Good afternoon, comrades, today I want to tell you how to determine and how this time can be limited, for example, for children who, instead of lessons, sit and play with the computer. This functionality has long been a part of the operating system, but unfortunately not all users know about it and do not properly apply this technology, but I will try to fix these knowledge gaps in your bright minds.

And so earlier we had an update to Windows 10 Anniversary Update 1607, after which we received the Windows 10 Redstone operating system with you. You are faced with a task, or interest in how to find out the operating time of a windows 10 computer, and I will help you with this.

• The first way

Dozens of Task Manager will help us in solving this problem. To get into it, click on the start area, right-click and select Task Manager from the context menu, or you can press the Windows 10 CRTL + SHIFT + ESC hotkeys.

Go to the Performance tab and at the very bottom you will find the Windows 10 Redstone Uptime item. In my example, I just booted up and I have it equal to 5 minutes and 53 seconds.

This is the simplest method of all.

• Second way

The second way will be done from the Windows command line. Right-click on the start button and select Command Line from the context menu.

To find out the operating time of the windows 10 computer in the cmd window, you must enter the following command

• Third way

In order to find out the time of windows 10, we will use another command line command, namely

net statistics workstation

After working it out, you will see the Statistics field after and the date, this is the operating system boot time.

• Fourth way

Press WIN + R with you and enter ncpa.cpl in the window that opens.

You will open Network Adventures, select the active network interface and right-click on it, select the State item from the context menu.

In the Network Interface Status window that opens, find the Duration field, this is the operating time of windows 10.

• Fifth way

Here we will use powershell capabilities to determine the running time of windows 10 and WMI data. First, let's draw the WMI output.

$ wmi \u003d Get-WmiObject Win32_OperatingSystem
$ wmi.LastBootUpTime

$ wmi.ConvertToDateTime ($ wmi.LastBootUpTime)

As a result, we see what we need.

You can also display the running time with millisecond precision.

$ wmi.ConvertToDateTime ($ wmi.LocalDateTime) - wmi.ConvertToDateTime ($ wmi.LastBootUpTime)

• Sixth way

In this method, we will use the Windows 10 logs, right-click again on the start button and select Event Viewer.

Go to the System log, click the Filter of the current log, in the window that opens, enter the code 6005 and click ok.

As a result, this System log will be filtered and you will receive the necessary events. We see our system boot time.

Limiting computer time windows 10

And so we learned how to calculate uptime, now let's learn how to limit the computer's work by windows 10. Our task is to limit the local account owned by your child to do lessons. Why don't we use parental control? If you go to the controlled account of the child, and in it - in the account settings and enable the local account instead of the Microsoft account, the parental control functions stop working.

How to set a limit working time for the local Windows 10 account Redstone

What we need, firstly, if your child has a local account with administrator rights, then you need to make it a regular user. To do this, open the control panel.

In Control Panel, select User Accounts.

I have a Kids account with full administrator rights. If you do not have another account, then at the same point you can create one.

And we make it standard.

As a result, we see it has become a regular account.

Now, in order to limit the operation of the computer by windows 10 time, you need to open a command prompt as administrator. We enter the command:

net user username / time: day, time

In this command:

• Username - the name of the Windows 10 user account for which the restrictions are set.
• Day - day or days of the week (or range) that can be entered. English abbreviations of days (or their full names) are used: M, T, W, Th, F, Sa, Su (Monday - Sunday, respectively).
• Time - time range in HH: MM format, for example 14: 00-15: 00

If we need to set several ranges, for example, entry is possible from Monday to Friday from 19:00 to 21:00, and on Sunday from 7:00 to 21:00, the command can be written as follows:

net user username / time: M-F, 19: 00-21: 00; Su, 07: 00-21: 00

To remove all restrictions from your account, enter

net user username / time: all

Now we try to log in under the Children account after 15-00, and we see the inscription. You cannot sign in now due to your account restrictions. Please try again later.

The goal has been achieved, but keep in mind that children are smart now and will be able to Google correctly and get around this limitation, so the most correct method would be to talk with dad)))

The Internet is full of safe and sometimes useful educational and entertainment resources that even children can use. Unfortunately, there is also a lot of inappropriate content on the Internet that is far from intended for children. The second danger is the activities of scammers and hackers, and some children also spend too much time on the Internet, almost never leaving their room in their free time.

Some parents resort to extreme measures - prohibiting the child from using the computer by setting a password on it. However, this does not always lead to the desired result, often children either take offense or throw tantrums. There are many solutions to this problem that will not be perceived as painfully by the child.

Parental Controls from Microsoft are a special feature that protects children when they use the family computer.

It affects three aspects:

To enable parental controls, you need to create a separate account for children. It will allow the child to use only approved programs and visit the sites approved by the parents.

Note!Make sure you have a password set on your own before creating a new account. Don't tell it to your child.

Step 1... From the Start menu, open Control Panel.

Step 2. Select "User Accounts" and open the "Manage Another Account" section.

When the account for the children has been created, you can proceed directly to setting up parental controls.

Step 4. Open the User Accounts section of the Control Panel again.

Step 5. Now, in addition to your own, the new one you just created is reflected there. Open a child account.

Step 6.Click Set Parental Controls.

Step 7. A new window will open all the options that parents can customize at their own discretion.

Step 8. We adjust the time of using the computer. Highlight the time when working at the computer will be prohibited or allowed.

Step 9. Setting up games. First of all, decide if the child can run games that have no rating, and then set an acceptable age category in your opinion.

Step 10. Select from the list of all programs installed on your computer those that you can run. Do not mark browsers to restrict your child's access to the Internet.

Parental control via router

Many modern routers have built-in child monitoring functionality. Everything is already foreseen, users can only make personal changes.

Step 1. Open your router settings in a browser by entering one of the addresses you see in the screenshot below into the search bar.

Step 2. Enter your username and password.

Step 3. Go to the "Internet" section.

Step 4. Select Parental Controls from the left menu. The essence of this function is to impose restrictions on each individual device that connects to the home network.

Step 5. Modify the settings by adding a time rule and address filtering. First, create a new time rule.

Step 6. Come up with and write down a name for this rule, set restrictions that satisfy the interval of Internet use. In the "Applies to" section, check only the devices your child uses, this could be a laptop, phone or tablet.

Step 6... You can also enter multiple URLs that will not open from the devices you select.

Remember to save all changes and reboot your router if possible. The main advantage of this method is the ability to restrict the child's access to the Internet not only from a computer, but also from any other device that he uses at home. These restrictions will not apply to mobile phones and tablets with SIM cards if the child does not connect to Wi-FI.

Control software

In addition to the built-in functions discussed above, there are many third-party programs that also help limit children's access to the Internet.

Program	Picture	Description
		The first offering from this company to the parental control software market. The program offers cloud-based filtering and blocking of websites from 70 different categories (drugs, porn, gambling, violence, etc.). It is possible to create your own lists of prohibited sites based on your needs. If necessary, most of the settings can be overridden by the parental password. The program works on the latest platforms Windows, macOS, iOS and Android
		The program has a very clear, easy-to-use interface. Features include: social media monitoring, custom timelines for games or apps, the ability to track text messages and calls. The internet filter detects sites with inappropriate content in real time and blocks them. Questudio works on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. Some additional features (such as blocking games, tracking location, etc.) are available by subscription
		Features: Protection for Internet-connected game consoles such as Xbox One, automatic blocking of fraudulent sites. The competitive advantage of this program is the ability to apply parental control settings not only to individual devices, but also to the router, which allows you to filter absolutely all traffic that passes through it.
		This free parental control software tracks who your child is talking to, what sites and programs they use. She keeps a detailed log of activity. It does not restrict access, but allows you to monitor the child's online activities. Unfortunately, not all functions are available in the free version, but even without them it remains a fairly well thought-out tool for ensuring child safety

Video - How to Add an Account and Set Up Parental Controls in Windows 10

One of the problems that parents have to solve is the child's access to a computer and the Internet. How long can a child spend in front of a monitor screen? How long is he allowed to play games? How to make a little user's time on the Internet safe? These and many other questions, each family is responsible for himself. However, the fact that the problem of parental control has long been common is indicated by the fact that tools to restrict access to applications, games and sites were included in Windows Vista. Such tools have recently appeared in many complex security applications, for example, in Norton Internet Security and Kaspersky Internet Security. There are also special programs designed exclusively for parental control. If a few years ago almost all of them were in English, then today it is not a problem to find an application developed specifically for Russian-speaking users, which undoubtedly indicates that there is a demand for such solutions.

Parental Controls in Windows Vista

If you are using Windows Vista on your home computer, you can use built-in parental controls.

This requires the child to have their own account created. It is clear that you do not need to assign administrator rights for it. Next, you need to go to the Control Panel and in the "User Accounts" section click on the link "Set parent controls". Next, you need to select the user for which the restrictions will be enabled, and in the "Parental Control" group set the switch to "On".

Windows Vista makes it possible to control the use of a child's computer in four ways: to limit the time that he spends in front of the monitor screen, to block access to some sites and other Internet services, to prohibit the launch of some games and programs. The section "Restrictions on Internet use" sets the rules for the child's access to Internet resources, and you can also prohibit downloading files.

By default, the medium level of protection is enabled, in which the filter works on sites devoted to weapons, drugs, with pornographic content and containing obscene language. By choosing a custom protection level, you can add sites about alcohol, cigarettes, gambling to the prohibited categories, as well as those sites whose content the filter cannot evaluate automatically. The most severe restrictions on web content are imposed by using a high level of protection, where a child can only visit sites that are identified by the filter as "children". Regardless of which content filtering mode is selected, you can create a black and white list of sites, that is, determine which resources a child can or cannot access, regardless of the automatic filter settings. Since the filter does not always work, it is very useful to keep the activity tracking enabled. In this case, Windows will save the addresses of all sites that the child viewed. If an unwanted address is found in the generated report, it can be added to the blacklist. The settings for limiting computer use by time are very simple. There is a grid that looks like a school schedule, in which the parent indicates the hours at which access to the computer is prohibited for the child. Restrictions are set separately for the days of the week.

In the "Games" section, restrictions on the launch of games are set. Note right away that you should not rely on this section of the settings, since some games Vista does not perceive as such, mistaking them for ordinary applications. The same goes for rating restrictions. In theory, you can rate the games that the child cannot play, but in practice, the child can launch a game that will not be found in the Vista database. That is why it is much safer to use the section "Allowing or blocking individual programs". It displays all the applications that are installed on the computer, and parents can mark those that the child is allowed to run. The program can be added to the list manually. This approach is good because the child will not be able to start, for example, a new game that he took from a classmate without showing it to you.

Parental Control in Kaspersky Internet Security

Parental controls can often be found in online security applications. Let's take the Parental Control module in Kaspersky Internet Security 7 as an example. When parental control is turned on, all users are assigned the "Child" profile and, accordingly, the restrictions set for it in the program settings are set.

The second profile - "Parent" - allows you to freely surf the Internet, without restrictions, without turning off parental controls. The first thing to do while configuring this module is to select the "Parent" profile and set a password for it. After that, you can turn off parental controls or switch to the "Parent" profile only after entering the password. Using Kaspersky Internet Security 7, you can configure access rights to certain sites, mail, and other Internet services. Parents can select the categories of sites that the child will not be able to access, prohibit his communication by mail and chats. In addition, you can create black and white lists of resources.

Another parental control feature is limiting the time you use the Internet. You can set the daily rate of stay on the Internet or set the hours at which the use of the Network is allowed. However, unfortunately, there is no provision for changing these settings depending on the days of the week.

If a child tries to get to a forbidden page, a message is displayed that the site is blocked.

All pages visited by the child when parental control is turned on are recorded in the report. In Kaspersky Internet Security 7, there are no options to restrict the work on the computer in general, but the program can be successfully used in conjunction with applications such as CyberMama.

CyberMom

Developer: Cybermama
Distribution size: 3 MB

CyberMama, unlike Kaspersky Internet Security 7, allows you to control the time your child spends at the computer, but does not have the means to filter web content. After starting CyberMama, the computer can work in one of two modes - "parent" and "child". The first time you start it, the parent mode is set and you can enter a password. It is this set of characters that will be used to unlock the computer after the time given for the child to work with it has expired. With the help of "CyberMama" you can set a restriction on working with a computer, as well as prevent the launch of some applications. The parameters that are responsible for time limits are flexible enough. A separate schedule is selected for working days, as well as for weekends and holidays. There is a calendar in the program settings where you can mark all the holidays. A very thoughtful decision, considering that the holidays are different in each country.

Parents can decide how many hours a day a child can work at the computer, allow or prohibit the use of the Internet. In addition, you can allow the use of a PC only during certain periods of time, and for each of such intervals, allow or deny access to the Internet. Everyone knows that while working at the computer you need to take breaks, but not everyone adheres to this rule. Meanwhile, this is especially important for the child's body. With the help of CyberMom, parents can set the frequency of breaks (for example, every 45 minutes) and their duration. During this time, the computer will be locked. With regard to launching applications, CyberMama provides two modes of operation: when the child can launch all programs except those that are blacklisted, and when he can only launch those applications that are included in the whitelist.

When you switch to "baby" mode, an alarm clock icon appears at the bottom of the screen. It shows the child how much time he can still use the computer. However, if desired, the child can turn it off by right-clicking on the program icon.

The child can also see his work schedule - how much time he can still work, how long the break will last, etc.

Five minutes before the expiration of the allowed time, a warning appears on the screen reminding you to save all documents. When the program is running in the "child" mode, it is impossible to close it from the task manager window - it starts again immediately. Attempts to move time back are also unsuccessful. Moreover, if a child tries to do something similar, the strict "CyberMama" will immediately record these actions in a report, which the parents will then view. Restarting does not help to get rid of the program - "CyberMama" remembers that the allowed time has already expired and locks the computer immediately after starting.

KidsControl 1.6

Developer: YapSoft
Distribution size: 4.4 MB
Distribution: shareware
The purpose of KidsControl is to control the time a child spends on the Internet. The peculiarity of the program is that if a prohibited site is detected or an attempt to go online at the wrong time, the child will not be able to load the web page. In other words, the program does not give itself out in any way - it does not show any warning labels, does not say that the page is blocked, etc., it is just that the browser displays an empty page "Server not found". KidsControl consists of two modules - the application itself, which is responsible for blocking sites, and the control panel. To enter the control panel, a cipher is used (yes, it is a cipher, not a password). The control panel login window contains buttons from zero to nine, with which you can set a cipher for access. This is done to prevent possible keyloggers to intercept the password.

The control panel provides several profiles - "child" and "no restrictions", you can also set profiles for other family members. If the code is not entered when starting KidsControl, the program will be launched with the "child" profile; to switch to another profile, you need to enter a certain combination of numbers. The cipher for access to the control panel and for activating the "no restrictions" profile and others are different things, each profile has its own combination of numbers for access. For a child, KidsControl provides the following restrictions: a web filter by category, black and white lists of sites, a time limit on the Internet and a ban on downloading certain types of files.

Despite the fact that the web filter, according to the developers, is based on a directory of a million sites, our testing has shown that it can hardly be relied on. Having included all the filter categories, which even include video and music sites, we freely opened resources from the first page of Google search for the query "mp3". Pages found for "porn" also opened without problems. Therefore, it is better to use KidsControl in conjunction with Kaspersky Internet Security 7, where the filters are stricter.

The time limitation on the Internet works more correctly - during prohibited hours, it is impossible to open a web page or even check your mail. However, the bad thing is that there is only the possibility of scheduling work, and it is impossible to set the total number of hours a child can spend on the Internet per day.

Black and white lists work a little differently from other programs. If you make a whitelist of sites, then this will not mean that the child will be able to visit exclusively these resources, just such pages will not be blocked. When creating a black and white list of sites, you can use the "*" symbol. For example, if you blacklist the string "* tube *", then the child will not be able to access any Youtube or Rutube sites, or any other sites that contain this combination of characters. However, if you add Youtube.com to the whitelist, the blocking will not work for it. Finally, it's worth mentioning the restrictions on uploading different types of files. Our testing has shown that it works quite correctly, but it would be nice to add the ability to manually add prohibited file types. For example, KidsControl has the ability to block the download of ZIP files, but RAR archives can be downloaded without problems.

Time Boss 2.34

Developer: NiceKit
Distribution size: 1.6 MB
Distribution: shareware
Time Boss, like the standard Windows tool, lets you set account-based restrictions. The program window displays a list of all users who have access to the computer. For each account, you can define the type of account - "Chief" or "Slave".

Time Boss allows you to limit the time you use your computer, the time spent on the Internet, as well as make a list of prohibited programs and folders. The tools for limiting the work time are quite flexible - you can set how many hours a user can work per day or per week, specify the hours during which the computer can be used, and create a schedule for the days of the week. There are also separate buttons for quickly adding bonus time for the current day or for the weekend. Similar restrictions can be set for work on the Internet. It should be noted that by default the program perceives as Internet applications only the browsers Internet Explorer, Opera and Firefox, all others must be added manually in the program settings. True, there is a checkbox for automatically detecting applications that use the Internet, but it's better to play it safe. One of the interesting features of Time Boss is the ability to set the time to use a specific application. With its help, you can limit the time that the child spends playing computer games. Time Boss allows you to set system limits. These include: a ban on the use of the system registry, control panel, task manager, to change the date and time, download files through Internet Explorer. In addition, you can disable the ability to search and run applications from the Start menu, set restrictions on access to disks.

Depending on the administrator's preferences, Time Boss can work in one of two modes - normal and invisible. In the first, the user sees how much time is allotted to him for work by clicking on the icon in the taskbar, and in the "Invisible" mode the program does not give itself out. To alert the user to the end of the working period, you can enable alerts that will appear five minutes before the end of the allowed time. A warning can be displayed as a text message, a picture, or as a system error.

A separate section - "Prizes" is designed to add additional time for the user to work with a computer or the Internet. If the "Disable time limits" checkbox is checked in the prize parameters, the user will be able to use the computer and the Internet, regardless of the set schedule. Time Boss keeps detailed statistics of the work of each user at the computer and presents them in a visual form. In the Journal, you can view all the actions that users performed, and, moreover, it is possible to filter logs. For example, only attempts to access prohibited sites or a list of running programs can be displayed. In addition, statistics of computer and Internet use are provided in text and graphic form.

It is worth noting the very useful ability to create screenshots. Time Boss will take screenshots at specified intervals, then they can be viewed in the log. For convenience, you can start a slide show by setting the time each picture is displayed on the screen.

However, it should be borne in mind that by default screenshots are saved in a very unreliable place - in the Screenshots folder, which is placed in the Time Boss installation directory. To prevent the users you are monitoring from finding it, you should specify a safer location, and also deny everyone access to this folder. Finally, it is worth noting that getting rid of Time Boss is very difficult - the program is not removed from "Startup"; it restarts immediately upon completion of the process. To unload it, you must click the "Prepare for deletion" button in the settings.

Conclusion

Of course, children are at times much smarter than their parents, and there is probably no cure that can keep them from finding a way around the restrictions. Therefore, you should not rely entirely on programs to ensure parental control, they will not replace conversations with mom and dad about the rules of behavior on the Internet and why you need a computer. On the other hand, they can be excellent helpers in education, and in combination with live communication about the benefits and dangers of a computer, they can provide excellent results.

Computer and child health

Programs for limiting the time of work on a computer

Child and the Internet

Content filtering programs

I consider this section to be one of the most important in this book. I have two children, for whose fate I, like any father, worry. A child, growing up, makes mistakes, often not paying attention to the warnings of parents, but if they are not helped to master the world, they will make many more such mistakes. Many of today's parents got acquainted with the computer already as adults, often out of professional interest, so their experience cannot help children. A computer is bought as a tool for games, the child goes into the virtual world, and the parents go about their business, rejoicing that he does not smoke and does not stagger in the basements.

However, the idyll does not last long, and the time will come when adults face certain challenges. These are emotional and nervous overstrain, a child's isolation, health problems, not to mention the fact that friction with the law may arise. The computer is an assistant, but it can become an enemy. There is no unequivocal solution to such problems. In order to take any steps with respect to the child, you need to understand the issue yourself. In no case should a child be isolated from the computer just because of their own unwillingness to understand the problem. The computer, like any other achievement of technology, has become an integral part of life, and it is impossible to eliminate it.

A person who owns a computer will find a job faster. Many adolescents who grasp novelties on the fly can make good money at the age of 14 in the fields of journalism, programming, website development, etc. Nobody will ask him for a passport, the employer is only interested in the result. Why deprive a child of that chance? Maybe just active participation is enough?

Despite all the options for using computers, three main areas can be distinguished: cognitive, gaming and communication. The extreme of any of them can lead to danger:

Passion for computer games: extreme option - gambling addiction;

Passionate about learning in technology and programming: extreme - hacking;

Passion for the very means of network communication: danger - Internet addiction.

This book is a computer book, so we will look at the situation from a technical point of view, without going into details. In this issue, I see at least two global problems that can be solved with the help of programs: a long time spent by the child at the computer and access to information for which the child is not yet ready (both qualitatively and quantitatively).

9.1. Computer and child health

Most adults who work at a computer at the end of the working day complain of discomfort - fatigue, burning eyes, etc. An adult, unlike a child, knows how to control time, in addition, the child has not yet developed physically, mentally and socially, therefore, many problems that seem frivolous to an adult can backfire in the case of children.

"Computer" diseases

With constant work at the computer, specific diseases appear: visual impairment (55–65% of users), diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system (20–25%), diseases of the musculoskeletal system (osteochondrosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, from which typists still suffered, etc.) and the cardiovascular system. According to the site http://comp-doctor.ru/, the main harmful factors acting on a person who works at a computer include the following:

Sitting position for a long time;

Exposure to electromagnetic radiation from the monitor;

Overload of the hand joints;

The stress of losing information.

All the syndromes of "computer" disease were described back in the Middle Ages by the doctor Galen, who treated monks who were busy rewriting the "Word of God", and found that most often they suffer from a weakening of visual acuity, an increase in myopia, and later nervous symptoms develop - hand tremors and sleep disturbance. The 21st century has added only specifics, and the signs have changed not for the better.

The monitor screen consists of several million luminous points. They burn unevenly, which a person does not notice, but his eyes catch. Moving our eyes from the screen to the keyboard, we dramatically change the lighting conditions, which only exacerbates the situation. Looking at the monitor screen for a long time, we prevent our eyes from blinking, as a result of which the eyelids do not wet the retina, which leads to several problems at once. Solving various tasks, one has to look at small letters, numbers and drawings displayed on the screen for a long time at a close distance. As a result, visual acuity is quickly lost.

A forced sitting position, in which the neck, head muscles, arms and shoulders are tense, causes osteochondrosis and scoliosis. A heat compress is formed between the seat of the chair and the body, which leads to stagnation of blood in the pelvic organs, and, as a result, unpleasant diseases appear. A sedentary lifestyle often leads to obesity. Working with a mouse and keyboard, in which the hands are tense in the wrist joint, and the impact on the nerve endings of the fingers leads to wrist syndrome, numbness and tingling.

Much has been said about monitor safety. In 1992, with the adoption of the TCO'92 standard, the problem of harmful radiation from the monitor was practically solved (it was then that special screens protecting the user from radiation disappeared). Modern standards have developed some provisions, but the basis has remained practically unchanged. When buying a modern monitor, including one that uses a cathode-ray tube, you can be sure of its relative safety. The problematic place of all monitors is the side and rear walls, where the level of electromagnetic radiation can be increased. The physical characteristics of the air in rooms with a long-running computer also change: the temperature rises slightly, the relative humidity drops below normal, the content of carbon dioxide increases, the air ionizes and dust accumulates.

The following conclusions can be drawn.

It is necessary to limit the time the child spends at the computer. Many people call the figure 15 minutes a day, but as a rule, it is possible to adhere to it only for children of primary school age. The older the child gets, the more difficult it is to pull him away from the computer.

The workplace should be well lit and comfortable. It is advisable to place the monitor in a corner or against a wall. On the Internet, you can find enough information about what a workplace should be, indicating the parameters for each age. However, children develop in different ways, and the stores offer furniture of standard sizes, so there is one rule: the child should be as comfortable as possible, he should sit without tension, calmly and relaxed. The chair must have a backrest. The child should sit at a distance of at least 50–70 cm from the monitor, his gaze should be at the level of the center of the screen. The landing should be straight or slightly inclined forward, with a slight tilt of the head, arms - lie freely on the table, legs - not hang, but stand on a stand.

In the room in which the computer is located, wet cleaning should be systematically carried out, the room should be ventilated. Flowers and the aquarium will help improve the physical characteristics of the air.

From this list, the greatest difficulty is the control of the total time spent by the child at the computer, since it can be used in the classroom at school, at home, visiting friends, in computer clubs. Here you have to rely only on the consciousness of the child. Although there are programs that allow you to limit the time spent at the computer (they will be discussed later), their use can cause a negative reaction, therefore, explanatory work from the parents is very important here.

Syndrome of computer games

The purpose of buying most home computers is to use them as an entertainment platform. First of all, these are games. The syndrome of addiction to computer games has not yet been investigated, and when studying it, one may come across opposite opinions, which, however, agree on one thing: the consequence of long games is emotional and nervous overstrain.

Some games require a quick response, and short-term concentration of nervous processes makes the child tired. The best specialists work to create an appropriate gaming atmosphere. The player must complete the game with his hero. Games open up a new world for the child, in which he is a great commander, space warrior or special forces soldier, awarded with many awards. The whole world in games is aggressive towards the hero. However, this is in a virtual world where it is possible to replay. In real life, faced with obstacles, the child will not be able to overcome them in the same ways as in games, and the accumulated experience will not help him. There he is a commander leading a soldier into battle, and here he is a simple man forced to prove his usefulness to society. It is still difficult for him to divide the world into real and artificial. As a result, isolation arises in himself and in his virtual world, where everything is as he wants.

While at the computer, the child experiences emotional stress. Spending a lot of time with him, the child does not have time to do everything else, abandons school. A decline in school performance is one sign that it's time to take action. Some believe that the performance indicator is a good motivation for the child: if the level is below a certain limit, the child is prohibited from working at the computer.

The main mistake is that an adult may not be ready to buy a computer. The child says that he needs to buy a computer so that he can play, and the computer is given as a birthday present. Parents are less interested in what exactly the child will do. The child is left to himself in the virtual world.

From the very beginning, it should be emphasized that a computer is an instrument of cognition, learning, a tool of labor, a means of communication, and only then - an entertainment system. This is easier to explain to parents who use a computer for professional purposes: the child sees that the father is working at the computer, and they treat the machine as a tool like a hammer that can show cartoons and games, but only in their free time.

Games are also different: there is a whole set of games that can help in mathematics, languages, writing, and develop logic; quick response and quick wits; even card games not only do not damage the psyche, but are also considered useful. The session time in such games is an order of magnitude shorter, and the gameplay can be interrupted at any time. It is with such games, and not with killing monsters, that a child should begin to master the computer.

If you are not indifferent to the fate of the child, pay attention to what games he plays: it is advisable that he cannot hide how much time he spends at the computer, which must therefore be in the common room. In this case, it is quite natural if you invade his living space to ask what he is doing, play together or just talk. Take an interest in his experience of the game, and also focus on the experience of real life events. The latter is especially important: it is necessary to unobtrusively explain the differences between the game world and the real one. The child must understand for himself that life is more interesting and colorful than superficial impressions of the computer world.

9.2. Programs for limiting the time of work on a computer

The main thing in the allocation of time to work at the computer remains the child's consciousness, and parents should periodically remind him of the importance of a break. However, parents may not always be able to track the fulfillment of these requirements, for example, while at work, so they have to rely solely on conscientiousness.

One of my acquaintances allows his son to play only when his parents are at home, and by that time he should have done his homework. As a control over the implementation of this rule, it checks which programs were launched during the day. It's easy to do: just execute the menu command Start\u003e Search, select a category Files and folders, then click on the phrase When were the last changes made?, set the switch to position Specify Range, select the item from the drop-down list Open, in the fields fromand byset the current date and in the list Search inselect all partitions on the hard drive. After pressing the button To findyou will know what files have been opened during the day, and you will be able to conclude if the child was playing.

However, getting around this is as easy as using it - you can change the current date, so it is very important to have complete control over the system. If you are using an operating system based on the NT kernel such as 2000, XP, or Vista, create a new account. To do this, run the menu command Start\u003e Control Panel, Select a category user accountsthen Create account, then in the field that appears, enter the name, in the window Selecting an account typeselect Limited entryand press the button Create an account... Working under such an account, the child will not be able to change the system parameters and damage the system either accidentally or in the event of a virus attack when accessing the Internet.

By using one of the following programs, you can trust your child's computer when you leave the house without hiding the power cord or otherwise restricting access.

StopKids: take a break

To preserve your eyesight, when working at a computer, you need to take breaks after a certain time. Adults often do not adhere to this rule, let alone children. StopKids will help you solve this problem. After installation, it is loaded into RAM and, depending on the settings, periodically turns off the computer. You can use the computer again only after a specified period of time, and if you try to start it right away, the program will detect this and will not allow you to work.

The application is designed for preschoolers and young children: older children will certainly be able to turn it off. StopKids is free and can be downloaded from the project website http://capitan.webhost.ru/stopkids.shtml... The program is easy to use, all parameters are set in the configuration file StopKids.iniwhich is in the directory C: \\ Program Files \\ StopKids.

Open it in Notepadby double-clicking the program icon in the file manager and set the following options.

The name of the child is set here

Name \u003d Kirill

Working time at the computer, by default 45 min

MaxMinutes \u003d 30

Time before shutting down the computer (given to close programs),

default 5 min

OffMinutes \u003d 5

Rest time from computer, default 15 min

RestMinutes \u003d 10

These are all settings. After editing them, save the changes and exit the program. Now, when you turn off the computer, a message with an explanation will appear on the screen (Fig. 9.1). When the time specified in the parameter remains before switching off OffMinutes, another message appears and the computer turns off after the specified time interval.

Figure: 9.1.StopKids warning window

To disable the program, use Magic word... Calculating it is easy. If you need to disable the program for a while, enter in the field a number equal to the sum of the current hours and minutes, and if you want to disable the StopKids autoload, enter a number equal to the sum of the day of the month, hour and minutes.

Lord of time Time Boss

This is another program whose purpose is to manage the uptime of users registered in the Windows system. With Time Boss, you can also prohibit the launch of certain types of programs (for example, to surf the Internet) or limit their use by time.

The principle of operation is simple. For certain users, a time limit is specified for working on a computer or the Internet, and as soon as this user exceeds the limit, the program automatically ends his session or closes programs that use the Internet. At the same time, it is possible to flexibly set the time limit, specifying the interval during the day or distributing the time by days of the week. The invisible mode has also been implemented, when the icon usually displayed in the notification area is hidden and the user cannot view the features of the program.

With the set frequency, Time Boss takes a screenshot, and you can always know what was launched in the system, that is, the nature of the activity of any user. By looking at the work log, you can see how long each program has been running.

The program is well thought out, so when using it, the child will not be able to deceive the parents.

The latest versions of Time Boss are paid for and can be downloaded for free at ( http://www.nicekit.com/ru/), and once installed, it will be fully functional for 30 days. Although the old free version is still available on some file servers, it does not support Windows Vista, otherwise there are practically no differences. After installation, a new icon will appear in the notification area. Right-click on it and select from the context menu Main.The main program window will appear. Before you start distributing the time on your computer, you should change the interface language. To do this, run the menu command File\u003e Optionsand in the appeared Time Boss settings window in the area dropdown Language select item time_Boss_russian.lng(fig.9.2). The program interface will become Russian. Let's figure out the rest of the settings that can be done in this window.

Figure: 9.2.Time Boss Settings

Time Boss Settings

In the area of Protectionyou can install or remove the protection of the program. To activate protection, press Install... So that you cannot stop Time Boss by pressing the key during system boot F8and going to Safe mode(anti-failure mode, in which the minimum set of programs is loaded into memory), press also the button Installin field Safe Mode Protect... It will take some time, but you can be sure that the program will always work. In the area of Passwordcheck the box Enableand enter the password twice - you have protected the settings with a password.

Time Boss has two types of users: Chefand Slave... The former have unlimited rights and can make all settings, define lists of prohibited and allowed programs, view statistics, and the latter can only view settings and log. To point Configuratorwas removed from the context menu, that is, a user with the rights Slavecouldn't view the settings, check the box Remove the call to "Configurator".

Checkboxes in the area Weekendallow you to specify the days that you think are holidays. Perhaps you think you can play more on Friday and get ready for school on Sunday. You will need this setting to add the time your computer is used on such days

In the area of Programs using the Internetcontains a list of executable files of programs that are commonly used to access the Internet. This list is needed so that you can control your child's Internet access. By default, only the Internet Explorer, Opera, Mozilla and Mozilla Firefox web browsers are displayed here. To add another program, enter the name of its executable file (with the extension EXE). For example, by entering icq.exe, you will be able to control the use of ICQ. If you are using another program to control Internet use, select the Turn off IE monitor: in this case, information about visits to Internet sites will not be recorded in the program log. Button Prepare for removal removes protection, stops the program and allows you to uninstall Time Boss from your computer. You cannot delete the program without pressing this button. To delete, use the item Installation and removal of programms in the window Control panelsWindows.

The rest of the parameters are responsible for storing logs and screenshots. In areas Magazineand Picturesyou can set the retention period for event records and snapshots by specifying the required values \u200b\u200bin the corresponding fields. Button Clear all!allows you to delete log entries and snapshots. You can also set the time period after which screenshots will be taken in the Do every ... min... Note that if you take pictures frequently, they can quickly fill up hard disk space.

Screenshots can be additionally duplicated by saving them in another directory. To do this, check the box Includedin the area of Additional folder for picturesand specify the folder where the pictures will be saved. When done, click Close... Now you can distribute the time users work at the computer.

Configuring Time Boss

Interface Configuratorcan be of two types: Plainand Extended... Switching between them is done in the menu File... It is recommended to make initial settings in Advanced modeand then switch to Plain: All settings will be saved. AT Simplemode for settings there are two sections of parameters, in Extended- seven.

Computer time... Here you can set limits on the time of work on the computer for each user.

Internet time- time limits for working on the Internet for each user are indicated, while computer time has priority.

Access to Internet sites- here you can set a list of allowed and prohibited Internet resources: just drag the addresses from Favoritesor enter them manually. You can use a whitelist of only these sites (this option only works with Internet Explorer).

Prohibited programs- the list of allowed and prohibited programs for the selected user is indicated. For example, you can prevent certain games from running, or specify a directory or partition on your hard drive, and all programs located there will be prohibited. The use of the "white" list here is somewhat different. You can prohibit all programs in the section in the "black" list, and then allow the necessary ones in the "white" list. Programs are checked once a minute.

System limitations- here you can restrict the user's work with some Windows functions: make a hard disk partition or a separate folder invisible, disable Control Panel, Task Manager, Registry editor, the ability to change the date and time, download using Internet Explorer... For example, by turning off the drive AND, you will protect your computer from viruses brought on a floppy disk.

miscellanea- additional program settings: splash screen display, text warning about the end of work and the time it will take to display it, enabling the invisible mode, setting the computer to turn off automatically after a specified period of time.

Prizes- here you can specify a one-time (bonus) time for working at a computer or on the Internet. For example, for good studies, you can enter an extra hour that the child can use at any time.

Run time setting

Let's take a closer look at setting the time of work at the computer in the section Computer time(fig.9.3). Settings in the section Internet timeare similar.

Figure: 9.3.User uptime settings

First, go to the tab with the name of the user for whom the settings will be made. By default, the tab names correspond to the users created in the system. Only Someoneis the name under which the program controls all users registered in the Windows system and not added to the Time Boss program. User Someonecannot be deleted. If you need to add a new user, click the button Newand enter the name you want. Buttons Renameand Deleteserve to change the name and delete the selected user.

First in the area the main thingput the user in a category Slaveso that it cannot change the settings. Then, to know the details of the work of the currently selected user, in the area Magazinecheck the box Includedand activate all the events you want to know about:

Programs- start and stop programs indicating the path to the executable file and time; this feature is useful, especially at first, as it allows you to properly configure the lists of allowed and blocked applications for the Internet;

System programs- starting and stopping system programs in most cases is not necessary, but if the child is good at a computer and tries to deactivate Time Boss, you will know about it;

Internet sites- the list of visited web pages can be useful for creating lists of allowed and prohibited sites;

Pictures- automatic creation of screenshots.

If you are confused by what you are spying on, check the boxes in the Magazine to preset Time Boss, and then when all programs are listed, turn off logging or specific features such as screenshots.

In the area of Amount of timeyou can specify the maximum amount of time to work at the computer per day and / or week, that is, for example, you can set 3 hours a day and a maximum of 10 hours a week, and the child will decide for himself when to use the limit. This is convenient as it also teaches you how to plan your time. The interval of the day when work is allowed is set using the switch in the area Time boundaries... Three positions are possible here:

Anytime- the user can work at the computer at any time of the day;

Only in between- the time interval is set during which the user will be able to work at the computer: even if he did not manage to exhaust the limit, the program will block access;

Within the schedule- by choosing this option, you mark the time during the day when the user will be able to work at the computer; it is better not to play before going to bed, and on weekends you can let the child play in the morning.

In the area of Bonuson weekends, you can add weekend times. In the area of Time leftyou can get information about the time not used during the day. Using the three buttons on the right, you can add 15 or 30 minutes and remove the remaining time from the user.

Time Boss work log

After configuration, the control of the work of all users is performed using Of the magazine. Magazinedisplays the moments of start and finish of the work of users and programs. Only users with the rights Boss... Open Magazinefrom the window Configuratoror from the context menu of the program icon. Window Of the magazinehas four tabs.

Magazine- Shows starting and stopping programs, shutting down your computer and using the Internet. On the left panel, a user is selected, after which, using the filter system, you can quickly select the events of interest (Fig. 9.4).

Figure: 9.4.Time Boss Magazine

Pictures- by going here, you can view all the screenshots taken by the program, and the checkbox Compress Snapshotallows you to view the entire drawing. Using the buttons on the left, you can start autoplaying pictures.

Statistics- graphs of statistics of Time Boss (computer) and individual users.

Summary statistics- statistics of work at the computer by Time Boss and individual users for the day, week and month.

When you cleanse Magazinein the window Properties, statistics disappear, so save the logs and snapshots in advance if you think you need them. Screenshots are by default stored in the folder C: \\ Program Files \\ Time Boss \\ Screenshots, they can be copied to another location. To save records from Of the magazine, you need to open the page with the required data, select it and select the item in the context menu Copy... Next, you need to open any text editor (for example, Notebookor Microsoft Word), paste the data into it and save the file.

Time Boss will not only save your nerves, but will also allow your child to learn how to plan their time, teach discipline.

9.3. Child and the Internet

Gathering a child to school, adults explain to him the rules of behavior and safety. The same should be done when accessing the Internet, only instead of pens and notebooks, the child should be given completely different tools with him: antivirus, firewall, anti-spyware and spam tools. On specialized resources you can often come across the question "From what age can a child be allowed to access the Internet?" There is no unequivocal answer to it, but even for a three-year-old child, you can find a lot of interesting and informative on the Web: what is one view of the Earth from the window of a spaceship worth!

The first access to the Internet occurs in the presence of parents, and at primary school age only with them. Initially, adults play an important role in teaching children how to use the Internet safely, as well as developing certain habits in the child. It is necessary to explain to him the elementary security measures, the procedure for using protection tools, tell him why it is impossible to open files received from unknown correspondents - all that was described in the previous chapters of the book.

The dangers of a child on the Internet

For most people, the Internet is associated with anonymity, ease of access to information, absence of borders and censorship, security. However, not all so simple. Some of the dangers were discussed earlier, and anonymity will be discussed in the next chapter. The Internet is a reflection of the real world, and all vices and negative phenomena are found here as well. The ease with which a child can receive any information should keep parents on guard. According to the site http://www.wiredsafety.org/, the following dangers may lie in wait for the child on the Internet.

Access to inappropriate information: pornography, propaganda of hatred, intolerance, violence, cruelty and disinformation.

Access to certain information can lead children to take actions or buy items that are potentially dangerous to them. There are sites offering instructions on how to make explosives, selling weapons, alcohol, poisonous and poisonous substances, drugs, tobacco products and offering to take part in online gambling.

Harassment from other Internet users (most often other children are the attackers) who behave rudely on the Internet, insult and threaten. The child can also download viruses to the computer or be attacked by hackers.

Children can reveal sensitive and personal information by filling out surveys and participating in online contests, and can fall prey to irresponsible traffickers who use dishonest, illegal marketing methods.

A child can be tricked into buying goods over the Internet, as well as giving out important financial information to other users (for example, a credit card number, PIN, and password).

Cybermaniacs can pursue a child for the purpose of a personal meeting.

You can also add gambling, which can attract a child with bright advertisements that promise easy and quick winnings, as well as a relatively new phenomenon - cyber suicide, which is much talked about in Japan today. In this country, they have already paid attention to sites describing how to commit suicide, as well as mass suicides using this information.

If older children can find the forbidden pages themselves, then small children can get to such a site by accident. When I got acquainted with farming, I considered this type of attack as poisoning the DNS cache. This method of redirecting users is used not only by farmers, but also by the owners of other resources interested in attracting new users, therefore, by choosing Favoritesthe address of a harmless resource, the child may end up not at all where he expected. It is necessary to foresee such a situation and explain how to behave in this case. If you are near - just close the browser window. Using special programs, which will be described below, you can protect your child from such surprises.

It's easy to find out which sites your child visited in your absence. When you surf the Internet, any web browser keeps a log of the most recently visited sites. In recent versions of Internet Explorer, the toolbar has a button Magazine, at Mozilla Firefoxit's a button History(History). Web browsers also create temporary copies of pages known as cache files. To view such files in Internet Explorer, run the command Tools\u003e Internet Optionsthen on the tab Generalin the area of Temporary Internet Filesclick on the button Customizationand in the area Temporary Internet Files folderclick View files... You will see a list of sites, images and cookies.

Similar opportunities exist in other browsers, but it should be remembered that children who are good at computers know how to cover their tracks, so a more effective way is to create clear rules and frank communication with the child.

It is important to explain to the child that not everything written and seen on the Internet is true. Train him to ask if he is not sure of something. Make it a rule to discuss what you see and what you read. A kid will always want to stand out, so after reading about hackers, or worse, finding instructions on how to make explosives or something similar, he'll probably want to try it out. Here you cannot do without explanatory work, and if you suspect something like this, you can find facts on the same Internet that tell about the consequences of such acts - this will help cool hot heads. Although I don't see anything wrong with studying technology: such a child can grow into an excellent system administrator or security specialist.

You should also remember about plagiarism and piracy. In the first case, a child, after reading job invitations, can send, for example, an article to a magazine, simply by copying it from some site. In this case, it is necessary to warn him that the editors maintain strict control over the articles and, before printing them, are compared with similar materials. There are many resources on the Internet offering free download of movies, music, and hacking codes for programs. It is worth mentioning that this is not always done unselfishly, since a Trojan can be sent with the program. On the other hand, there are known cases of hunting for pirates, when special services created a fake website and collected information about all visitors, and then information appeared in the press that a group of pirates had been covered. Believe it or not is a question, but the fight against piracy does not stop, and those caught can experience quite unpleasant consequences.

One of the biggest threats to the Internet is associated with instant messaging services. In chats, you can communicate in real time with both acquaintances and strangers. The latter is fraught with the greatest danger. According to statistics, it is in the chat rooms that the majority of Internet incidents directed against children occur. Many people generally discourage young children from using chats or communicating only in moderated chats, that is, those that are monitored. The anonymity of communication can contribute to the rapid development of trusting friendships. Criminals take advantage of this anonymity to forge relationships with inexperienced young people. It is important for the child to know that the person who introduces himself as a 14-year-old is not necessarily her.

Internet addiction

There is a lot of talk about internet addiction today. Until now, there is no unequivocal opinion on this matter, it has not been determined what exactly should be understood by this term. Some believe that such an addiction exists and it must be put on a par with gambling addiction and other similar ailments, and therefore it must be treated. Others say that there is no phenomenon of Internet addiction as such, the hype around is exaggerated, and we can only talk about the general dependence of a person on any kind of technology.

For example, the 75-item version of the definition of Internet addiction was proposed by the World Center for Nonaholic Anonymous. Despite the humorous tone, some items meet serious diagnostic criteria. You are internet addicted if the following statements are true.

You need 15 minutes to scroll the browser bookmarks on the screen.

You are thinking hard what else to search the web.

You refuse to go on vacation to an area where there is no electricity or telephone line.

After checking your mail and receiving a "No new mail" message, you check your mail again.

You get up at three in the morning, go to the bathroom, and check your mail on the way back to bed.

You tell the taxi driver that you live on http: //Moskva.ul.Lenina/dom2/kv.5.html.

You were just thinking about typing this address in a browser and seeing what comes of it.

You tell the kids that they can't sit at the computer because "Daddy has a lot of work" (while you don't work at all).

You walk around your room, find that your parents have gone somewhere, and have no idea when and how it happened.

Sleep for you is no longer associated with night time.

When you turn off the modem, you experience a terrifying sense of emptiness, as if a loved one just dumped you.

You start to use emoticons in regular mail.

You start to tilt your head to the side to smile :).

The last person you met was in JPEG format.

You are asking the doctor to add a couple of gigabytes to your brains.

People who sit in chats for a long time may have poor communication skills, that is, in real life they are afraid of new acquaintances and feel insecure. Probably, there will be no problems here for a sociable child, but it will be more difficult for shy children to adapt to society.

Internet addicts are annoyed by every problem that interferes with the next access to the Internet. They are characterized by poor sleep, lack of physical activity, etc. The truth is in the middle - we should not forget that any activity in moderation does not cause problems. Try to balance your child's physical and social activity and sitting at the computer. There is only one conclusion: if you leave your child alone for a long time, he will soon forget about his parents and begin to live an independent life, and whether there will be a computer with him does not matter.

Some rules for using the Internet

The family needs to determine what is acceptable and what is not acceptable when using the Internet. At the same time, encourage children to share experiences, go online together, control the resources that the child visits. Explain that the difference between right and wrong is the same online and in real life. There are also hooligans on the Web, scammers who are talked about a lot on TV, and the rules of good form apply here too. To prevent possible problems, you should develop rules, bring them to the attention of the child and monitor their implementation.

Never and under any circumstances provide personal information: home address, phone number, place of study and work of parents, credit card numbers, Internet passwords, even the name of a dog, etc.

Do not send photos without the permission of parents, both your own and family members (via the Internet and using regular mail).

Never meet in person with friends purchased online without parental permission.

Never do anything online that requires payment without parental permission.

If there are hooligans on a resource (chat or game), you just need to disconnect and return later, or switch to another resource.

9.4. Content filtering programs

Let's take a look at some programs that help create a safe Internet environment and protect your child from information that he is not ready for.

Sentry K9 Web Protection

K9 Web Protection is an easy-to-use web filtering system and restricting access to web services. Its interface is not localized, but this does not prevent its rapid development. K9 Web Protection is ready to go straight out of the box.

When you enter the address of an Internet resource, a request is sent to the external database. All sites in this database are divided into 55 categories classified by a special rating. These categories include adult sites, sites that send spyware, phishing advertising for alcohol and cigarettes, weapons, violence and other unwanted resources. Considering that such sites appear on the Internet every minute, the information in the database is constantly updated. If the request falls under the allowed category, the user does not even notice the filtering, otherwise, a message about blocking the resource appears on the screen (Fig. 9.5).

Figure: 9.5.Blocking an "adult" web resource by K9 Web Protection

The program is free for non-commercial use. You can download it from the project website http://www.k9webprotection.com/... To work correctly, you need a computer with the operating system Windows 2000 / XP or Windows Vista, the version of the web browser does not matter. When downloading, you will need to select the version for the operating system used.

K9 Web Protection intercepts requests and blocks pages in Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and some other browsers. During installation, you will need to enter a license key, which can be obtained by specifying on the page http://www.k9webprotection.com/license.jspa valid email address to which the key will be sent. In addition, you will need to set a K9 Web Protection administrator password, which you will need to access settings and unlock pages.

After installing the program on Desktopa shortcut will appear, double clicking on which will launch the web browser with the loaded page http://127.0.0.1:2372/... The same address will appear in the menu Favorites... From here you can navigate to three pages:

View Internet Activity- viewing statistics of work on the Internet with an indication of the visited web pages;

Setup- configuring K9 Web Protection operation parameters;

Get Help- help (in English).

To access the settings and view statistics, you must enter the administrator password created during the installation of the application.

K9 Web Protection Settings

At the top of the program window, click Setup, enter the password - you will be taken to the K9 Web Protection blocking policy settings page. The parameters are grouped into seven sections. In chapter Web Categories to Blockblocked categories are selected (fig. 9.6).

Figure: 9.6.Settings page for blocking web resources

There are several preset values:

High- maximum protection mode: all unwanted categories are blocked, including sites that do not have a rating;

Default- the mode used by default: all unwanted categories are blocked, including sites with no rating "allowed";

Moderateand Minimal- sites for adults and spyware are blocked;

Monitor- all categories of sites are allowed, but information about visited pages is logged;

Custom- the user himself sets unwanted categories of sites.

In chapter Web Site Exceptionsspecifies web resources that should always be blocked ( Sites to Always Block) or, conversely, allowed ( Sites to Always Allow) regardless of other settings. You just need to enter the site address in the field Add a siteand press the button Add.

By setting in the section Other Settingcheckbox Use Google SafeSearch, you will enable Google Safe Search. As a result, the request will not display links to resources containing pornography and materials of an explicit sexual nature.

Advice

You can turn on Google SafeSearch yourself by going to http://www.google.com/preferences and choosing the Strong filtering option that appears to the right of the Safe Search heading. Remember to click the Save Settings button before exiting. For Google SafeSearch to work, your web browser must accept cookies.

Section Time Restrictionsallows you to specify the time during which you are allowed or denied access to the Internet. Click the button Allowor Deny and specify the day of the week and time when access should be allowed or denied, respectively. The prohibited period of time will be highlighted in red, the allowed period will be gray. You can immediately select an area and click one of the buttons. After making changes, click Save Changes.

In chapter Blocking Effectssets the reaction of K9 Web Protection to page blocking. With the option selected Bark when blockedsound will be played during blocking, select Show admin options on block pageswill allow you to unblock the page, for which you will need to enter a password. Region Time out settingswill block access to all websites if an attempt was made to visit several unauthorized resources within a certain period of time.

Section URL Keywordsis auxiliary, since resources are perfectly blocked using the information entered into the database. However, if you find that some sites go through the filters, or want to add your own category, then include a keyword or template on this page. If it matches, the site will be blocked.

The last section, Change password, allows you to change the administrator password.

Viewing web surfing statistics

By clicking the button at the top of the window VIEW INTERNET ACTIVITY, you will be able to view the web activity log on your computer. Two viewing options are offered.

View Activity Summary- you will receive general information on the categories of web resources that were visited on the computer, indicating their number and viewing status (blocked or not) (Fig. 9.7).

Figure: 9.7.Viewing web activity with K9 Web Protection

View Activity Detail- similar information, but without sorting by category.

Built-in ParentalControl Bar module

If you use Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox to surf the Internet, you can recommend another free and simple program, more precisely, a built-in browser module - ParentalControl Bar.

The home page where you can download it is http://parentalcontrolbar.org/install/parentalcontrolsetup.exe.

As with the programs described above, the ParentalControl Bar can help parents prevent children from accessing adult sites. The plugin comes with a set of customized filters based on sexual content, obscene language, violence and other criteria, allowing parents to choose different filtering options. The program also allows you to block or allow any specific site to be viewed.

During installation, you need to set a password that will allow you to access the settings. Then you need an internet connection. As a result, a new panel will appear in Internet Explorer (Figure 9.8).

Figure: 9.8.ParentalControl Bar

The button on the left provides help information. If you have forgotten your password, please select here Forget password, and a password will be sent to your mailbox specified during installation. The parameter is controversial: if your child has access to the mailbox, he will be able to get a password and remove protection.

The next switch has two positions corresponding to the operating modes:

Parent-Mode- parental mode without restrictions: to switch to it you need to enter a password;

Child-Mode- children's mode, in which all restrictions apply.

In addition to the lists of criteria compiled by the developers, you can add your own resources. To add the current site to the allowed list, click Add site to Safe List, to add to the list of prohibited resources - Block this Site... Another option is to directly enter addresses into Change Parental Settings... There are three tabs in the settings window that appears. Two of them are designed to change the lists of allowed and denied web resources. Tab Basic site filtersallows you to set the categories of sites that the child should not visit. Please select Blockto block sites in this category, or Allows- to disable blocking.

No computer and no program can replace live communication with a child. Only by communicating can you help him find the right path in life and avoid problems. How long have you been in the movies with your child?

In this article, I will show you how to limit the time of your computer, that is, make it turn off after a certain amount of time. This usurping method will be useful for those who have naughty children who cannot be taken away from the computer in any way, as well as for adults who are drawn into social networks or games.

How to limit computer time

In order to limit the computer time, we will use the PClimiter program. It is free, Russified and works on all versions of Windows.

One of the advantages of the PClimiter program is its reliability. And here is how it manifests itself:

• The program prohibits changing the time on the computer so that it cannot be fooled.
• It cannot be deleted without a password.
• It will work even if its operation is canceled in the task manager.
• It will work even if you remove it from Windows startup.

If you want to limit the computer time for your child or yourself, then this is the best way. Neither you nor your child will be able to bypass the obstacle.

There will be one peculiarity during the installation process. At the very beginning, you must enter the parent's password and confirm it. The rest of the installation is normal.

There is no way to recover the parent's password, don't forget it! Without a password it will be impossible to uninstall the program and change its settings.

After launching the installed program, it will be minimized to the system tray for about hours. Expand it with the left mouse click. We are going to customize it now.

At the very beginning, you need to click on the green lock at the top right to go to the controls. You will need to enter the parent password you came up with.

Then, in the list at the top left, select the user to whom this program will be applied. This means that if you need to limit the computer time for a child, then he must have his own profile on this computer.

After that, go to the restrictions settings. First, pay attention to the days of the week. You can limit the computer time separately for each day of the week.

A little below, in the table, indicate at what time it is allowed to use the computer. If you want the computer to be turned on at any time, then specify the range from 00:00 to 24:00.

Please note that you can select 4 time periods when the computer can be turned on.

For example, I indicated that the computer can be turned on in two periods during the day - from 08-00 to 09-00 and from 16-00 to 18-00.

Next, set up the "Balance" field. This parameter determines how much time you can work at the computer on the current day. I pointed there for two hours. Now the user can use the computer for no more than two hours and only during the hours indicated above.

There is a "Bonus" field below. You can allow some more extra time in the day to work at the computer, for example, to complete all the tasks when the time limit comes to an end. I wrote there for 15 minutes. This means that the user has 15 additional minutes.

The limit field shows how much time the user has in total, that is, this is the Balance field plus the Bonus field. I have 2 hours and 15 minutes written there. How much I allowed.

The last thing to do to limit the computer time is to click on the user icon in the upper right and select "Enable time limits." If necessary, they can also be turned off, but only with knowledge of the parental password.