Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!att!linac!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!apple!arc!arc!steve From: steve@Advansoft.COM (Steve Savitzky) Newsgroups: comp.windows.ms Subject: Re: Problems with children using Windows3 Message-ID: Date: 20 Nov 90 01:57:46 GMT References: <719@retix.retix.COM> Sender: @advansoft.com Followup-To: comp.windows.ms Organization: Advansoft Research Corp, Santa Clara, CA Lines: 27 In-Reply-To: garry@retix.retix.COM's message of 17 Nov 90 01:05:39 GMT I have a five-year-old with a Mac and a non-windows PC; the Mac case is probably similar to Windows. I also have guests rummaging around to find games--this is probably worse than kids. I've done three things: 1. The only really dangerous thing is dragging files into the trash. I have a folder that is positioned over the trashcan when open, called "Lid For Trashcan". 2. All really dangerous applications are buried in non-visible areas of deeply-nested folders. The folder with all the games stays on the desktop where people can find it easily. 3. New users are told not to move any icons, not to scroll open folders (everything useful is visible), and to stay in the game folder and its sub-folders. My kid learned very quickly how to get to the sub-folder with her games in it (it has her name on it), and no longer views the desktop as something to play with. A non-windows PC is a different problem, since it's so easy to hang up most applications by randomly typing on the keyboard. I really ought to write a kid-safe program, but I haven't yet. I believe there are programs that let you write-protect your hard disk with a password required for unlocking it. Failing that, you could write a script that sets PATH to a directory that contains nothing but safe games. You might even be able to start up Windows in that state. -- \ --Steve Savitzky-- \ ADVANsoft Research Corp \ REAL hackers use an AXE! \ \ steve@advansoft.COM \ 4301 Great America Pkwy \ #include \ \ arc!steve@apple.COM \ Santa Clara, CA 95954 \ 408-727-3357 \ \__ steve@arc.UUCP _________________________________________________________