Norton Family

[mijcar]

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hghubert wrote:

This would be a 9/10 for me.  I often find the ALT-TAB trick being used and it would be nice to just see what is going on without having to cause a riot.

I also have one feature that I would really like to see in the next release:

I have 3 computers in my house each of which has a user for my kids on it.  I want the settings for these to be the same on all 3 computers.  Currently I have to have 3 users in Norton and manage each of the settings individual.  If I could have one Norton user and associate it with the users on each computer so that I only have to change settings in one user and have it effect multiple computer users that would be fabulous.

Please consider that.

Thanks 

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That confuses me.  What you seem to asking for, I already have:

Computer A:

Child 1

Child 2

Me

Wife

Computer B:

Child 1

Child 2

Me

Wife

Computer C:

Child 1

Child 2

Me

Wife

Computer D:

Me

Wife

The settings for Child 1 are set online. They apply to any computer Child 1 can log on to that has Online Family Installed on it.

The settings for Child 2 are set online. They apply to any computer Child 2 can log on to that has Online Family Installed on it.

Me and Wife are identified as unmonitored users

Computers A, B, and C are Online Family installed.

Computer D does not have Online Family because the kids have no access to it.

Isn't that what you described?

[hghubert]

That is exactly what I wanted and I did not know that it was possible.  

Thanks for telling me that it is - I will investigate how to do it.

[cleverbyhalf]

Very good idea.

[Matt_Boucher]

hghubert, you can do exactly what you want in your question about 3 computers.

Take this for example:

Computer A

user1 ->norton child 1

user2 ->norton child 2

user3 ->norton child 3

Computer B

user4 -> norton child 1

user5 -> norton child 2

user6 -> norton child 3

Basically the Windows account name does not have to match the "child name" used in the OnlineFamily.Norton website. You just have to associate which "child name" you use against the Windows account name used by the kids on each computer.

Matt

[rjrizzuto]

My son tends to minimize windows when I go by, mostly because he is on facebook and talking with friends.  I understand his right to privacy, but sometimes would like to spot check that he isn't getting into trouble.  This feature might be useful, though I am not sure how to separate the chaff from the wheat.

I would rate it 7

I think this could be useful, if it had options to randomly snapshot specific sites so I could review the snapshots at a later time.  I don't think realtime would be useful since my son goes to bed later than I do

[smoerman]

This feature sounds interesting... but allow me to hijack your thread (in the friendliest of hijackings!). I would like to see the monitoring aspect of Online Family Safety to be geared to monitoring every family member - including parents and adult children. Instead of every user that is monitored having to be labeled a "kid" with a year of birth 1991 or later, it would be nice if there were an option to monitor older children or adults in a more appropriate manner. We use the utility to limit how much time we personally spend online, but this means that Norton thinks my wife is a child of mine and born in 1991. Seems like it would be a pretty simple adjustment to the software...

[mijcar]

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smoerman wrote:
This feature sounds interesting... but allow me to hijack your thread (in the friendliest of hijackings!). I would like to see the monitoring aspect of Online Family Safety to be geared to monitoring every family member - including parents and adult children. Instead of every user that is monitored having to be labeled a "kid" with a year of birth 1991 or later, it would be nice if there were an option to monitor older children or adults in a more appropriate manner. We use the utility to limit how much time we personally spend online, but this means that Norton thinks my wife is a child of mine and born in 1991. Seems like it would be a pretty simple adjustment to the software...

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It also seems like a potential invasion-of-privacy.  With kids, it makes sense.  With adults, it's different.  Particularly if it is an adult who is not computer savvy and thinks that the little icon means something about computer security.

There are freebies out there to do just what you want, pop-up and remind you that time is up, take a break -- these are especially useful for those with carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive motion diseases.

The easiest way to accomplish this is with Office Outlook, which has a calendar.  You can set it to remind you of events in as small increments as you want.  Set it for half-an-hour and when it pops up, it has a snooze button to go off in another half-an-hour.  If you are looking for something more sophisticated you could try googling it.  If I can find something, I'll post it.

Found some nice sounding ones for free:

free work break apps

Message Edited by mijcar on 12-08-2009 04:07 PM

[guggymom]

I guess I would rate this feature a 5 -- people who would use it would probably rate it a 10, but for myself, I think it crosses the boundary between monitoring your child for safety and invading their privacy so I wouldn't use it.  I'd rather reinforce my values through discussion than spying.

However, I do have a new feature request.  Often times my kids are about to run out of time and there is a good reason to allow them a bit of extra time on this occasion (e.g. they are doing homework), but I am not at home.  If I am at work, I can login and modify their settings, but it is a permanent change; if I am away from work and only on email on smart phone, I can't really do anything tohelp them.  So I would like to make two suggestions:

1. For all settings (but especially time) allow a "one time only" override feature.  So you make the exception once, but it doesn't stick permanently.
2. Allow the child to send me an email requesting more time that is delivered to my registered email address that I can then click or reply to saying "ALLOW" or "DENY"

[CGCDAD]

I like the idea.  For those parents who have privacy concerns, it is optional and it is stated in the house rules section. 

I also agree with those who want the ability to do it without each snapshot giving notification so kids are not embarrassed when friends are over.  The speed trap analogy is also very relevant in this situation.  

In earlier generations, children's behavior was mediated by the fact that any adult might see and report mischief to the child's parents or other authority figure.  This created a safe and supervised environment where kids learned societal norms and mores.  Also children's opportunities for mischief  were controlled by geography and monetary factors.  On the internet, all unsavory and dangerous aspects of the world are available at the click of a button and can be done in relative privacy and seclusion.  Features that help children to know that their behavior is monitored helps them develop the internal controls so necessary for maturity. 

Granted every child is different and some benefit from less supervision just as some benefit from more supervision.  My feeling is that this is a tool that I can customize for each child's personality and developmental stage.  The suggested feature is a helpful tool in doing this.  

Note to profken. - I like your "trust" speech and will adopt it into my parental "sound bite" repertoire.  Thanks. 

Note to all.  I use opendns.com to supplement my website blocking.  It is free with some limitations and the paid version is very economical.  It also easily allows "adult blocking"  by allowing you to block all porn/sex sites to any computer on the home network.  

Finally, I would like the ability to easily suggest websites that I think should be blocked by a category but are not.  I have found Gaming websites that are allowed even though I have gaming blocked.  i.e. pawnmod.trenchrats.com 

[KatieQ]

Hi CGCDAD,

Thanks for your feedback.  For your input “I have found Gaming websites that are allowed even though I have gaming blocked.  i.e. pawnmod.trenchrats.com", this site is categorized as Uncategorized.  You can get the information by going to the Web activity page.  Find the Website on the page and click the arrow key to get to the details of the item.  You have the options to "Dispute site categorization" or Block the site on the page.

Thanks,

Katie