Captcha or Email Validation

I have a forum at http://darksat.x47.net and I am trying to figure out which is a better spam bot blocking system.
I am using email validation at the moment but am considering using a CAPTCHA system instead (AKA image verification)
the only thing is I am not the biggest fan of CAPTCHA systems and I like knowing that people signing up on my forum are filling in a real email address.
In your opinion, which is better?

 

Captcha is better - proves it is a real person instead of a bot, which is all you want really. Why do you want their real email address? You want to spam them?!

 

Wow, harsh, I like to be able to get in contact with my members if needs be, I have never spammed anyone on my forum.
As for Captcha systems, some of them can be a bit iritationg, EG getting
1, i, I, 0,0 mixed up.
I never used the one on SMF before and I am just wondering is it any good.

 

Email validation doesn't help much anymore, all the good spammers (the most annoying ones) can do that no problem. Plus sometimes people have problems receiving email, getting it tagged as junk / spam / bulk, etc. (especially if you're sending out alot of it). Captch would likely lead to more active signups however it can be hard to read for people if you make it hard to read for bots.

I think the best way to prevent spam is with either hidden variables to make sure the users are actually loading the page or with a radio button selection asking the user whether their human (and have it to "no" by default). Some people go as far as asking a question, like what's 1 + 1 or something.

 

I would say captcha is better

 

Capcha! is definitely the way to go. It does a great job cutting down the amount of spambot registrations on my forums.

 

Captcha for sure, there are many ways spammers can pass of the email validation
I am using it on my forums

 

I think you can use both, but im not sure. Make a poll ask your members.

- Prilep

 

Use Both if you can. And use the TTF setting on CAPTCHA

 

^^ Yeah I use both at my forum....why not ya know?

 

I would go Captcha.
It works great, and you can make money with this

 

I use both, it helps keep the spammers out and also leaves me with a good verified email address. I might lose some members due to the emails ending up in a junk folder or something but I think its worth it in the long run.

 

I agree with "both" but generally I verify emails to stop trolls rather then spammers (as spammers now often use valid email addresses).

Though, if you think that captcha is not good enough search for the phrase at whatever forums forum you are on. I know that vbulletin offers a few mods that offer things other then Captcha (like asking questions, or entering codes found on other pages).

But to my knowledge, CATCHA has not been cracked yet, so it's certainly the way to go assuming your forum of choice has that option.
Q

 

Captcha is better coz it finishes the work at the same time where as email validation takes extra time of a person

 

In my experience, Both.

Captcha as it stops the robots & Email Validation so you know your members are genuine and you can mass email if need be.