Visual Verify Code (VVC)

[Guest]

I?ve been running the Visual Verify Code (VVC) Contribution since I wrote it, and I?ve had zero technical issues. However, from customer supplied emails, I have learned that I did make a ?user interface? mistake and I wanted to share with those of you who use it what I learned and changed.

 

For those who don?t know about VVC, it is a contribution that generates random characters and displays them inside of an image so that it cannot be easily read by automated programs. You use this type of functionality, for example, when you don?t want people to easily use your system as a spam tool by leveraging automated agents. The concept is simple, display some random characters inside of an image and ask the user to input what they see. More and more sites are using this approach to block automated systems. However, it is still a new concept to many real web-site users and therein rests my mistake.

 

The text I chose to display was cryptic to the average Internet user/customer. Maybe in a few years everyone will be using this type of technology and my word choice won't be so crucial. Until then, however, after 4 months of trying out different phrases, I offer the following:

 

The read me file states in step #2 of the installation:

2. Update the language files
   a. Place the following statements in your /catalog/includes/languages/english.php:
define('VISUAL_VERIFY_CODE_CHARACTER_POOL', 'abcdefghijklmnpqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZ123456789FJWNVB63HDLAJAF');  //no zeros or O
define('VISUAL_VERIFY_CODE_CATEGORY', 'Verify security code');
define('VISUAL_VERIFY_CODE_ENTRY_ERROR', 'The security code you entered did not match the one displayed.');
define('VISUAL_VERIFY_CODE_ENTRY_TEXT', '*');

   b. Place the following statements in your /catalog/includes/languages/english/create_account.php
define('VISUAL_VERIFY_CODE_TEXT_INSTRUCTIONS', 'Type security code here:');
define('VISUAL_VERIFY_CODE_BOX_IDENTIFIER', '<- Security Code');

 

I suggest you change the displayed text to:

define('VISUAL_VERIFY_CODE_CATEGORY', ' Random Characters');
define('VISUAL_VERIFY_CODE_ENTRY_ERROR', 'The characters you entered did not match the ones displayed. To the right of the random characters entry box, you will see some randomly generated letters and numbers. Please enter these characters, in order, in the Random Characters box. This mechanism helps keep automated systems from using this web site as a spam machine.');

and

define('VISUAL_VERIFY_CODE_TEXT_INSTRUCTIONS', 'Random Characters Shown:');
define('VISUAL_VERIFY_CODE_BOX_IDENTIFIER', ' <- Enter These Random Characters In The Box To The Left');

[devine952]

:thumbsup:

 

Great Contrib! Easy to install and easy to use.

 

I have had a number of customers complain about the VV code, that it is difficult to read, capitalization especially. I am hesitating removing the VVC for the checkout, but leaving it for contactus and tellafriend.

 

Are there any plans to improve the image generated, such as the one used by yahoo search marketing which displays four random characters in a hashed square.

 

This format is easier to read and customers have probably experienced once or twice on other websites.

 

Best regards

 

Rob.