You may not know what CAPTCHA means, but if you’ve ever left a comment on a blog, then you’ve probably had to type in a mix of letters that you copy from image files. CAPTCHA is designed to cut down on comment spam. It prevents automated programs from filling out web forms and submitting them.

The only known way around CAPTCHA is human eyeballs and human hands.

Fortunately for spammers, and unfortunately for the rest of us, there is a whole third world of cheap labor out there just waiting for a few pennies-per-piece work, and as this post points out, the technology is starting to reach these parts of the world.

Look at it this way: The future of spam will raise the standard of living for many people.