Jeremy Stein - Journal

CAPTCHA Oxymoron

CAPTCHA is an oxymoron. Computers can not administer the Turing test.

If you think CAPTCHA is something gangsters try to avoid, here is some background:

What is CAPTCHA? A Captcha is a Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart. (Oh, it’s those hard-to-read letters you have to type in at some sites. Why didn’t you just say so!?)
Can I try one? Sure. Try Gimpy.
So what’s wrong with them? Computers can sometimes solve them. Some with incredible success rates.

September 29, 2005 6 Comments.

Jeremy replied:

Hey, at the moment, I’m the only person (according to Google) who thinks that CAPTCHA is an oxymoron!

October 13th, 2005 at 10:04 am. Permalink.
Bob Aman replied:

Ewww. What’s with the goatse image on the pwntcha page?

January 4th, 2006 at 3:30 pm. Permalink.
Jeremy replied:

Hmm. That wasn’t there before. I’ve removed the link.

January 4th, 2006 at 3:35 pm. Permalink.
Bob Aman replied:

Ehhh, I’ve seen the link before and I vaguely remember noticing it then too. Probably just didn’t notice it since it’s somewhat obfuscated.

January 4th, 2006 at 3:39 pm. Permalink.
Bob Aman replied:

Incidentally, I’ve been working on a top secret project that I hope will make captchas obsolete. That’s kinda what that whole identity/privacy/trust post I wrote was getting on about.

January 4th, 2006 at 3:40 pm. Permalink.
Bob Aman replied:

Here’s some even better CAPTCHA ideas.

July 19th, 2006 at 9:38 am. Permalink.