Their scientific name is 'reverse Turing test' - i.e. a computer asks a question to prove that that answerer is not a robot. Simple right? Makes sense? It stops computer hackers setting up auto-bots and sweeping the internet and downloading everything in sight.
Recently, I've noticed that some of these captchas are getting a little obscure. These below are real captchas that I've seen and saved. They are frankly ridiculous:

Come on! How am I supposed to enter this?

Japanese? Chinese? All the keyboards in the world have a Roman alphabet on them as well as the native language. So why have captchas in Japanese?

Just simply illegible.

Hahahahahahahahahaha!

Anyone who can type in that first symbol wins a cyber-coconut. What is it? A steering wheel?

tuTues esse.......................................eh?

WTF?

So I need a Russian and a Japanese keyboard?

Looks like someone squashed a bug.

Sorry, Russian, Japanese and Greek?

Apparently I need to type with a scientific calculator.

Just fack off.

Really?

"Honey, will you get my upside-down keyboard please?"
All of the above are real captchas I downloaded in half an hour. Incidentally, most captchas have a small 'reload' button next to them, so can can scroll through and see for yourself.
I was actually thinking about this the other day. Captchas make me feel pretty illiterate. I've started using the other option where you listen to a wall of cacophonous sound and sprinkled between the white noise are about six or seven words you're suppose to type. So basically the options are: strain your eyes with serial killer handwriting or let the devil stick his tongue in your ear.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cracked.com/article_19431_5-mind-blowing-things-crowds-do-better-than-experts.html
ReplyDeletescroll down to number 3 and read about captchas