Captcha identify

[Eric S. Johansson]

On 8/12/2014 9:46 PM, Chris Angelico wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 13, 2014 at 11:36 AM, Wesley <nispray at gmail.com> wrote:
>> If my questions make you guys not so happy, I am sorry and please just ignore.
>> I just wanna a general suggestion here in the beginning.
>> Why I need to write such program is just having such requirements, and has nothing to do with the coding work itself. Don't say something to prove you're so noble.
> The general suggestion you're getting is: Do not do this. Many of us
> here use CAPTCHAs and spend time keeping one step ahead of those who
> try to break them with software. By writing something to solve
> CAPTCHAs, you would be stealing time from those people. Don't do it.
>
> Am I sufficiently clear?
>
you are clear but also missing a really good reason to break captchas.  
handicapped accessibility.  Captchas are a huge barrier to access and in 
many cases push disabled users away from using a service  with 
captchas.  For me (very acute vision, crap hands) it take me 2-5 tries 
before I get an image I think I can read reliably, then it take 2-3 
tries to type the letters in (slowly and with hand pain) correctly. My 
mom (80yr and going strong) sees a captcha and gives up on using the 
site unless I tell her what to type.

one major tests for accessibility is "can I automate common user tasks 
including tasks with context based decisions".  Captchas fail that test 
as do many authentication system user interactions and, if one is 
entirely truthful, entire applications.  Automating captcha solving 
would be a boon for the disabled or aging user.

try taking this moment as a challenge.  build an authentication 
system+ui that works for the disabled/aged and you will have an 
authentication system that will work better for everybody.  for example, 
use an equivalent of ssh-agent to supply credentials to sites needing 
them.  I can automate ssh-agent and we can make the process+UI easy 
enough for my mom to use it or automate it for her too.

eliminate captchas, 35+million disabled people would thank you as would 
many more millions of the not-yet-disabled like your future self.