Friday 17 February 2012

My Rant Against Word Verification Pop Ups

I never write about blogging specifically or any of the technical stuff that goes along with it. I'm not a computer expert or an online social media guru. I have no idea about all the stats and SEO's and all that other stuff that some bloggers are interested in. I don't blog to promote a business or to make money. I don't do sponsored posts or giveaways. I simply blog to connect with other people.

I write in this space because I desperately need an outlet for my feelings. I read other people's blogs because I love reading other people's stories. To know I'm not alone in my various struggles is a wonderful feeling. Not because I want other people to have to suffer like I have, but because I know there are other people who have been there and understand what it's like. I have found a wonderful community of people here in the virtual community of the internet. You have been my lifeline, helping me get through some of the worst moments of my life. I'm not sure I'd be as ok as I am these days without you.

For me, commenting is a huge part of the experience. I have felt such love and support from the comments I receive here. I admit I'm not the best commenter, but I do try my best to offer the same kind of support that you all have given to me.

A few days ago I noticed that blogger has changed their captcha word verification system. If you don't know what that is, the word verification is those funny word-things that pop up when you leave a comment on some people's blogs. They are supposed to prove you aren't a robot or a spammer.

They have always been tricky to do, but the new change has made them almost impossible. It now seems there are TWO words to decipher and re-type before you can leave your comment instead of just one.

I don't know why, but I'm having a terrible time reading the new words and often have to try again just to make my comment. I am finding this terribly frustrating and it's really putting me off commenting on your blogs. Am I alone in this?? It makes me feel like screaming into a pillow every time I see one of those things pop up.

So I have a small request. Can you please turn this terrible word verification off? I did it a long time ago and I hardly ever get a spam comment. I think I've gotten 2 or 3 since I started my blog and they are very easy to delete. It's an easy setting to turn on and off so it shouldn't be too much trouble. Not being a computer expert I'm not here to offer a tutorial on how to do it. But considering I somehow managed to figure it out, I know you will too.

So please,,,, if you will,,,,, turn it off??

Thank you.

12 comments:

  1. Omg!!!! You are so not alone!!! I turned mine off a long time ago, and have never gotten a spam comment. This new process is awful, and I've cut down on commenting, as well. The words are SO hard to read, and I too have had to try multiple times. If simone doesn't turn it off, I'm not going to bother commenting anymore. It was bad enough and annoying before, but this is ridiculous!! Thanks for the post!!

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  2. Ok, I didn't even know I was requiring people to type those annoying words, but I think I've turned that off now (please let me know if not!)...it actually took some trickery, but this tutorial helped:

    http://rickpaulettervjournal.blogspot.com/2012/02/why-how-to-disable-bloggers-word.html

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  3. I was just dealing with this yesterday and getting seriously annoyed. I turned mine off a long time ago and hope people read your post and turn them off too because after 3 failed attempts I won't even bother with the comment anymore. Especially hard when you are using a phone too!

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  4. Oh, I AM SO WITH YOU. I told myself to either blog about the very same thing, or to ask the people whose blogs I read regularly (BLMs) to please consider getting rid of the verification codes. These ones are impossible. I often have to press the refresh button multiple times to find one legible enough to articulate.

    Thank you for mentioning! I don't (and have never) had those on my blog. Too annoying.

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  5. I thought it was just ME. I can't read the blurred ones with the grey background to save my life! One word didn't bug me, but the second word thing is obnoxious, and totally unnecessary IMHO.

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  6. I agree... I'm having terrible trouble deciphering those words and often have to try again :( Blogger doesn't some strange things :(( xoxo

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  7. I just turned mine off last week. I did it just because I didn't think it was necessary, how many robots are really going to visit my blog? I didn't even realize it was causing problems so I'm glad I did! You're not the first blogger I've heard of having troubles with it either.

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  8. It. Is. MADDENING. And one of the words is invariably illegible. Half the time, I can't comment on Blogger blogs with my WordPress ID if Word Verification is turned on. My entry is just rejected as mismatching.

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  9. It is HORRIBLE! I just noticed the new one and almost lost my mind trying to comment on someone's blog!!! I hope more blogger users turn them off. Wordpress has an easy system- if a commenter is new and has never been approved before the blog owner has to approve the comments before it's published. They also have a spam filter -no idea how it does it but it works!

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  10. Amen sister - turn that shit off!

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  11. Totally agree! I was going to post about this myself. I frequently need two or three attempts. I've tried the sound version (that little button with a megaphone picture on it), but that's even harder!

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