Would someone please tell me why

[#1]

we have to use that ridiculous 'code' when trying to send an email over the web?  I tried 8 times today to send an email, carefully putting in the near illegible characters and gave up in the end.  The whole thing was extremely annoying, the characters aren't even in a straight line so you can't tell whether they are upper or lower case and to distinguish a lower case 'l' and the figure '1' is nigh on impossible.  Also this forum is a work of art to try and find and log onto.  I am not an idiot with IT, I just think things seem to be made a lot more complicated than they need be.  As far as the email code is concerned, it is just as well my partially-sighted boss does not use this version - she would never be able to send an email.

[#2]

Hey there.
What you are referring to is called a 'captcha' and is, unfortunately, necessary to stop automated scripts and bots sending email and spam.
PlusNet do have plans to improve the captcha and also introduce an audible version so that you can listen to the letters rather than read them.  However, those plans are currently in Development.
Unfortunately, due to advances in screenreaders, they have to be more illegible than 'normal' characters to stop the automated bots reading the characters.
More information on captcha's can be found here :-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captcha

[#3]

If you have problems locating the Community site why not bookmark it in your browser favourites?
Failing that, if you log into the portal you will find a link at the right-hand end of the menu in words near the top of the page labelled Community.
Even easier, if your browser remembers sites you've visited, start typing community in the address field and the URL will auto-complete for you.

[#4]

Psssst... Spraxyt
You forgot the final solution.... Make it your home page