Forum search - image verification

[bert8for3]

The search function seems to be requiring an image verification. Is this necessary? It's hard to read the image even refreshing it and takes time. Respectfully submitted :salute:

[Flaxpants]

Ha! I was surprised I hadn't seen a thread about this before. For me that image verification is the most difficult part of the Silent Hunter experience, it's like identifying ships 4km away at 2am in a storm....

[Sailor Steve]

Ha! I was surprised I hadn't seen a thread about this before.
I'm surprised too, since this is the third thread I've seen on the subject.

[Flaxpants]

Well I did try to do a search for one before but couldn't get the image verification to work.

[bert8for3]

My post must have been bot-generated then, 'cause otherwise I would normally have looked first and seen the other threads :haha:

[Dowly]

Yup, have to agree, the picture is the messiest I have ever seen when it comes to these verification things. :yep:

[Sailor Steve]

Well I did try to do a search for one before but couldn't get the image verification to work.
:rotfl2: Good one! :rock:

[Jimbuna]

Yup, have to agree, the picture is the messiest I have ever seen when it comes to these verification things. :yep:

I tend to agree but if it prevents incursions like we've witnessed in recent times...so be it.

[Flaxpants]

Yup, have to agree, the picture is the messiest I have ever seen when it comes to these verification things. :yep:

Agreed, it is the only time in my life that I have managed to crook my neck and spill coffee over my forehead at the same time. Still, all adds to the charm!

[Sailor Steve]

Agreed, it is the only time in my life that I have managed to crook my neck and spill coffee over my forehead at the same time. Still, all adds to the charm!
If we ever meet you simply must show me how to do that. My talents are limited.:sunny:

[krashkart]

It's one of the older styles of captcha. I couldn't read them to begin with when people started using them. But some of the newer ones are a bit easier to read, or even hear for that matter.

*hint hint* :DL

[Flaxpants]

If we ever meet you simply must show me how to do that. My talents are limited.:sunny:

It would be a pleasure Steve, just drop round my place sometime and I'll make sure the percolator is on. Bring Wellies.

[Herr-Berbunch]

http://www.amyhaywood.com/images/uploads/blog_thumbnails/the_bradz_captcha.png

[JScones]

OK, the forum search was screwed enough before this image verification rubbish was implemented, not it's just ridiculous. :nope:

It's got to the point where I will put it on record that I will never again, while this useless verification is in place, berate anyone for not searching the forums first!

Ironically, this useless check will do no more than increase the number of new threads asking repeat questions much more than the few spam threads that it aims to reduce.

/rant

[Dowly]

OK, the forum search was screwed enough before this image verification rubbish was implemented, not it's just ridiculous. :nope:

It's got to the point where I will put it on record that I will never again, while this useless verification is in place, berate anyone for not searching the forums first!

Ironically, this useless check will do no more than increase the number of new threads asking repeat questions much more than the few spam threads that it aims to reduce.

/rant

I agree. I have personally stopped using the search function for the time being.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Easier to just google whatever you want and then site:subsim.com :)

[JScones]

A bit stupid when subsim members have to rely on google to search the subsim forums, don't you think?

I mean, I donate good money to keep this site going, and would rather not have to resort to using other sites as workarounds to overcome crippling subsim features.

[Herr-Berbunch]

I agree, but it's an easy workaround for the moment. I can understand why Captcha is in place but there must be some other way... :hmmm: I just can't think of it at the moment!:nope:

[JScones]

Capcha is fine--albeit annoying--when the characters are at least discernable. But who here can continually, with 100% accuracy, tell the difference between a p and a P, or a Z and a z, with the images used here? I find that if I'm not refreshing the image to get something legible, I'm retyping the image because I got the case wrong!

One solution is simple - remove it! I visit many forums and none have such a requirement when searching. And some of the forums are much larger than this one, yet don't seem to suffer from the problem that Neal is trying to eradicate. Why not? Is subsim really that popular with spammers...or is there a more fundamental security loophole that allows the spammers to get in? If so, fix that rather than bandaid it and inconvenience legitimate members.

However, if Neal continues to believe that this is the panacea to all his spam problems, then there are other alternatives; update to a newer Captcha module that uses either a) more legible characters or b) a question/answer interaction.

The irony is, it seems that google has become the "crack" to Subsim's "DRM".

[Herr-Berbunch]

Captcha isn't case-sensitive so a P can be p, etc.

All the guys who have donated to keep this site running, or provided a working mod or two, should be exempt from captcha? No spammer is going to either pay cash or work damn hard like you modders do :up:

[JScones]

Captcha isn't case-sensitive so a P can be p, etc.
I see, then I must be getting my N and Z mixed up, because I think I fail the "test" more often than not, lol.

[Herr-Berbunch]

It may not be case-sensitive, but I still cock it up too often for my liking. Sometimes I enter search words and possibly poster and just press enter automatically, completely forgetting about captcha. Grrrrr:oops:

[Onkel Neal]

Ok, I'm turning off the search anti-spam tools. Enjoy while it lasts.

[JScones]

Thank you Neal, from both me and my eyesight. :up:

[Herr-Berbunch]

Cheers Neal, although I'm now at a loss as to what to search for :D

[Sailor Steve]

See, whining does help!

Thanks, Neal. :sunny:

[sergei]

Thanks Neal.
That's made my life a little easier, even if it's only for a while. :DL

[Jimbuna]

Thank you Neal, from both me and my eyesight. :up:

LOL :DL

http://www.abfnet.com/forum/images/smilies/wolfen.gif