not as a challenge, but as a personalization/preference
option. No challenge, no problem. :-)

Ziya
Nullius in Verba