I'm asking the following here as I know you (we?) are all sensible practical people .. ;-)
I've had a couple of requests from friends recently asking how they can (automatically) manage how much time their kids spend on the PC, typically MSN etc.
Anyone using / seen anything that would (say) cease MSN at 11 pm or generally restrict the PC use to say 2 hours a day etc?
I am aware of filters / schedules within routers and anti tamper mains time switches ;-)
Freeware would be good but paying wouldn't be an issue if it did what it said on the tin ..
for the past six months ago - not expensive - configurable by individual user enabling maximum hours per day/week/month internet time and also computer access time - configurable daily access times so the individual is logged out at bed time - the ability to block web sites by keyword - also, as a punishment tool one can configure the system to deny access to an individual or only allow computer access and not internet access.
I think K9 can do what you're after, but I can't be 100% sure...
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If nothing else, when I tried it on my system, it worked very well at blocking any "inappropriate" site I threw at it - and if the brat manages to uninstall (it's password protected), it emails the parents to warn them it's been removed !
Cripes, certainly seems very flexible .. more like setting up an Exchange server! ;-)
That last one would be very frustrating .. except they *have* to have Internet access to do their homework don't they .. oh, and a 8800GT graphics card .. ;-)
Funny isn't it (well to me anyway), you get package "A" and that does maybe 95% of what you need and 20% of what you would like.
Package "B" does 80% of what you (now know) you would like but maybe only 60% of what you need?
Package "C" does 99% of what you need and 99% of what you would want but forces you to configure another 80% of what you don't want / need / understand? ;-(
Maybe that's why I've always bought HiFi 'separates' and like the Avast / ZoneAlarm / Defender(?) (Spybot / AdAware) combination. Each bit is good at it's own job?
I might be wrong, but I think it was a feature once it was installed that I don't remember seeing listed on the site - either way, I was very impressed but have no need for it myself...
I've just tried playing with the time settings, and you can click and drag an area to highlight it before setting allow/deny - you don't have to set individual time slots (if you click on an individual time slot it sets it toggles between deny/allow which would otherwise take ages)
Well, personally, I'd solve this particular problem by using an 'expect' script to drive a telnet session to reconfigure the router, all run from a 'cron' job on my Unix server.
But I suspect this solution isn't available to everyone. :o)
By far the best method of controlling how long children spend on their computers is something called "Correct Parenting" !
In "Correct Parenting" the parent of the child in question takes an active interest in what the child is doing. The parent tells (yes tells) the child how long they may use for the computer for and then enforces this ruling. Enforce of ruling by parents does involve the aforementioned "taking an interest in what the child is doing" and does involve a certain amount of work and responsibility.
I'm certain this is not the answer the OP was looking for, but it is correct, free, low maintenance and the duty of every parent!
I am staggered that any parent thinks they have to revert to electronic/mechanical means to control their children's computer use !!!
It definately does time limiting too. It's an excellent bit of software
- and completely free. Aparently it's a commercial bit of software used in some big companies. But the publisher provides it free to home users as part of their contribution to society. Question their motives if you like, but it's a great bit of software - I've been using it for a while now on 2 PCs - so far no problems. And it doesn't slow down browser access nearly as much as the previous one I had.
I* fully understand the motives of full Freeware (as per Avast / ZA / Spybot / AdAware etc. I especially like anything that means I don't have to use (or can remove) Norton / Symantic stuff ;-)
I'll take a closer look at K9 asap and maybe offer it to all those who ask for similar in future.
All the best and thanks again (especially Colin for going to the trouble of re-installing a copy for me).
Hmm, I'm not sure about the low maintenance bit. I wouldn't want to have to wake up every hour to see if my kid had got up and was back on MSN if that was the sort of thing they were likely to do.
Like, the problem I have getting my 16 yr old daughter to actually be ready and waiting when I go and collect her from her boyfriends. I say I'm going to be there at 10pm, I therefore can't drink that evening, have to stop whatever I'm watching and go out in the cold but do so and time it so I'm there at 9:59. Then I sit there till 5 past or till I ring her to tell her I'm getting pi$$ed off. Always an excuse though. So I tell her next time it's 9:30 then 9 etc. So then she says shell get a cab, something I don't want for either of us ... So we just try to continue to explain how it would be just respectful for her to make sure she's ready on time, considering what effort we are putting into the deal to help *her*.
The problem is though she's 16 and in love ....
Me too. Or that every PC in the house has several accounts, all have passwords that they fiercely protect from each other? Something we feel is very strange.
But then our daughter doesn't steal, lie, litter, do drugs, drink to excess either etc etc so we are grateful for small mercies ;-)
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