Google Buys reCAPTCHA For Better Book Scanning

TimmyC writes "This story may interest the Slashdot folk, many of whom use the reCAPTCHA anti-spam service. Well, reCAPTCHA is now owned by Google. Apparently, what attracted Google to ReCAPTCHA is that the company has linked its core authentication service with efforts to digitize print books and periodicals. The search giant has a massive (and controversial) effort underway in that area for its Google Books and Google News Archive services. Every time people solve a CAPTCHA from the company, they are also, as a byproduct, helping to turn scanned words into plain text that can be indexed and made searchable by search engines. Interesting times indeed."

I hope they have a couple of tests!

[NoYob]

As I get older, I find that I'm having a harder time reading from computer monitors and especially captchas. I confuse words all the time. For acample: erection with election. Not so bad, but if Google doesn't pass that unknown to multiple folks, it could get embarrassing. Text from a Bill Clinton bio:

After Bill Clinton's first erection as President, he proceeded .....

Re:Is that a finger cot?

[Anonymous Coward]

Presumably the robot wasn't the only one ever to handle that book.

Maybe not. But I know that when I'm done handling a book I usually don't leave my hands there with it.

Re:WTF Summary

[Anonymous Coward]

"Hey everyone, let's all sit refreshing the google gmail account creation page, and always type "boobs" for the second captcha value..."

reCAPTCHA is awesome

[Thaelon]

I have to say, reCAPTCHA is one of the most elegant solutions I've ever seen to a problem.

It's not even killing two birds with one stone, it's killing two birds with one of the birds.

Re:WTF Summary

[digitig]

wisdow

OCR error?

Re:Mod up

[Anonymous Coward]

Which gives rise to the question: Why isn't captcha giving us complete sentences? Not only would you be OCRing more words, but the context gives the human a greater chance at getting it right, whilst increasing the chance of a spam bot of getting it wrong.

...and increasing the rate of people saying "F- it, the captcha should not be longer than my comment." - hence the limit of two words to allow for "me too!" comments.

Re:Mod up

[Kozz]

Which gives rise to the question...

Don't you mean, "Which begs the question..."?!

(ducks)

Re:Mod up

[selven]

hence the limit of two words to allow for "me too!" comments.

lol