Every bookish blog I visit has their own form of discussion feature while I’m sitting here alone, thinking, hmm, what can I do to make my blog more exciting and unique? So I decided, why not start my own feature where I can talk about random bookish topics? And so, Let’s Speculate was created.
The topic I chose for this week is Why Should You NOT Use Captcha? Captcha annoys me every time I see it and makes me want to scream. In this post I’ll explain why I hate captcha and other alternates you can use besides captcha.
First of all, before I start this post, some of you may wonder, what is captcha? Well, captcha is the word verification that shows a bunch of letters and numbers like this: 248lwjdh and a box to type those numbers in. Captcha is invented to keep robot spam out of your comments.
Now this is my personal list of why captcha is just so annoying:
1. It wastes time.
And time is money. Filling out captcha takes at least a minute longer than just clicking the “submit” button and watching your comment be posted up immediately in satisfaction.
2. It takes an average of three to five tries to pass the captcha test successfully for human beings.
Seriously. The 1’s looks like l’s and the m’s like rn’s. Let’s not forget to mention that sometimes, the letters stick so close together that you can’t tell if that is a w or a v. Once it took me seven very angry times to get the code right.
3. You may lose potential commenters, or even worse, followers.
I will tell you a story. I was on my mobile phone, trying to comment on a blog. I clicked “submit.” Guess what popped up? That’s right, captcha. I rolled my eyes, started typing the first two digits, scrolled back up to the captcha code to read it, scrolled back down to continue typing, but IT WOULDN’T LET ME TYPE INTO THE CAPTCHA BOX ANYMORE.
So I took a deep breath, calmed down, copied my comment, refreshed the page, and this time, before typing the captcha code into the captcha box, I memorized the code first. Then clicked submit. And guess what happened? THE PAGE JUST REFRESHED AND MY COMMENT DIDN’T APPEAR. So basically, I lost ten minutes for nothing. I never visited that blog ever again.
So enough with the reasons why you should NOT use captcha (because hopefully, you got the point). Let’s talk alternatives.
1. You can use the approve comments option instead of captcha.
Yes! This option exists and can also keep spam out at the same time! Just go to your blogger dashboard, click on Settings, then click on Posts and Comments, and in the Comment Moderation section, change it to Always. And you’re done!
2. Use Disqus.
That is the comment system I’m currently using right now. There’s no captcha and there are plenty of options you can use like approving comments before they show up on your blog and the ability to like or dislike a certain comment (kind of like Facebook). Genius!
So you are one of those people who are like pshhh. No way do I have captcha. Well, are you sure? Like really, completely, positively 100% sure? Debby from Snuggly Oranges told me that when you first make a blog, it’s default settings are always set to captcha. Even I didn’t know that. So seriously, check. And in case you want to be lazy and say, but I don’t know where to looook!, here are the simple directions:
1. Go to your blogger dashboard.
2. Click on Settings on the left hand side.
3. Click on Posts and comments.
4. Look for “Show word verification” and make sure it’s set on no.
Yes, it’s that easy.
I hope that this is an informative post. Now, I want to know, why does captcha annoy you?
Well, you’ve basically said it all. I hate captcha. It’s so difficult to actually see the letters, and those blurred numbers are even worse! Ugh. Also, sometimes I hit comment and just go into a different tab on my browser and when I go back I expect my comment to have been posted in the meantime. Then I realize I’m only in the captcha thingy – I don’t know how many times I’ve closed a window because I thought my comment’s been posted and maybe it wasn’t and I didn’t notice?
Also I think captcha is mostly unnecessary. I’ve gotten maybe 2 or 3 spam comments in all the time I’ve been blogging (granted, my blog’s not huge). I can just delete them after they’ve been posted.
To be honest I’m not a big fan of comment moderation because it’s potential censorship. I mean if it’s just used to filter out the spam, fine. If it suppresses discussion opinions the blog owner isn’t in favor of, I think that’s wrong because well… they opened a public discussion. People will not only agree – that’s kind of the point.
Yes to all the above. I freakin’ hate captcha with a passion. I get especially annoyed when I’m blog hopping for a meme and there is captcha. I try once, but if I don’t get it the first time then I will probably give up. Unless, of course, that person has left a comment on my post first.
I disabled captcha a long time ago, and only recently have I started getting spam comments that actually get through Blogger’s spam detectors. And even then, they’re usually on old posts, which I have enabled comment moderation on (posts older than two weeks). A couple of times a week, a spam comment will be posted on my newer posts, but that’s easy enough to delete, especially if you have email alerts for comments.
So, yes. Down with captcha!
I’ve heard that getting spam means you’re famous Amber. ;D
Even though spam is bad LOL.
And yes, we have to spread the word about the horribleness of captcha!
Ohh, I never thought of comment moderation used to suppress discussion opinions the blog owner isn’t in favor of! That’s an excellent point. Yeah, I agree with you Carmen, if the person is using comment moderation for that purpose, then it’s totally wrong.
I used comment moderation back then because people were basically commenting twice. For example, the first comment would be like “Thanks for the review!” and the next comment from the same person would say “Thanks for the review! -chats more in depth about my review-“
Now I have a brand new outlook on people who have comment moderation on their blog, but still, I rather see comment moderation than captcha!
Right there with you. I can’t stand it!
Too bad we can’t actually see who has captcha until we click the submit button. ):
Gah, I hate it. HATE IT! One of the first things I did when I made my blog was turn the darn useless thing off! Since then I’ve gotten maybe 2 spam comments. Even then I don’t see a problem.
There have been so many time where I think I’ve written the most brilliant comment ever then I go to submit and I can’t read what the heck I’m supposed to fill out. I just close the page and never look back. Stupid Captcha ruining my witty comments! >:(
Eek! I would do that too, except that they commented on my post first and it’s common curtsy to go on their blog and comment back. But otherwise, I get discouraged too. ):
Oh yes, captcha is never a good idea unless you want to drive commentators away. I usually don’t visit the blog anymore unless it’s a one that I love and regularly read. So there.
Yep, captcha really effects pageviews too.
Oh, I stick with commenting if they commented on my blog first but captcha makes it so annoying and difficult. Then sometimes I have to refresh and rewrite my comment but it tends to be just a generic comment at that point, almost devoid of personality. I don’t like posting those types of comments but I still post them…
I also really hate it, but a little while ago I was fine with it. However, it seems like more and more blogs are getting it and it’s just annoying. I give up after 4 try’s.
I can’t understand why someone would put that on their blog, except for the not knowing its on your blog. I understand not wanting spam comment but why don’t you just delet them? And I find that (at least for me) there isn’t a lot of spam comments. I got one in my whole blog life.
Yeah, I know. That’s why I included a way to check if you have captcha in your blog, just in case.
The captcha option should just be gone altogether.
Mhm. :l
Captcha is like a whirlpool of depression or anger!
Here, here!
Its refreshing to see people blogging about this topic. I LOATHE word verification and find so many people are using it without even realising. Honestly, a CAPTCHA looks more like spilt noodles than any sort of words. It always takes me at least 10 refreshes before I find something I can easily decipher! Recently I started using CAPTCHA bypass software to make my blogging experience less stressful. I’m using one called rumola at the moment which is really reliable and, affordable. I would recommend having a go on the free trial if CAPTCHAs make you want to hurl your laptop out of a window! Try it at skipinput.com :)
Ohh, I never thought of using a CAPTCHA bypass software before. Thanks for the info! (: