The topic for GBE2 this week is “Pet Peeves”. Already feeling peevish about a certain subject lately, this was an easy one for me.
My pet peeve is captchas. On a particularly peevish day (we all have them); I just want to leave as soon as the captcha pops up...”
I hesitated a moment because Beth wrote such a clever and sweet blog about captchas just about 2 weeks ago. I don’t like to be redundant, but…
My biggest peeve is the use of both captchas and comment approval settings. I’ve had a silent rebellion going on in my spirit for quite some time. Part of me says “I’m just going to move on” but another part of me refuses to be peevish or rude.
I feel peevish because I spent time reading a blog, writing a comment, and then jumped through the captcha hoop. Then the comment doesn't post because it is set for approval. That is when I think....WHAT THE HECK??? Why not just set it to approval and deal with any spam that might land in the approval folder??? Why put people through the hassle of a captcha if the comment is going to require approval anyway??? I don’t get it. I just want to yell…”CHOOSE ONE AND GO WITH IT!!!”
Not only are captchas annoying, but often I simply can’t read them… Can I have a translator please?
Sometimes I try to hear the audio captcha, but that is worst. That “white noise” makes it hard for me to sort one sound from another. *sigh*
So…I don't use captcha's because ~ well ~ I hate them!!!
Blogger is really good at catching the spammer comments, so they go straight to the spam folder. I haven't had any spam land on even one of my blogs. That’s because they are all languishing in the spam folder – never to be approved. In my experience the spammers only spam the older blogs. My solution and as an extra step, just in case, I set my comments for approval for any of my blogs over 14 days old. Still...I do not use a captcha because I don't want to annoy my readers. I figure if I am that annoyed, then maybe the comment controls annoy other people.
Mostly, I don’t say anything, but I did let a friend know that she was set up with captcha and then the comment required approval. She was not aware that her settings caused that effect. She quickly changed her settings to simply approve all comments.
Though I understand the frustration to discover a less than desirable comment on a blog, I do not censure words of others. If the comment is not obscene, I leave it stand because I believe in free speech. When faced with an obscene comment…well then…I know where to find my delete button…
I often wonder why such control over a blog is necessary. I understand that some may possibly want to approve, and then answer the comment so that everything is nice and neat. That’s okay with me…really. Just skip the captcha… If it is fear of what someone might say in a comment, I just want to say that words are only words. Don’t like the comment? Delete it, but don’t expect your readers to hang around. Nobody likes to take the time to comment on a blog, then return to see their comment gone. We are a nation of free speech and I am not a fan of stifling that right.
Did you ever notice that the bloggers with lots of readers rarely ever use captchas? And the fact that only a very few require approval of a comment? Think about it. Then, if you are controlling your comments, I hope you will visit your settings and make some changes.
There you have it… Captcha immediately followed with comment approval notification is my biggest pet peeve, followed closely by the captcha alone. I can live with the comment approval notification alone, but I’m not a fan. It just leaves me wondering what is there to be afraid of?
I'm totally with you there. I used to have captcha but took it off. I expected a lot of spam, but I just got more reader comments. None the less, it doesn't bother me much until it's the type that I really can't read and have to write the letters a couple of times because I keep getting it wrong.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that does bug me, or maybe I shouldn't say, I don't like blogs that play music. Usually as soon as it comes on I mute my computer. I can't concentrate on what I'm reading with music playing or sometimes it's not my taste. Unfortunately, there have been times that I've forgotten to undo the mute. Then I'll get to school and place a timer for my kids. When the timer goes off, the dog won't bark because, oops, I left my computer on mute. Taking it off now.
Joyce
http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/
Interestingly enough, I agree with you about the music. I always turn music off when I find it on a blog. I've considered removing my player many times, but then, I think I would miss it too much. But...it is not out of the question. In the meanwhile, I hope you will continue to mute my music and read my blogs.
DeleteThank you for your candid comment. I probably will remove the music player. You have confirmed a decision I have been wavering on for several weeks.
Darlene, I'm not fond of the captcha critters either! When I see the moderator in the response, I wonder if that person has had trouble with snarky remarks, or if they just like control. I set mine for monitoring after 10 days, but that might not be long enough... hmmm time for reconsideration.
ReplyDeletek~
10 days is probably long enough. I think even 7 days might be enough because it seems that people comment on my blogs for only a couple of days and it's over. I might change that myself. (It seems that I am always tweaking...LOL)
DeleteThanks for reading and your comments.
I couldn't agree more. I super duper hate those things! I do still try to comment, but if I can't get through the first time, I do not retry.
ReplyDeleteGotta add here, because I love you and your blogs so much, not a fan of the music either. I always mute it and am happy not to hear it now.
I am having a really hard time reading the comments now, too. The font is very, very small. Did you change that? I'm on my laptop and the screen is smaller, but I think I've read you before on this one without a problem.
You really rock the blog world, Darlene and I just loves ya to pieces! ♥
When blogger made the change to comment threads, the font became this small. I'll take a look at settings to see if I can make bigger because I am having trouble reading too. But...just a tip...when you can't read something, hold your control key down and roll your mouse wheel away from you and print will get larger.
DeleteThank you for your sweet comment. You have made my day.
Oh me too Darlene, hate captchas and gave them the boot. And thanks for the tip, I often need larger print. have a splendid day -Kelly
ReplyDeleteI did my best to make the print larger last night, but I couldn't find anything that enlarged comments. I think I am going to try to get Google Help to address the problem.
DeleteAs for the captchas... I hope more people will abandon the practice. It really is annoying.
Thank you so much for visiting, Kelly, and for taking the time to comment. I appreciate that very much.
I choose a long time ago not to have this feature on my blog, I believe it gives more freedom, you are right!
ReplyDeleteYes! I feel like if someone is kind enough to read and comment, I should be kind enough to make it easy for them to comment. Thank you, Claudia.
DeleteHappy New Year Darlene! (Better late than never - sorry had long-term connectivity problems - solved now :))
ReplyDeleteI hate Capcha too! The idea is great, but the implimation is ka-ka! I know! I know! The idea is that there is a real person behind the curtain. But the real person can't read the bloody lettres.
" the real person can't read the bloody lettres."
DeleteLOL...Isn't that the truth!
Glad you have your connectivity problem resolved. I kept looking for you. I'm glad you are back!
I agree wholeheartedly with this. I really hate captchas that I can't read and put in wrong and then the next one to try is equally illegible.
ReplyDeleteI've never quite understood why people want to approve comments, but I guess they must have had some back luck in the past. Good one.
Pam
I had some bad luck with some comments on myspace. The solution is so simple...delete them! They are only words. Right?
DeleteThanks for reading and leaving me a comment. I appreciate it.
You know, I can't even remember what mine is set to do! I'm terrible, I know. I'll go check later. I do agree. Go one way or the other, but there's no need for both. As to captcha... the only reason I put up with the nasty little indecipherable meanies is because they occasionally throw up one which is so hysterical it makes all the others worth fighting with :o)
ReplyDelete*snicker* I know!!! I have some really funny screenshots of some of the funnier ones.
DeleteGood to see you again and I hope to see more of you. Thanks for dropping by to read and comment.
hmmm...I haven't thought much about this. I'm not crazy about typing them (especially the illegible ones) but I don't mind that much. Now that I know so many people do mind them, I have no idea whether my blog requires them or not--I'm so new to this that I don't know how to change it. If someone tries to comment on my blog and gets a captcha, please let me know, and also what I should do to remove it. I don't want to discourage anyone from commenting! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI was on your blog today, but I can't remember if you had a captcha or not. I'll try to pay attention next time.
DeleteI say I feel like moving on without comment, but I don't. My peevishness is no reason to make another person feel bad, so I comment anyway.
Thank you so much for coming to my blog. I enjoyed your blog very much. I followed, so you will see more of me.
I don't care for those either. Imagine my horror when I realized it was set on my own blog! I has so upset that I had put some people through using that without even realizing it. So, if you are one of those, I'm so sorry. I have deleted my post before because I couldn't read the captcha and that was really annoying because I had spent all that time typing out a response just to throw it away. :/
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel. When I first set up my blogspot, I was so confused because of all the settings. Honestly, I didn't know what half of the options did or meant. Anyway, I also had a captcha. I'm sure I didn't know what it was at that time. So, the point is that someone had to tell me I had a captcha because I didn't know. LOL
DeleteYou know how I feel about CAPTCHAs!
ReplyDeleteYep! *giggle* Loved your blog on captcha's!!!
Deletecaptcha's are so, so.... irritating! so much nicer to just comment, publish, and move along....
ReplyDeletegreat attention getting post.
I agree. But then, you knew that, didn't you? *grin*
DeleteThanks for the comment. I was really surprised to see so many comments on this blog. I guess it was a great attention getter... inadvertently as it was. :-D
Geez that is a tough one. I myself can't read it. Gonna use the audio captcha for sure.
ReplyDeleteThis one in the blog is the security feature for our One Stop Blog World site on Facebook. Every time I update, I get the most impossible captcha's. I keep checking the settings to see if there is any way to turn it off, but there does not seem to be an option. Last week was the worst. It took me 4-5 attempts before I got a captcha that I could reasonably guess... It IS frustrating.
DeleteThank you for visiting my blog. I visited your blog. I have to tell you that I am honored that you took a minute to come to my blog. Thank you again.
I agree completely with you on this one. Once you get used to visiting sites where you don't deal with the captcha it is annoying to have to. Great blog!
ReplyDeleteKathy
http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com/
I'm always happy to visit your blogs and so am pleased that I never have to deal with a captcha on your blogs.
DeleteThanks, my friend. I hope to see more of you soon.
SO WITH YOU ON THIS ONE!! YUP! wonder if i have to do one on your site?
ReplyDeleteI hope not. I'm pretty sure I turned them off. Now, that would be embarrassing!
DeleteYEAH!!!!!!!!!!! hehe
ReplyDeleteLOL... (Hmmm....I better check my settings again!!!)
DeleteSome Captchas don't bother me as they are easy to read, but others like the example you showed, well there is at least a 50% chance I am going to get the code wrong, since it's impossible to read, and after 10 or more attempts I am often left fuming.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the post, and I added a link on My Pet Peeves lens on Squidoo, which will hopefully give you some more visitors.
I must try and get back into writing on GBE2 again - so many things and so little time...
I hear you. Even as a retiree, I find myself strapped for time. I hope you find the time.
DeleteDo you like Squidoo? I registered once, but it seemed too complicated. I don't think I even finished the set-up. I wonder if it is still there? LOL
The worst captchas for me are the new ones on Facebook. By new, I mean the last couple of months. I hate them!
Thank you so much for visiting my blog and, additionally, for leaving a comment. I do appreciate when someone takes the time to comment.