converting existing users to OAuth

[Ivan]

I apologize if this has already been addressed.

Is there an automated way to convert a set of twitter users in a 3rd
party application (i.e. usernames and passwords), into usable OAuth
credentials?

If not, this makes the transition difficult, both because additional
user action is required and app logic needs to include provisions for
different kinds of twitter accounts. That's translates to lots of
friction for the whole twitter developer userbase.

I'd be fine with a one-off mechanism that isn't open to an API but
involves submitting a CSV file or something like it to a form.

Thanks,
Ivan
http://tipjoy.com

[Abraham Williams]

I would guess that there won't be a form to take CSV files but perhaps
there will be a temporary API method that jus returns access tokens.
The CSV file would have to include the users passwords to verify that
the submitter actually had permission to edit their profiles. Probably
not a good idea to have CSV files with loads of Twitter
username:passwords hanging around.

It is a little bit more work but you already have the basic auth code
and you will have to write the OAuth code. Might as well have them
running in parallel with an if check to see if they have set up OAuth
yet.

Abraham

--
Abraham Williams | http://the.hackerconundrum.com
Web608 | Community Evangelist | http://web608.org
This email is: [ ] blogable [x] ask first [ ] private.
Sent from: Madison Wisconsin United States.

[Matt Sanford]

Hi all,

    This migration is something we've been discussing internally. We're not sure yet what we want to do about it but I'll keep people posted. Remember, we'll be running things in parallel for a while so there is some time to figure these things out.

Don't Panic;

  — Matt Sanford

[Simon]

What is the status on this? There really needs to be a way to convert
existing apps to OAuth.

I'll have to get the users to go an authenticate it. It's a mission.
Do something about it.

On Mar 2, 7:25 pm, Matt Sanford <m...@twitter.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
>      This migration is something we've been discussing internally.  
> We're not sure yet what we want to do about it but I'll keep people  
> posted. Remember, we'll be running things in parallel for a while so  
> there is some time to figure these things out.
>
> Don't Panic;
>    — Matt Sanford
>
> On Feb 28, 2009, at 10:54 PM, Abraham Williams wrote:
>
>
>
> > I would guess that there won't be a form to take CSV files but perhaps
> > there will be a temporary API method that jus returns access tokens.
> > The CSV file would have to include the users passwords to verify that
> > the submitter actually had permission to edit their profiles. Probably
> > not a good idea to have CSV files with loads of Twitter
> > username:passwords hanging around.
>
> > It is a little bit more work but you already have the basic auth code
> > and you will have to write the OAuth code. Might as well have them
> > running in parallel with an if check to see if they have set up OAuth
> > yet.
>
> > Abraham
>

[Simon]

What is the status on this? We really a need a quicker way to convert
current users to OAuth.

It is really annoying to expect my users to go back and authenticate
it with OAuth...

On Mar 2, 7:25 pm, Matt Sanford <m...@twitter.com> wrote:

> Hi all,
>
>      This migration is something we've been discussing internally.  
> We're not sure yet what we want to do about it but I'll keep people  
> posted. Remember, we'll be running things in parallel for a while so  
> there is some time to figure these things out.
>
> Don't Panic;
>    — Matt Sanford
>
> On Feb 28, 2009, at 10:54 PM, Abraham Williams wrote:
>
>
>
> > I would guess that there won't be a form to take CSV files but perhaps
> > there will be a temporary API method that jus returns access tokens.
> > The CSV file would have to include the users passwords to verify that
> > the submitter actually had permission to edit their profiles. Probably
> > not a good idea to have CSV files with loads of Twitter
> > username:passwords hanging around.
>
> > It is a little bit more work but you already have the basic auth code
> > and you will have to write the OAuth code. Might as well have them
> > running in parallel with an if check to see if they have set up OAuth
> > yet.
>
> > Abraham
>

[bbc]

I second that. It would be much better to convert existing user base
automatically behind the scene other than asking them redo the whole
process, which is kinda hassle to our users

[Dossy Shiobara]

Remind me again, if you have a Twitter user's basic auth credentials,
why you can't perform the OAuth authorization on their behalf?

*whistles*

On 3/23/09 3:42 AM, bbc wrote:
> I second that. It would be much better to convert existing user base
> automatically behind the scene other than asking them redo the whole
> process, which is kinda hassle to our users
>
> On Mar 21, 8:13 am, Simon<tro...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> What is the status on this? We really a need a quicker way to convert
>> current users to OAuth.
>>
>> It is really annoying to expect my users to go back and authenticate
>> it with OAuth...

--
Dossy Shiobara | do...@panoptic.com | http://dossy.org/
Panoptic Computer Network | http://panoptic.com/
"He realized the fastest way to change is to laugh at your own
folly -- then you can let go and quickly move on." (p. 70)

[bbc]

Doing that for tens of thousands of Twitter users would be impossible.
If the API can provide something that returns the token if I provide
the login credential, then that would be much easier to handle
existing users.

[Doug Williams]

This impending conversion is something we are discussing internally. Any feedback regarding fears, challenges, or wishes and how we may be able to ameliorate them will be thoroughly considered.

Thanks,
Doug Williams
Twitter API Support
http://twitter.com/dougw