I think it has something to do with keeping email addresses private and spam prevention. Could someone elaborate on this. Under what circumstances is it really necessary to design a site that makes its users create a user name and password? Thanks.
Well if you want that user to not have to enter their information in again and again each time they visit the site it is nice to have user created accounts. Also you can personalize things with user accounts which people will generally appreciate. I am sure there are other reasons to!
Thanks for the reply. I did not know this. I thought a user account was just a word to describe user name and password.
If you're using Wordpress, there's a plugin to prevent spam users. It's called SABRE and it adds some security fields like captcha or whatever you want.
As Fallenstar wrote a Username and Password are used to make it easy for the user, but also for other purposes. User: keeps the information confidential, in some websites to communicate with other users in a secure matter, eas the use of the site, and more. Website owner: collection of emails for newsletters, to contact user for any questions and more. Keep in mind that it's not legal to automatically send newsletters to users without their approval. There are many other uses for both the user and the webmaster, but the main purpose is to make the website easier to use and to keep personal information secure.