Playing for profit

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: created an online game to get around CAPTCHA, the bot-catching test that requires people to read then type weirdly distorted letters when, say, registering for a free online account or other service. Their game involved a scantily clad virtual model removing an article of clothing each time a user identified a distorted word—which, unbeknown to the player, was a CAPTCHA from another website. Thanks to this, the spammers got others to help them create new email accounts from which to send their junk.

Such hiccups aside, the evolution of gaming technology has definitely given companies the ability to create virtual sandboxes that can provide a competitive edge. So executives who still insist on all work and no game play won’t just be running dull workplaces; they will also be running less profitable ones too.