Need software to shut down G4 against child's wishes

[roncross@cox.net]

Quote: Originally Posted by Warhaven Oh, this will be so much easier in Leopard. Apple includes exactly what you're talking about in the next OS, with a bunch of parental control features to set usage hours for kids, web content filters, etc. I hope, for the mean time, this MacMinder thing will work for you 'til January.

I am not seeing anywhere on their site where they talk about a curtain or locking the mouse and keyboard while you remotely log into the admin account in Leopard.

I do agree with the previous post that there should be a lite version of ARD. However, I will not hold my breath.

with warm regards
RLC

[MBHockey]

Quote: Originally Posted by hayne As a parent of a teenager, I would advise you to tell your daughter that her computer use may be monitored. It's a question of trust. It's bad enough that you are monitoring her computer use, but it will be much worse if she ever finds out that you have been doing this behind her back.

I couldn't agree more Hayne. I was a teenager not too long ago, and even though my parents are not nearly as computer savvy as vicki seems to be, i would be absolutely crushed if my parents did that to me behind my back.

What i think a good solution is, you tell her you won't monitor her usage until her curfew time. Any time after that, is fair game. It'll make her not want to use the computer past 9.

[roncross@cox.net]

Quote: Originally Posted by MBHockey I couldn't agree more Hayne. I was a teenager not too long ago, and even though my parents are not nearly as computer savvy as vicki seems to be, i would be absolutely crushed if my parents did that to me behind my back. What i think a good solution is, you tell her you won't monitor her usage until her curfew time. Any time after that, is fair game. It'll make her not want to use the computer past 9.

Yes, maybe true for a teenager, but an 8 year old could care less. They will just ask you if they can do certain things. Besides, there are a lot of portable games that they can get hook on without being on a computer. Some of the portable games are even more exciting than the computer because they can carry it around everywhere they go.

with warm regards
RLC

[capitalj]

Quote: Originally Posted by MBHockey I couldn't agree more Hayne. I was a teenager not too long ago, and even though my parents are not nearly as computer savvy as vicki seems to be, i would be absolutely crushed if my parents did that to me behind my back. What i think a good solution is, you tell her you won't monitor her usage until her curfew time. Any time after that, is fair game. It'll make her not want to use the computer past 9.

I agree with this as a general rule, but there are exceptions, and Vicki's situation is one of them.

It's been a while since I was a teenager, but I have a much younger brother who is, and he is very troubled - years of defiance, running away, alcohol abuse, car theft, cutting, etc. I wish my father and his wife would be as vigilant as Vicki. Not even a recent o.d. has convinced them to stop making excuses and start parenting.

j

[raymondlewisjone]

I have created a launch daemon that will shutdown the machine at a certain time, regardless of whatever you are in the middle of doing.

Would be very easy to adjust it to say compare the current time to a time range like say between 11PM and 9AM, if the current time falls between the range, the machine will shutdown without prompts.

Having the daemon load at startup would make it completely impossible to use the machine between those times. If the machine is booted between those times it will shutdown right away before the desktop even appears.

[tlarkin]

Quote: Originally Posted by raymondlewisjone I have created a launch daemon that will shutdown the machine at a certain time, regardless of whatever you are in the middle of doing. Would be very easy to adjust it to say compare the current time to a time range like say between 11PM and 9AM, if the current time falls between the range, the machine will shutdown without prompts. Having the daemon load at startup would make it completely impossible to use the machine between those times. If the machine is booted between those times it will shutdown right away before the desktop even appears.

Does resetting the time/date get around the daemon? I still recommend you do this at the router level, but that is what I would do.

[raymondlewisjone]

Okay, it could retrieve the date and time from a website. Then it could not be changed.

[schwartze]

Quote: Originally Posted by raymondlewisjone I have created a launch daemon that will shutdown the machine at a certain time, regardless of whatever you are in the middle of doing. Would be very easy to adjust it to say compare the current time to a time range like say between 11PM and 9AM, if the current time falls between the range, the machine will shutdown without prompts. Having the daemon load at startup would make it completely impossible to use the machine between those times. If the machine is booted between those times it will shutdown right away before the desktop even appears.

Might that be better as a login script (the comparison one)?

What if a user who is not to be shut down needs to login?

[tw]

well, first off, the dat & time prefernce panel can be locked so that it can't be changed without an administrator password.

second, I'm thinking it might be easier to do this using sleep or a screensaver. rather than shutting down the machine, just put it to sleep or throw up a screensaver and require a password. that way you don't have to deal with login items.

[tlarkin]

Quote: Originally Posted by tw well, first off, the dat & time prefernce panel can be locked so that it can't be changed without an administrator password. second, I'm thinking it might be easier to do this using sleep or a screensaver. rather than shutting down the machine, just put it to sleep or throw up a screensaver and require a password. that way you don't have to deal with login items.

Well, then if you wanted to get that precise you better put a firmware lock on it also. Because target mode booting, and booting from an install DVD can compromise the machine. Then you should lock the case as well, so they can't do the physical firmware reset. All of these methods of compromising the Mac can be easily googled and even learned from Apple's support kbase.

Working in education and with kids who like to tinker we have had to physically lock all cases down, use firmware passwords, and lock down a lot of access in the OS via policy.

[tw]

Quote: Originally Posted by tlarkin Well, then if you wanted to get that precise you better put a firmware lock on it also. Because target mode booting, and booting from an install DVD can compromise the machine. Then you should lock the case as well, so they can't do the physical firmware reset. All of these methods of compromising the Mac can be easily googled and even learned from Apple's support kbase. Working in education and with kids who like to tinker we have had to physically lock all cases down, use firmware passwords, and lock down a lot of access in the OS via policy.

except we're talking about a home computer, with a limited number of users. it's unlikely the kid has another computer her parents don't know about to boot in target mode, and occasional and casual inspection will tell the parent immediately if the machine has been tampered with.

but enough said on a year old thread...

[thepeople]

use apple remote desktop

[roncross@cox.net]

Ok, I'm glad I never paid for macminder as it is no where to be found. It has been pulled from versiontracker and macupdate.

[Rj9450]

Let me preface this by saying that I realize this is a tech forum, but this issue hit so close to home I couldn't help but reply.

I really do mean no disrespect, but what the hell are you thinking? Spy software, "wilderness camps", PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS???

My parents were just like you. They employed everything from time limits and consequences to corporal punishment, and I just did not care. I was sent to juvenile boot camp run by the USMC (three months at a time) TWICE, therapy sessions, juvenile detention facilities (dozens of times), anger management classes, substance abuse classes and the like. Nothing you can do will force your child to obey you, and you need to accept that. I understand that you feel the need to control your child because you think it will make her a better person and keep her safe, but all you are doing is making sure that when your child is an adult she will want nothing to do with you. BELIEVE ME!

I do understand the need to maintain control of your own home, but there has to be a line drawn somewhere. Obviously you need to take drugs seriously (they almost killed me and several of my friends, and cocaine actually was responsible for one friend's death), but you do need to realize that kids will do as they please. I think the most important thing I can tell you is that the more you try to crack down while your child is at home, the more likely it is that they will do something stupid on purpose as soon as they are away from you. Case in point: My parents told me not to smoke, I did so just to piss them off (and still cannot kick that habit over a decade later). My parents said no sex, I climbed on top of anyone that was willing. My parents said no drugs, I spent all of my lunch money and allowance on pot, coke and meth. My parents said respect authority, I slashed the tires of police vehicles. I could go on and on, but you seem like an intelligent person so I'm sure you got my point already...

I realize that you don't want to hear any of this, and will probably disregard my message completely, but I feel compelled to at least give it a shot for the sake of your youngest child (as well as the sake of your relationship with her after she leaves your home).

I am 24 years old now. I am married to a wonderful woman, have a steady job and my own home. I haven't touched a chemical in almost four years. This is because I decided that the things I was doing weren't right, not because of some fear or set of rules my parents instilled in me. What I hope you take away from my admittedly rambling message is: IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL ANOTHER HUMAN BEING, EVEN IF THAT PERSON IS YOUR CHILD. Loosen the reigns a little bit, and they will be just fine. Trial and error is how all of us grow into adults, don't take that away from your kids.

-RJ-

p.s. I too was testing at college level from 7th grade up, while most of my "partners in crime" were testing at or below the average range, so I really do not think the intelligence level of your children makes much difference. Kids will be kids...

[vickishome]

Talk about dredging up a very old thread! But to the above poster, I have only one comment.

I was not trying to control my child. I was controlling my computer equipment.

It's what real parents do even when the children protest. It's called parenting.

Taking away the computer is no different than taking away the car keys. Children do not have a right to the computer. Computers are a privilege in which the child earns through good behavior not through assertions of entitlement or the acting out of temper tantrums.

Regarding your behavior at various ages, it might interest you to know that the brain's frontal lobes—which is the executor over judgment, impulse control, and long-term planning—is not fully developed until the mid-20s. As such, it is common for adolescents to act out in childish ways until around age 25. So we are in agreement with your assertion in which "kids will be kids..." That is until they grow up. Until then, it is wise to have parents who parent and are not manipulated by a child's acting out when the parent tells them no.

[acme.mail.order]

Rj9450: One question - did you read the *entire* story, start to finish, including other threads on the same subject?

If you haven't, then you are really in no position to comment like that.

Also consider that by the time things get to this point (asking in public fora for technical assistance) the social methods have already been tried and have failed.

[Rj9450]

To AcmeMailOrder: Yes, I read the "*entire story*" from beginning to end. I feel that I am just as qualified to comment on an internet discussion as you are, or any of the other people who commented. The only reason I commented on a thread this old was because the topic hit home for me.

To Vicki: I sent you a more detailed private message, so this is mostly for the sake of anyone else who is reading and interested. I was not trying to imply that kids should have no boundaries. I very much believe a child should earn privileges, and go without them when they act up. All I wanted to get across is that I disagreed with the methods that were being discussed. If a kid can't be trusted on a computer, take it away instead of installing spyware and hiring private investigators.

Having said that I disagree with her, I want to say publicly that I have nothing but respect for a woman who cares about her children as much as Vicki clearly does.

[Craig R. Arko]

I'd like to say publicly that I think this thread has run its course, so it is now closed.