[lug] Protecting Media Computer

[Paul E Condon]

On 20101212_220354, Bruce Long wrote:
> I have a media computer that has all our movies, music, etc. on it. I have
> XBMC but often we need to exit and use the Ubuntu system underneath for file
> browsing, internet surfing, etc.
> 
> Lately, I've had the problem of our 3 year old experimenting with mouse
> clicks and pop-up menus and I'm reminded of the three-year-old in the news a
> year or so back that clicked around on eBay and purchased a steam-roller
> from Australia while her parents slept.
> 
> Before I try the obvious solutions, do any of you have any tips for this
> kind of thing? I can't just hide the mouse because the kids use the system
> for educational software and select their own movies/music when allowed to.

Buy a used Mac from the MacShack. Or cadge an old computer from a
friend, and put Ubuntu on it. But don't try to out guess a 3yo. A 3yo
can do a lot of damage to a file system as well as to your
finances. Put the computer on a kids' height table. Set the media
computer to automatically shut down on a timeout, in case you
forget. You know after 3yrs (+9mo) that being a parent is a new and
different life, like the latches on the lower cabinet doors in the
kitchen. Each new challenge is a joy. Really. Lots of good, free web
sites for kids. A whole new set of cookies should be on a different
computer so that they don't bias what is displayed on your computer.

HTH 
-- 
Paul E Condon           
pecondon at mesanetworks.net