August 2, 2006 10:32 pm
Captcha If You Can
Here I am posting another piece of fluff . . .
I notice that more and more bloggers are using captchas in order to fight comment spam. Captcha is the name for the image of blurred and twisted letters that you must decipher and enter before submitting a comment. They are used because automated programs cannot read the letters (yet!) and if they can’t read the letters they can’t leave comments directing people to adds for drugs and bodily enhancement products.
The problem with captchas is that I can’t read them either. I always think I can read them and then I type the letters and confidently click submit. Most of the time, the program gives me a message telling me I was wrong and that I need to type the letters correctly next time. There are times when I pay extra close attention and am absolutely sure that I read and typed them correctly. I click submit and get the same message telling me to try again with a new set of letters.
I give blogspot.com lots of credit for the design of it’s captcha program. Whenever I incorrectly type in a captcha at blogspot, it gives me a new captcha that is noticeably easier to read. I call it the old guy with bad eyes captcha. It’s kind of comforting that blogspot recognizes me everytime I leave a comment. Now if only I could get blogspot to give me the old guy with bad eyes captcha on the first try, I’d be very impressed.
I usually have to submit at least twice before it works. I guess it’s “old gal with bad eyes capcha” in my case. Funny thing is, I’m usually SURE I put it in right the first time. I even double check…and still have to resubmit.
Hey, maybe the captcha is buggy?
August 3rd, 2006 at 1:04 am
Ditto here, thought it was just me…
August 3rd, 2006 at 5:04 am
I think the blogspot captcha is buggy. I’ve noticed that I usually have to resubmit long comments. Perhaps it times out?
August 3rd, 2006 at 8:23 am
You would think there would be a feature to bypass the captcha if you’re logged onto your own blog, but NOOOOOO. Even leaving a comment on my own site, it usually takes me two or three tries. Even with my bifocals!
August 3rd, 2006 at 9:03 pm
Heck, I’m 23 and have trouble with them. The letters cross and dance and it’s bad. But they’re a necessary evil. Just like spell check, which can’t sem to remember my name (grrr).
August 4th, 2006 at 1:07 am
It does time out. If I wait too long between the time I call up the comment window and the time I actually submit, I’m given a new captcha to type in. If I do it all fairly quickly, I usually get it on the first try.
August 4th, 2006 at 11:50 pm
Timeouts, eh?
I guess I need to refer to it as the old slow guy with bad eyes captcha!
August 5th, 2006 at 12:16 pm
Sorry Shawn, you just got ‘tagged’ here
August 12th, 2006 at 3:16 pm