Should this really be the recommended extension for new users?
For Christmas, I set my family and girlfriend up with 1password for their security and my sanity. I had been a purchased-license user for years, but the dream of no longer fielding password questions or having my loved ones share passwords across every site convinced me to become a subscription user.
My dream was short lived: last night my mother was asking how to use the chrome extension she had just installed, and it took me quite some time to realize that https://my.1password.com/apps/ now linked to 1password X, which was an entirely new concept to me. Suddenly our confusion about why Command-\ wasn't working, my failure to explain how to generate passwords, and how to fill in generated answers to security questions had an explanation, but it's not one I'm thrilled with.
The announcement blog post itself says "1Password X is a radical new way of using 1Password, but it’s not (yet) for everyone." The extension description is "1Password X is a look at the future of 1Password in the browser." Sure, but then why is it what new users are pushed to install? Was I supposed to follow the blog so I would know my family was installing a "radical new" extension? Were they supposed to read through the forums to figure out that features I had touted were slated for future releases of an extension "not (yet) for everyone"? If they search support for "1password extension" should https://support.1password.com/1password-extension/ , which describes the old extension with its nearly identical icon, be the first hit?
I like the overall architectural direction of 1password X, but I don't think it should be the default extension for new users, its existence wasn't communicated effectively to existing users (was I the only one pushing 1password on my family over the holidays?), and the support page search results are a mess of old and new.
I had tried to convince my family to use a password manager for years (years!), and their first experience with it was disappointing because this feature-incomplete "look at the future" has been blessed as the extension for new users.
1Password Version: Not Provided
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Comments
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@arudolph: Thanks so much for getting in touch, and taking the time to share your experience — and your family's — with us! I'm really sorry for the confusion there. To be clear, 1Password X is not the "default" or something we recommend for everyone; we've got great native apps and extensions that we promote fairly heavily, and it does not replace those. As you point out, our guides for getting started with 1Password and especially 1Password.com memberships feature these in video tutorials and guides with screenshots. So while I'm not sure that we promote 1Password X as "the recommended extension for new users", certainly if you were under that impression there's room for improvement. Considering how new 1Password X is, we've got a number of things we're working on there. Can you tell me about how you came to the conclusion that it is the recommended default for new users, so we can improve our website and documentation? Given that was your impression though, I can see how it might seem strange to you. We'll see what we can do to better help users choose the tool that suits them best. :blush:
That said, if your mom isn't using a Mac, Windows, iOS, or Android device at all, then clearly it makes sense that she'd skip those on the Get the Apps page, since on other platforms 1Password X may be the only option available to her, which is a big reason we created it in the first place. So, perhaps more importantly, how can we improve 1Password X so that it's more useful for her — and perhaps you and others as well? Ironically, though it isn't exactly "blessed as the extension for new users", many have found that they prefer 1Password X for relative simplicity. But there's always room for improvement. I look forward to hearing back from you! :)
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Thanks for the fast reply, sorry if I vented a little.
The reason I say it's default is that you click on "step one - install" from the Welcome box at my.1password.com, you get here:
Aside from the "X", there's no indication that a new user should pick their OS rather than their browser if they're using Chrome and they're thinking of this as a way to store passwords for the websites they go to. And even if my mom downloaded the DMG she might end up installing 1password X in chrome anyway because it's on the list in front of her (I forget if the app NUX gets her the old extension)If you're confused here and manage to find "Help & Support" from my.1password.com under the name drop down, it takes you to the Accounts sub-category of help, so you have to figure out search terms if you want to get to installation...it would be nice if there were a help link on /apps/ that is contextual.
As far as making 1password X more useful for her, I think the big issue was I was on the phone and giving her support for a dramatically different extension, but beyond that there were some fill issues on an login form added via ajax (forget which site, sorry), and I think password generation is a must have for me (mostly for security questions). I admit some of this might just me being stuck in my old ways.
I think it's also reasonable to promote the Getting Started guide a little harder on the 1password X installation flow, or even auto-open Getting Started (possibly only for new-ish accounts). But you guys are the pros, I mostly just wanted to note that 1password X is a tempting click on the /apps/ page, and that having family install a pretty different extension I had never heard of caused some frustration.
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Thanks for the fast reply, sorry if I vented a little.
@arudolph: Not a problem! No need to apologize to me! I feel bad for your mom, probably trying in vain to do what you were telling her to. :blush:
The reason I say it's default is that you click on "step one - install" from the Welcome box at my.1password.com, you get here: Aside from the "X", there's no indication that a new user should pick their OS rather than their browser if they're using Chrome and they're thinking of this as a way to store passwords for the websites they go to. And even if my mom downloaded the DMG she might end up installing 1password X in chrome anyway because it's on the list in front of her (I forget if the app NUX gets her the old extension)
All paths within the app will lead to installing the appropriate extension, but that's a good point: "one of these things isn't like the others". I'm not sure what the best way to present this information is to make it clear, but we'll see what we can come up with.
If you're confused here and manage to find "Help & Support" from my.1password.com under the name drop down, it takes you to the Accounts sub-category of help, so you have to figure out search terms if you want to get to installation...it would be nice if there were a help link on /apps/ that is contextual.
Ah, I see. Again, just sort of a rabbit hole leading from the initial selection of 1Password X. :(
As far as making 1password X more useful for her, I think the big issue was I was on the phone and giving her support for a dramatically different extension, but beyond that there were some fill issues on an login form added via ajax (forget which site, sorry), and I think password generation is a must have for me (mostly for security questions). I admit some of this might just me being stuck in my old ways.
That isn't you being stuck in your old ways, but the web. ;)
In all seriousness though, while we wish we lived in a world where what we have in 1Password X now was sufficient (for simplicities sake, if nothing else), we recognize that things like a full-fledged password generator and more flexibility in general are needed. We weren't able to get everything we wanted into 1Password X at this early stage, but these are definitely on our agenda. In the mean time, you can always generate passwords from within login items using the 1Password.com web interface — if you're using 1Password X, that is. We'll be filling out its features though so it can be a one-stop shop in the future.
I think it's also reasonable to promote the Getting Started guide a little harder on the 1password X installation flow, or even auto-open Getting Started (possibly only for new-ish accounts). But you guys are the pros, I mostly just wanted to note that 1password X is a tempting click on the /apps/ page, and that having family install a pretty different extension I had never heard of caused some frustration.
No, you're totally right. I think the problem right now is that we still have documentation to do, but also some pretty big changes to 1Password X that would render a lot of that obsolete overnight. I'm sorry that left you folks in a bit of a limbo here in the mean time, but we're working on both fronts to meet in the middle. For example, more guides with 1Password X-specific information, but also making 1Password X more feature-complete so that that kind of thing is less necessary.
Again, I'm really sorry for that initial bad experience — what an un-fun way to learn that 1Password X exists! Thanks for your honest feedback on this. We'll keep making it better, and who knows? Maybe down the road you'll be telling us to recommend it for your mom and all new users. We'll certainly do our best to earn that honour! :chuffed:
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