Fingerprints, puppies and podcasting at Microsoft TechFest

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2007

REDMOND, United States (AFP) — A pair of gray kittens napped in a cage at Microsoft TechFest, oblivious to their roles in protecting Internet surfers from being duped by bogus Web sites.

On a nearby table, a dozen pictures of dogs or cats were on a computer screen along with a challenge to distinguish one from the other.

Microsoft researcher John Douceur clicked on the feline pictures to be rewarded with the affirmation "You are human" and permission to proceed.

Failure to tell all the animals apart was met with "You are a bot," automated software pretending to be a person trying to access a website online.

The pet-oriented online security program was among 150 creations on display at the software company's headquarters in Redmond, Wash., during the...

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