It is ironic that this article describes a captcha [completely automated Turing test to tell computers and humans apart] and then goes on to demonstrate how to defeat it. An automated program that is supposed to pass this difficult computation test just has to forward the captcha image to a real person, at a different Web site, who will then unwittingly assist the automated program. The only challenge is to make it “fun” or otherwise compelling for the unwitting person.
John Haselsberger Allentown, Pa.
From the Nature Index
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