What Kind Of (Virtual) Key Do You Use?
What is your key?
The internet is sometimes just like the physical world. To enter a building you need a key. On the internet it is just like that. But whereas for a room there is mainly one technical option, for the internet there are at least two that have their own impact.
Home keys can differ in the level of innovation. A key card is often used in hotels, but not save enough as a home key. Besides those technical differences, a key is key.
On the internet, a key is not always just a key. To enter a private site area you need at least a password, and for higher secured areas you may need also a physical token, like a card with numbers or a calculator.
The "key" issue here however is the user-id. This part of the key can be various things: a name, a virtual number, a financial account number and in many cases an email-address.
Especially this last case (as well as the financial account number) may give organization issues.
An email address as key is a tricky combination: it is both a key as well as an virtual address. If this virtual address changes, your key has to change. You have to cancel the user-id (email) at the site where you use it and change it for your new e-mail address. This requires intervention of the administration (support) at the site where you are a client. Virtual addresses tend to change more than physical addresses (for example when you change from service provider, or when service providers merge).
Account numbers as keys bring the same issue. Additionally, if the financial institute uses your account name as a key to enter the site, they have to gather other account information if you hold other accounts. Normally people do have more and this adds complexity to organize your financial portfolio. A client most likely wants one financial overview and not a series of single account overviews.
A username as key is the most flexible solution. If any information changes (accounts, email addresses) than the access to the website remains the same. It requires no additional administration to change the communication (between client and service-provider).
The reason why providers ask for an email-address as a key is that it seems simple. All communication is done through the e-mail address which is the key at the same time.
Another difference with the real world is that keys can be overheard. So if someone else listens to your "line" they can intercept your e-mail address. That is probably why you receive so much Spam.
2008 Hans Bool
Hans Bool writes articles about management, culture and change. If you are interested to read or experience more about these topics have a look at: Astor White.
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