I'm not a %@#@ robot!

Michael Piziak · 03-25-2022, 05:20 PM

Increasingly, and more increasingly, I have to prove to Google that I'm not a robot. I've switched to duck duck go as my default search engine. But still, I occasionally miss out on something Google will do that other search engines won't - like typing in "Kansas Providence Score" and getting a screen that has a live update on the basketball score....
Recently, not only do I have to click I'm not a robot, but I had to click on the boxes of hills or mountains (this last time it was a never ending cycle that wouldn't stop)...
My frustrations with Google continue - some of you may recall my thread on how Google acquisition of Youtube gave me an un-solvable problem with trying to recover a youtube account - because I have a different cell ph # now....

Anyways, thanks for hearing me rant.....

damianc · 03-26-2022, 12:58 AM

Startpage is an alternative search engine with a strong privacy ethos that uses google as it's base search engine. Unfortunately as a price for that privacy it won't return some of google's specialised results, though it may return results of more use than duckduckgo. Anyway, it's useful to have alternatives

**BigMackCam** · 03-26-2022, 01:21 AM - **5 Likes**

Originally posted by Michael Piziak

I'm not a %@#@ robot!

Maybe you are, and you've simply been programmed to believe you're not... or maybe none of this is real and we're all just part of some huge, complex software simulation (in which case I'd like to report a few bugs)...

timb64 · 03-26-2022, 01:30 AM - **3 Likes**

Bit of a first world problem in my view

**StiffLegged** · 03-26-2022, 01:45 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by BigMackCam

Maybe you are, and you've simply been programmed to believe you're not... or maybe none of this is real and we're all just part of some huge, complex software simulation (in which case I'd like to report a few bugs)...

Just a few, Mike? You must tell us your secret!

wadge22 · 03-26-2022, 05:48 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by Michael Piziak

...I had to click on the boxes of hills or mountains (this last time it was a never ending cycle that wouldn't stop)

Creepily, that's the robots using you to train their algorithms to better understand what a mountain is.

Michael Piziak · 03-26-2022, 06:31 PM - **1 Like**

You guys are killing me!

There's actually a movie that this reminds me of, that I can't recall it's title, but the guy finds out he is in this simulated type computer world, and he meets a woman in a bar that says to him, "Your real." He comes to find out she is on of the few real people in the simulation he's in also.

It would have been a pretty good movie if it weren't so fast paced and became very confusing as to what was going on.

**BigMackCam** · 03-26-2022, 11:41 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Michael Piziak

You guys are killing me!

There's actually a movie that this reminds me of, that I can't recall it's title, but the guy finds out he is in this simulated type computer world, and he meets a woman in a bar that says to him, "Your real." He comes to find out she is on of the few real people in the simulation he's in also.

It would have been a pretty good movie if it weren't so fast paced and became very confusing as to what was going on.

When I look back at some of the things I've experienced over the years, Michael, the possibility that this is all a simulation coded by some twisted game developer(s) makes a whole lot more sense than the alternative

Unregistered User · 03-26-2022, 11:55 PM

Originally posted by Michael Piziak

You guys are killing me!

There's actually a movie that this reminds me of, that I can't recall it's title, but the guy finds out he is in this simulated type computer world, and he meets a woman in a bar that says to him, "Your real." He comes to find out she is on of the few real people in the simulation he's in also.

It would have been a pretty good movie if it weren't so fast paced and became very confusing as to what was going on.

Free Guy with Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer?

**Rondec** · 03-27-2022, 02:42 AM

Clearly, the issue is that there are a lot of bots out there -- not robots in the Terminator sense of the word, but applications that in the best situations gum up the works and in worst case scenarios can crash servers and such.

It's hard to know what to say in such situations. It is likely complaining about copy protection on software when you realize that there are thriving underground piracy markets for all sorts of these things.

**Kerrowdown** · 03-27-2022, 04:05 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by BigMackCam

Maybe you are, and you've simply been programmed to believe you're not...

"delà Matrix"

35mmfilmfan · 03-28-2022, 05:43 AM

I have noticed with search engines (and Ebay) that sometimes they will pick up on a common word and present several 'results', none of which are what I was actually seeking. Strangely, sometimes, if I delibaretely miss-spel a word, I get results closer to what I actually wanted. Mayhap I have discovered a way to confuse the robots. Now, what were the Three Laws of Robotics again ??

damianc · 03-28-2022, 06:02 AM

Put a '+' in front of a word and I think Google respects it (+searchterm). eBay seems to respect terms in quotes. We seem to have got to the point where search engine developers think they know better than we do what we intended

35mmfilmfan · 03-28-2022, 06:47 AM

Originally posted by damianc

Put a '+' in front of a word and I think Google respects it (+searchterm). eBay seems to respect terms in quotes. We seem to have got to the point where search engine developers think they know better than we do what we intended

Thanks for those tips - I'll try them.

Tony

Waffles · 04-16-2022, 02:52 PM

Originally posted by timb64

Bit of a first world problem in my view

The only problems that matter, really

03-25-2022, 05:20 PM	#1
Michael Piziak Closed Account Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,815	I'm not a %@#@ robot! Increasingly, and more increasingly, I have to prove to Google that I'm not a robot. I've switched to duck duck go as my default search engine. But still, I occasionally miss out on something Google will do that other search engines won't - like typing in "Kansas Providence Score" and getting a screen that has a live update on the basketball score.... Recently, not only do I have to click I'm not a robot, but I had to click on the boxes of hills or mountains (this last time it was a never ending cycle that wouldn't stop)... My frustrations with Google continue - some of you may recall my thread on how Google acquisition of Youtube gave me an un-solvable problem with trying to recover a youtube account - because I have a different cell ph # now.... Anyways, thanks for hearing me rant.....

03-26-2022, 01:21 AM - 5 Likes	#3
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,660	Originally posted by Michael Piziak I'm not a %@#@ robot! Maybe you are, and you've simply been programmed to believe you're not... or maybe none of this is real and we're all just part of some huge, complex software simulation (in which case I'd like to report a few bugs)... Last edited by BigMackCam; 03-26-2022 at 03:03 PM.

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03-26-2022, 12:58 AM	#2
damianc Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Highlands of Scotland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 360	Startpage is an alternative search engine with a strong privacy ethos that uses google as it's base search engine. Unfortunately as a price for that privacy it won't return some of google's specialised results, though it may return results of more use than duckduckgo. Anyway, it's useful to have alternatives

03-26-2022, 01:30 AM - 3 Likes	#4
timb64 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: /Situation : Doing my best to avoid idiots! Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,510	Bit of a first world problem in my view

03-26-2022, 01:45 AM - 2 Likes	#5
StiffLegged Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2018 Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,615	Originally posted by BigMackCam Maybe you are, and you've simply been programmed to believe you're not... or maybe none of this is real and we're all just part of some huge, complex software simulation (in which case I'd like to report a few bugs)... Just a few, Mike? You must tell us your secret!

03-26-2022, 05:48 AM - 2 Likes	#6
wadge22 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: NE Ohio Photos: Albums Posts: 897	Originally posted by Michael Piziak ...I had to click on the boxes of hills or mountains (this last time it was a never ending cycle that wouldn't stop) Creepily, that's the robots using you to train their algorithms to better understand what a mountain is.

03-26-2022, 06:31 PM - 1 Like	#7
Michael Piziak Closed Account Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,815 Original Poster	You guys are killing me! There's actually a movie that this reminds me of, that I can't recall it's title, but the guy finds out he is in this simulated type computer world, and he meets a woman in a bar that says to him, "Your real." He comes to find out she is on of the few real people in the simulation he's in also. It would have been a pretty good movie if it weren't so fast paced and became very confusing as to what was going on.

03-26-2022, 11:41 PM - 1 Like	#8
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,660	Originally posted by Michael Piziak You guys are killing me! There's actually a movie that this reminds me of, that I can't recall it's title, but the guy finds out he is in this simulated type computer world, and he meets a woman in a bar that says to him, "Your real." He comes to find out she is on of the few real people in the simulation he's in also. It would have been a pretty good movie if it weren't so fast paced and became very confusing as to what was going on. When I look back at some of the things I've experienced over the years, Michael, the possibility that this is all a simulation coded by some twisted game developer(s) makes a whole lot more sense than the alternative

03-26-2022, 11:55 PM	#9
Unregistered User Guest	Originally posted by Michael Piziak You guys are killing me! There's actually a movie that this reminds me of, that I can't recall it's title, but the guy finds out he is in this simulated type computer world, and he meets a woman in a bar that says to him, "Your real." He comes to find out she is on of the few real people in the simulation he's in also. It would have been a pretty good movie if it weren't so fast paced and became very confusing as to what was going on. Free Guy with Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer?

03-27-2022, 02:42 AM	#10
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,650	Clearly, the issue is that there are a lot of bots out there -- not robots in the Terminator sense of the word, but applications that in the best situations gum up the works and in worst case scenarios can crash servers and such. It's hard to know what to say in such situations. It is likely complaining about copy protection on software when you realize that there are thriving underground piracy markets for all sorts of these things.

03-27-2022, 04:05 AM - 1 Like	#11
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,815	Originally posted by BigMackCam Maybe you are, and you've simply been programmed to believe you're not... "delà Matrix"

03-28-2022, 05:43 AM	#12
35mmfilmfan Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Norfolk, UK Posts: 4,322	I have noticed with search engines (and Ebay) that sometimes they will pick up on a common word and present several 'results', none of which are what I was actually seeking. Strangely, sometimes, if I delibaretely miss-spel a word, I get results closer to what I actually wanted. Mayhap I have discovered a way to confuse the robots. Now, what were the Three Laws of Robotics again ??

03-28-2022, 06:02 AM	#13
damianc Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Highlands of Scotland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 360	Put a '+' in front of a word and I think Google respects it (+searchterm). eBay seems to respect terms in quotes. We seem to have got to the point where search engine developers think they know better than we do what we intended

03-28-2022, 06:47 AM	#14
35mmfilmfan Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Norfolk, UK Posts: 4,322	Originally posted by damianc Put a '+' in front of a word and I think Google respects it (+searchterm). eBay seems to respect terms in quotes. We seem to have got to the point where search engine developers think they know better than we do what we intended Thanks for those tips - I'll try them. Tony

04-16-2022, 02:52 PM	#15
Waffles Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: The Carolinas Posts: 461	Originally posted by timb64 Bit of a first world problem in my view The only problems that matter, really

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