[access-uk] Re: overview of capture with screenreader issues for the sighted?
- From: "Damon" <damon.rose@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 19 Sep 2006 08:06:10 +0100
if screenreaders could read captcha graphics, that would mean that any old
malicious hacker or spammer could create a script that could bypass the captcha
security and either spam loads of advertising comments on blogs, open up
multiple accounts on hotmail, etc.
The graphic contains a difficult to read word using unusual fonts or design.
The reason why they use non standard overly flurishing fonts goes back to the
automation issue. If it were standard font, OCR software could read it. This
means they could create scripts, spam advertising comments across the web via
blogs and setup multiple hotmail accounts etc for malicious or antisocial
purposes. That's for starters.
The captcha relies on what humans can do, but computers can't. Sighted humans
are able to process the difficult to read graphics whereas computers can't so
easily if at all.
Equally, if audio captchas used an easy to hear voice, it could be possible for
speech recognition software to be employed so that malicious hackers or
spammers could do all of what we've already discussed. That's why audio
captchas spell out the words using different voices, male or female, accented
sometimes, fuzzed occasionally, or with background noise.
It's all to eliminate an automation process or script.
I did have a really good document that I read recently ... but I binned it.
Sorry.
It is possible that text could be used to ask questions that involved human
cognition such as "fill in the blanks - the blank sat on the mat". But this
could be a) too culturally specific or b) cause issues for people with learning
difficulties.
----- Original Message -----
From: goshawk
To: blindtech@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; tvi-talk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ;
access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; VICUG-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; bcab@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 4:29 AM
Subject: [access-uk] overview of capture with screenreader issues for the
sighted?
hello list,
does anyone know if there are any online documents/pages giving a brief
overview of what screen readers do, and why we can't use them with the captures
that seem to be cropping up on more and more websites?
I ask this, as I have tried to get on a few online petitions, but they use
captures, and don't have an audio version of them, but the people running them,
because they want all the support they can get, are genuinely interested in
improving the situation, and I would really like to have somewhere to point
them that would give them the info on why screen readers will not read
captures, and if possible, would also have the info on how they can make them
accessible, such as with an audio version.
Simon
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