I cannot think of a reason why what you suggest would not work Damon, although I'm not a programmer or someone who knows the possibilities for hacking. If it can work, then I'd certainly welcome it. On the phone solution, I cannot see why anyone on principle would object to that. But surely its a non-starter because all these internet services have a built-in assumption and economic imperative that says any human intervention costs and therefore must not be considered. So it seems to me, anyway. Ray Personal emails: Email me at mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mel Spooner" <mel.spooner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 2:33 PM Subject: [access-uk] Re: A verification graphic solution perhaps? Hi Damon, I have no idea how these things work and how the software which hacks into them works either. However, would a possible solution be to present the user with a string of letters or numbers, then for the software to ask for say, the 2nd, 4th and 6th characters in the string? Obviously this would be randomly generated. I have to say that I find an alternative hone number a very unacceptable work around, but that's just my own opinion. Mel Mel Spooner edIT Help Desk Nottinghamshire County Council Tel 0115 854 6116 Email mel.spooner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx -----Original Message----- From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: 28 February 2006 14:26 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] A verification graphic solution perhaps? HI all, I just drafted what I I hope will be a thought provoking email about registration verification graphics for an internal accessibility list here at work. The BBC are seeking new solutions to the problem and currently have the idea to provide an 0800 support number alongside the website. The following are some ideas I had on a possible web based solution, Be good to get feedback off it. Good idea or bad idea? This whole problem is about Verification graphics. Visually impaired people either can't decipher the complexity because of low vision or just can't read a graphic at all if they have no sight. Screenreaders, obviously, can't read graphics. Follow my train of thought here ... If screenreaders COULD read the verification graphics, then so could any bit of software cobbled together by a script kiddie. In fact, that's why the graphics work so well for sighted users ... and indeed why they work so badly for visually impaired ones. If it were readable in any way, then scripters could setup mail accounts, swing votes, etc en masse. An issue for spamming and integrity of many online services. Other solutions in the past, such as the one used by Hotmail, have involved speech. A sound file with a word in it is generated. Speech recognition software exists, however, thought though I'm sure this is a pretty good solution with more thought. So, we're looking at something that isn't an alphanumeric ascii solution. The verification graphics are fancily written words so that even the best OCR software can't read it. It relies on your brain to decipher things too complex for computers. So, why not another solution that is too complex for computers to easily crack. What if the web user was given an alternative verification ... i.e. given the verification graphic and also a riddle or quiz? E.g. 1: "Work out the answer to the following and tap it into the edit field below" E.g. 2: "What is the next number in this sequence?" E.g. 4: "What is the capital of China?" E.g. 3: "the cat sat on the --- .... Fill in the blank word" This approach is one a computer program can't easily replicate. It asks the user to use their brain to answer a question. Any thoughts appreciated. Any flaws in my plan most welcome. Better more appropriate examples also welcome. ...Damon http://www.bbc.co.uk/ This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal views which are not the views of the BBC unless specifically stated. If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system. Do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in reliance on it and notify the sender immediately. Please note that the BBC monitors e-mails sent or received. 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