Thursday, March 8, 2012

A week without CAPTCHAs

It's been a week, more or less, since I've removed the need to enter a CAPTCHA to comment here.  Observations:

1. Blogger does a really good job of capturing comment spam in the spam can.  I have to go in  a couple times a day to empty the junk out, but none seems to be showing up in published comments.  Go, Blogger spam filtering.

2. People are quick to complain about how the new CAPTCHA stinks, but slow to say that it's nice not to have to type one in.  ;-)

3. Comment volume seems to be about the same.  I guess that means that I could sick the CAPTCHAs back on you, but I like all y'all too much.

So, no CAPTCHAs FTW.

16 comments:

  1. Dave HMarch 8, 2012 at 2:37 PM

    You missed one boss. Comment #3 here:
    http://borepatch.blogspot.com/2012/03/in-which-i-admit-to-hating-poor.html

    I don't have a problem with the Captchas on other Blogger sites since they went to a flat white background insted of the reversing dot. But I'm used to reading and copying nonsense words because I write software for a living.

    Hey, at least it's not Federal legislation.

    ReplyDelete
  2. bluesunMarch 8, 2012 at 2:39 PM

    Oh great and benevolent Borepatch, I thank you from the bottom of my heart that you do not allow the vile beast that is CAPTCHA on your blog! Three cheers for Borepatch! Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMarch 8, 2012 at 3:05 PM

    I can't imagine the distress of those poor people who are advanced adopters with teeny-tiny screen Smartypants Phones who try to blog and comment. My screen is 30" and it's hard to read the captcha gunk.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Rev. PaulMarch 8, 2012 at 3:28 PM

    Just to make it official: THANK YOU for removing the illegible nonsense word requirement from your comment process. :)

    Yes, Blogger did improve it by removing the reverse inkblot thingy, but still...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Rev. PaulMarch 8, 2012 at 3:29 PM

    Almost forgot: I avoid the "snuck one past ya" spam by requiring moderation for comments on blogs more than 3 days old.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Old NFOMarch 8, 2012 at 4:49 PM

    Thanks :-) I dropped it too...

    ReplyDelete
  7. SixMarch 8, 2012 at 4:53 PM

    I followed your lead on this. I've seen a large increase in spam (mostly porn spam. Is it just me?) but Blogger does seem to be capturing them.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousMarch 8, 2012 at 4:53 PM

    I dropped it and moved to WP!
    Hopefully, I can comment more, now!
    gfa aka guffaw aka Guffaw in AZ aka armedlaughing

    ReplyDelete
  9. RuthMarch 8, 2012 at 7:05 PM

    I think Bluesun said it for me lol

    ReplyDelete
  10. KenMarch 8, 2012 at 7:39 PM

    Thanks for dropping the captcha. It was a mild annoyance.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousMarch 8, 2012 at 8:55 PM

    It would be "sic" as in "sic a dog" on you

    I know, grammar police, but I couldn't help it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousMarch 9, 2012 at 2:23 PM

    In my defense:

    1. I would never complain to you about Google's choice of CAPTCHA code, seeing as how I know that's Google's choice and not yours.

    2. I don't think I've actually commented here since you got rid of it, so I didn't have an opportunity to include a parenthetical "thank you" at the end or beginning of a more substantive comment.

    I don't mind CAPTCHAs as a general principle...it's just specifically these new ones that really really suck. (Not to mention, prevent people from actually using OpenID to comment, despite the fact that supposedly the option is supported.)

    So, thank you for getting rid of the new CAPTCHAs. I'm pleased that the experiment has been a success for you, and hopeful that other bloggers will follow your excellent example in this, as in all things.

    Hooray for Borepatch!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousMarch 9, 2012 at 2:23 PM

    In my defense:

    1. I would never complain to you about Google's choice of CAPTCHA code, seeing as how I know that's Google's choice and not yours.

    2. I don't think I've actually commented here since you got rid of it, so I didn't have an opportunity to include a parenthetical "thank you" at the end or beginning of a more substantive comment.

    I don't mind CAPTCHAs as a general principle...it's just specifically these new ones that really really suck. (Not to mention, prevent people from actually using OpenID to comment, despite the fact that supposedly the option is supported.)

    So, thank you for getting rid of the new CAPTCHAs. I'm pleased that the experiment has been a success for you, and hopeful that other bloggers will follow your excellent example in this, as in all things.

    Hooray for Borepatch!!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousMarch 9, 2012 at 2:23 PM

    Oops...sorry for the duplicate. Not sure how that happened. Feel free to delete one...and this apology.

    ReplyDelete
  15. BorepatchMarch 9, 2012 at 2:29 PM

    Hey Matt, no problem on the posts. I only delete spam comments (most of the anti-gun sites are notorious for moderating comments, and I work pretty hard for transparency and openness here).

    ReplyDelete
  16. AlrenousMarch 15, 2012 at 1:13 AM

    This post has caused me to turn mine off too.

    ReplyDelete

Remember your manners when you post. Anonymous comments are not allowed because of the plague of spam comments.