I'm not a robot. I'm a human being!

Infuriating apparently. Yes it is. Let me play out the scenario.

You have searched the Internet for a product you want to purchase. After many comparisons you have decided not to buy the aforementioned item from the usual Internet store but instead from a new store that previously you have not used. You select the item (it's a bargain) and you enter all your details; name, address, email address (twice), delivery address and your payment details - you probably also have to enter the Visa protect password, don't get me started on that again - and then before you can buy you have to prove that you are a person and not some sophisticated computer trying to buy a load of items at a knock down price.

http://allfacebook.com/files/2010/09/facebook_captcha.png

So what is this proof that I am talking about? What could possibly decide if you are a robot or a human? I am of course talking about that box that pops up asking you to enter two words. These words are often difficult to read, are nonsense and contain a mixture of lower case and capital letters some of which are impossible to determine; is that a capital I or an l, my point exactly.

This technology is called Captcha which stands for Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart, I think you will agree that this is a very catchy name. The trouble with this is that the robot computers are getting better at solving Captcha and therefore they have had to get harder. This has made them infuriating, potentially losing you your purchase.

Good news. Today a large online ticketing company has decided to ditch this most hated of Internet security systems perhaps ringing its death toll. They have introduced a new system that they claim will be simpler and easier but will fox those pesky robots. wE wILl SeE.

Comments

  1. Anonymous31 January 2013 at 11:51

    I would like to point out here, that although the CAPTCHA system is sometimes annoying, it is also aiding humanity (and the eventual destruction of the written word) - by helping to digitise old books (http://www.google.com/recaptcha). So whilst it is annoying, it is also helping to spread and make searchable the knowledge, wisdom and genius of past authors and academics.

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