User Accounts and Logging In

This website uses the Google SSO. mechanism for logins. A detailed explanation of SSO in general can be found here. In short this means TroveStar does not keep any user information except what is handed to it by Google. Google locks down your data and only shares with TroveStar the specific information you authorize it to. TroveStar only asks Google to know your email address and the Google unique id number associated with that address. If you have ever visited a website that offers you the ability to 'log in with facebook' then you are already familiar with this kind of mechanism. Think of the TroveStar login as a 'login with Google' mechanism. The primary difference is that this is the only login for TroveStar at the moment.

This has several major advantages over the traditional 'create yet another user id and password combination' system.

• You don't need to remember yet another user id and password combination.
• If you use the same password for all your accounts (as many people do), you don't have to worry that if TroveStar gets hacked, then your password for all your accounts was compromised. TroveStar doesn't ever get to learn your password
• Your password is kept at one of the most secure places on the planet - the Google security system.
• By not keeping your password, TroveStar stays much simpler and our focus can remain on the collections, not information security.

To register your Google email address, simply click on 'login' in the menu bar at the top of this (or any other) TroveStar page. On this page, you will find a button labeled 'Click Here to log on to TroveStar'. When you click on this link, if you are not currently logged in to Google, it will ask you to do so. Once you are logged in, Google will ask permission for it to share your google email address with TroveStar. Once you confirm this is OK, then your account is now set up!

TroveStar tracks all edits to the system by unique user ids. You are assigned a user id when you first log in to TroveStar via Google. You can see your user id on your profile page. This id number cannot be changed, but your user name can be changed. You make changes to your user name with the profile page. You can also edit your eBay viewing preferences there.