Comments on: Oh dear oh dear

By: jmosen

jmosen — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:13:57 +0000

Actually some humans do have a problem reading these CAPTCHAs.

I’m totally blind and use screen reading software, and many of these sites simply shut out Internet users who can’t see. The NZ Herald is one example of this. While they’ve promised the remedy the issue, so far, the “Your Views” section is actually “Your Views unless you’re blind”.

I think a lot of CAPTCHA is overzealously applied, for example why do CAPTCHA when someone’s registering a domain and needs to supply a credit card number.

However in those cases where it is a legitimate tool to fight spam, an audio equivalent should be included.

By: burt

burt — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:26:21 +0000

It’s just as likely as getting ‘burt’!

As likely as any other 4 letter scramble.

By: Jesus Crux

Jesus Crux — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:17:04 +0000

That’s some good cunt.

By: Mike Readman

Mike Readman — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:12:02 +0000

1 in 456,976, although I bet somebody else already said that.

By: Michael E

Michael E — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:23:06 +0000

The odds are:

If 26 characters (a-z) – 26 * 26 * 26 *26 or 1 in 456976
If 36 characters (a-z and 0-9) – 36 * 36 * 36 * 36 or 1 in 1679616

By: someguy

someguy — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:49:10 +0000

if they only ever use 4 letter words, use letters randomly and also include numbers there is a about a 1 in 60 million chance of this happening. Clearly more evidence that, no matter how much liberal atheists scientist propagandise , god has to be involved in the Creations of captcha words.

By: ross

ross — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 23:43:50 +0000

Reminds me of the time George W Bush was standing in from of the word COUNT, which was shown in large letters. The trouble was, he was standing in front of the letter O when a photo of him was taken.

By: Andrew Bannister

Andrew Bannister — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:27:57 +0000

That’s 10 demerits isn’t it?

By: mahjoun

mahjoun — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:59:27 +0000

1/456976

By: ZenTiger

ZenTiger — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:40:19 +0000

Especially with “the name you can trust” floating up on the right.

By: ghostwhowalks

ghostwhowalks — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:24:17 +0000

Had a friend who used to work for the Commercial Union (CU) insurance company in Australia.
hey had a branch office in Darwin, in the NT…

By: Brad H

Brad H — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:19:36 +0000

If you expand it to allow for characters a-z, A-Z, 0-9, and anywhere from 1 – 6 characters in the length of the string the odds become much harder:

(1 / 62) * (1 / 63) * (1 / 63) * (1 / 63) * (1 / 63) * (1 / 63) = 1.62519532 × 10-11

By: MikeE

MikeE — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:14:10 +0000

Domainz wasn’t the only site:

http://bzp.blogspot.com/2008/01/get-this-in-your-email.html

By: Brad H

Brad H — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:11:40 +0000

The Odds Are: (1 / 26) * (1 / 26) * (1 / 26) * (1 / 26) = 2.18829873 × 10-6

If you are only limited to four characters and only lowecase letters.

By: jackryan

jackryan — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:23:13 +0000

umm 1 in 456976 if there are always only 4 letters. If they also include 0 to 10 its 1 in 1874161.

By: Ross Nixon

Ross Nixon — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:48:54 +0000

Fancy that. The name of a certain Prime Minister!

By: Lee C

Lee C — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:20:21 +0000

Some of our regulars could use it as a screensaver?

By: Lee C

Lee C — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:04:40 +0000

I mean, I could understand it if it was The Very Double Standard….They want to call me that everytime I’ve made a remark.

By: Richard

Richard — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:13:39 +0000

Happens all the time, David.
http://bzp.blogspot.com/2008/01/get-this-in-your-email.html