The OneMinute Geek:

Protect Your Kids

The Problem:

Kids and computers seem to be made for each other. This is great when your young one is using your computer to complete a book report, but not so great should your child decide to start poking around gaming sites, installing software with wild abandon and downloading music videos from questionable sites. How can you give your child access to your computer without exposing either your child or your computer to unnecessary risks?

The Solution:

The easy solution is to control your child’s access to your computer. But there are a number of ways to do that. The following list describes some of your possible options.

• Give your children access to your computer but restrict or limit how they can use it. A straightforward way to do this is with what is know as an administrator account. For example, Windows XP offers two types of user accounts: Computer Administrator and Limited User Account. You’re the administrator, the kids are the limited users. The administrator account has unrestricted access to everything on the computer. This includes adding and removing accounts, changing passwords, requiring passwords, changing WindowsXP read/write/access permissions for any drive, folder or file and changing registry settings. All other users have only limited access. This means you (the administrator) can configure a limited-user account for your child that lets your child run programs and access the Internet but prevents him/her from installing or downloading any programs. In other words, Computer Administrator allows you to keep your computer yours, you set the guidelines. To create a new account for your child, click on Start > Control Panel > User Accounts. Click on Create a New Account, type a name for that account, click next and choose the account type. The XP Professional Edition is more effective than the XP Home Edition in restricting file access because XP Home allows one user to another user’s data.

• Give your children limits. Determine how much time they can spend online and define which sites and which online activities are acceptable. Then enforce your rules.

• Be sure your children understand that the computer is a tool, not a toy. It is a tool the whole family may need to use. And like all other tools, the computer needs to be treated with respect. This means no food/no water in the general vicinity and no desk-pounding fits of frustration.

• Monitor what your children are doing on the computer. Keep the computer in a public place in the home so you can literally keep an eye on the screen.

• Lock your computer. You can do this by pressing the Windows key and “L” at the same time. Make sure your password is secure and difficult to crack. Remember, your children know the dog’s name and maybe even some of your passwords as well.

• Consider getting a separate computer for your children. It doesn’t have to be a high-end machine. Anything Pentium II class running Windows 98 or higher should be adequate.

Be sure your computer is safeguarded from all the villains on the Internet. This entails using a firewall, antivirus software, anti-spyware software and doing all the security patches for your operating system and browser.

James Kerr is President/CEO of SuperGeeks, a Hawaii-based computer service and repair company (www.supergeeks.net). Please feel free to send your questions, comments and suggestions to Mr. Kerr. He can be reached at kerr@supergeeks.net and 942-0773.