Its there to aid in keeping the more simple automated programs in check, this is why it only happens after a lot of petties, not in a small amount, and then once triggered, it only happens occasionally.

I think typing in a 3 digit code a few times a day is a fair trade off to ensure that the work you do isnt severely trumped by someone who sat down and started a program and walked away for the entire day - out ranking you, out earning you, and building a better character with doing no work - ultimately to shoot and kill all your work you put in while putting in only a tiny fraction of it.

If you get it right, it proves you are not a simple bot *that particular petty*.  If we did it only once, then after that is when you would turn on your script and walk away for 12 hours of sweet sweet automated pettying.  Doing it every 10th or so petty means the most you can get out of a simple bot is... 9 petties.

I'm down for alternative ideas on ways to not annoy users, but at the same time making it so that the more unethical scripters cant just walk all over you.