Tell HN: Please stop using "Tragic Links" and ruining our flow

7 pointsneon_me9mo ago2 comments

There have already been a few discussions on HN about this topic:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42627453 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43680597

First world problems, but I'll emphasize it one more time. There are several annoyances with magic link authentication:

- No email access: People might not have access to their email on the current device or at that moment (using a public computer, phone without email configured, etc.)

- Context switching: I deliberately avoid checking email to maintain focus. Being forced to open inbox breaks concentration and exposes us to distractions I was trying to avoid

Technical friction: Logging into email can be slow (especially with 2FA, etc), mail delivery can be delayed or end up in spam, links often open in a different browser/app, breaking the session Using a different device to check email means you can't continue on your original device.

- Clipboard disruption: Users might have something important copied and don't want to replace it(just to paste your magic link in the right tab)

The ask is simple: Give us at least one "normie" option! Every sane person nowadays uses a password manager anyway. (Yes, if you don't - you should be using one!)

I believe this trend stems from Auth0/Okta/etc/"modern" auth providers pushing their preferred patterns, combined with a "move fast and break things" mentality that prioritizes developer convenience over user experience.

Please - reconsider it.

2 comments

kgwxd9mo ago

> No email access

> Every sane person nowadays uses a password manager anyway

First, basically no one is using a password manager and, if they are, the password manager is on their phone.

If they're savvy enough to use a password manager, their email is configured on their phone too.

> I deliberately avoid checking email to maintain focus.

> Clipboard disruption

Self-inflicted problems.

JohnFen9mo ago

> If they're savvy enough to use a password manager, their email is configured on their phone too.

This is not universally true. I use a password manager, but I don't have my phone configured to access my email. Not that anyone cares, but if I have to check my email to log in to a site every time, I just won't use that site. Life is too short for that sort of high-friction nonsense.

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