Jonathan Rochkind <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> The Recaptcha device specifically also provides an audio test. But point 
> taken, even so it could prevent accessibility challenges.

See the w3c for how poorly audio tests perform: even people who can
hear properly (which I can't) fail them frequently!

> Nevertheless, when my system is currently receiving around one software 
> powered spam per minute, I need a quick pre-built drop-in solution to 
> this; I don't have time to write my own AI!  If you have any other free 
> or affordable pre-built drop-in solutions to spam protection to suggest, 
> this would be a great forum to do so!

I don't think you've given enough background until now, but if you
want quick drop-in solutions for web comment forms, I'd probably look
into:-

1. posting a notice next to the comment form stating it will *not* be
published automatically and linking to your policy. Seriously - this
will stop some bad people putting you on their "spam this form" lists,
else they think you're virgin snow ready for weeing on;

But that won't help with the spam bots already attacking, so:-

2. the Akismet and TypePadAntiSpam comment form systems (similar APIs
IIRC, so both should work with Net::Akismet) which aren't great
(contacting an unauditable spam classification server) but should be
fairly fast to get working; and/or

3. including a hidden field with a limited-lifetime verifiable token
in it, which will at least limit how long they can spam you with one
form; and/or

4. simply trapping certain expressions and telling commenters not to
send them (I often ban <a href and [url= with good effect on forms
where there's no need to enter html or bbcode).

Hope that helps,
-- 
MJ Ray (slef)
Webmaster for hire, statistician and online shop builder for a small
worker cooperative http://www.ttllp.co.uk/ http://mjr.towers.org.uk/
(Notice http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html) tel:+44-844-4437-237