Comments on: Help-Key: How to parent-proof your parent’s PC

By: John Doe

John Doe — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:26:06 +0000

Limited Users and put a password on the Admin account.

By: Doug Woodall

Doug Woodall — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 18:23:38 +0000

Nicely done. Weve all done this, my brothers house, my friends house. Never fails.
And I so agree about using Firefox.

By: N McQ

N McQ — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:13:40 +0000

Also, well done with the interesting (and useful) write-up.
Still though, I have to query. While it’s the best advice to ‘hide’ the links to Internet Explorer to reduce habits and force them onto Firefox or Opera (interestingly, I’ve found the Speed Dial page is the biggest selling point for moving browsers), is there not one big reason for going off and disabling or un-installing IE? I.e. the fact that Windows Update won’t work through any other browser. Meaning that if for whatever reason, your folks decide to follow up the Windows Update link, it’s not going to work……
Still though, I’ll be following a similar process to what you said above like every other year :)

By: Matt Hickey

Matt Hickey — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 01:33:40 +0000

@ Tobias: They buy stuff, it comes with CDs, they assume they have to install every single thing on said discs to make the speakers they just bought work.

By: Tobias

Tobias — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 22:36:08 +0000

Your parents can actually install software? My mom can’t even install updates (she freaks out when an update pop-up pops up). And it’s not just my mom who doesn’t know how to take care of a pc; my sister is even worse (mainly because she does install stuff)

By: Blake

Blake — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:43:51 +0000

I keep a ghosted “clean” image of their computer. Anytime they or my brother or sister get a virus or screw something up, I just ghost the drive back and its like nothing ever happened. Google Browser sync keeps them from loosing their bookmarks and their “documents” folder is pointed to an external drive.

By: Ryan Stickney

Ryan Stickney — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:39:52 +0000

Matt,

even better than setting proxy settings in IE (the tech support guy from Mom’s ISP will have them turn that off when she calls because IE isn’t working) is to disable it through the local security policy. By creating a software restriction for IE you can assure that the program will never be opened, and the $10-an-hour-know-it-all at comcast can’t easily have Mom undo all that hard work.

By: Mike Kobrin

Mike Kobrin — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:29:02 +0000

This is the best post I’ve seen on any blog all day. Nice work, Matt!
One thing: There are still a few sites out there that require IE. It’s backward, it’s dangerous, it’s even a bit sleazy, but it’s a sad fact. Disabling IE might not be as good an idea as simply hiding it. Also, denying it Web access won’t stop some it from doing the default browser mambo when launched…