Add colouring (and description) to password checker
There is currently an open issue in the d.o issue queue Add colouring (and description) to password checker (#331893). The issue hasn't received much attention lately and I am curious what thoughts there are from usability and accessibility folks on the proposed patch in comment #36.
This patch essentially tests the password strength and displays a growing colored bar which changes colors depending on password strength. The patch also displays text to represent the strength of the password.
From an accessibility perspective I believe that it is critical to display the textual representation of the password strength.
I also think that it is important to define a method through which themers can override the default colors used to indicate weak, fair and strong password strengths.
You're right on target
Everett, you're right on target on both counts.
I can't think of a password checker I have seen recently that didn't have both features — a bar that changes colors from red to yellow to green and a label that changes from one word to another as the strength of the password increases. (I have encountered many password-entry screens that had neither, but I don't consider them to be password checkers.) I tend to trust sites that have both of these features. It would be my guess that most other people who use the Web do, too.
Although it is my strong preference to have both features, the text is the essential part. Obviously from the discussion in the issue queue, there are at least a few people who dislike the color indicators just as strongly as I like them. So you are wise to suggest that themers who wish to turn the colors off be allowed to do so. Still, the ultimate control ought to lie with the person managing the Web site, so it would make sense for anyone who builds a theme with the colors turned off to leave in the option of turning them back on.
Latest patch has both
I'd really like to see it in core. I like your description Cliff!
--
OpenConcept | CLF 2.0 | Podcasting
colour discussion there are
colour discussion
there are two patches available with 2 options.
all green
red to yellow to green
i suggest that green the whole way is confusing. (as webchick said at the first point). and the red/yellow/green is confusing as it's too colourful.
i suggested doing a pale to brighter/darker green.
Copied from the issue queue:
If someone wants to user-test this should I test both #43 and #48?
FYI: This patch added to list of hot issues which need user testing.
http://groups.drupal.org/node/26409
I made videos of two of the options. Hard to tell what consensus is built on this issue at this stage (turning into bike shed?). Thought making videos could help others participate in the discussion w/o needing to apply patches.
43 password_colouring_04.patch
Video: http://vimeo.com/6546823
48 password_strength_label_02.patch
Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/6546877
I think the 3 colours changing is confusing. However, it doesn't make sense that it is 'green' to go a the start. Would it be possible to go from pale to brighter through the progress bar?
I made a palette to show, just a rough sketch, I didn't work out the values.
http://www.colourlovers.com/palette/954704/Go_green_go
Go Green Go
I've made a patch for the Go green color scheme and added it here http://drupal7.dev.openconcept.ca/
I still like the 3 color one, but the most important thing is the labeling.
Mike
--
OpenConcept | CLF 2.0 | Podcasting