obsfucation vs. captcha

will they both work?

[too much information]

I've been using a captcha system with my sign up form but some users are having trouble with it. They will have to go back and hit refresh about three times before the system will work.

If I use Javascript to obsfucate the form code will that keep out the robots just as well?

[graeme_p]

One of my favourite solutions is the use of a javascript hash (a number calculated by client side script that is submitted in a hidden form field).

I first came across this as a Wordpress plugin (which does not work with WP2 so I no longer use it). There are some other implementations and it should be possible to get it to work anywhere.

Of course it is unfriendly to those who have javascript turned off, but while I used it (only on my blog though) comment spam went down from dozens a day to zero.

[too much information]

Well, as bad as it sounds, there are things on my site that require the use of Javascript and I don't have alternate content. If you are not running Javascript you just miss out. (Or in come cases I fuss at you)

I think the majority of people have their Javascript running anyway, so it's hardly ever a problem.

[graeme_p]

If you like the idea do a search for "hashcash comment spam". There are reportedly some bots that can handle it.

Another technique that I like is asking obvious questions - e.g. what is 2 + 2?