[Offtopic] SteadyState

[Stephen Loosley]

Hi all,

Perhaps people already know of SteadyState, and perhaps not. It's free:

<http://www.microsoft.com/protect/products/family/steadystate.mspx>

Windows SteadyState helps protect your family and your family computer 

Windows SteadyState is a download for Windows XP that can help protect your family from inappropriate Web content and contact on the Web.

 Windows SteadyState also protects your computer settings from unwelcome changes by your children.

You can download SteadyState at no charge to people using genuine Microsoft Windows XP.

Windows SteadyState can return your family computer and hard disk to the condition it was before your children changed it. You just restart your computer. (Note: Windows SteadyState is for Windows XP only. Similar features, called Windows Vista Parental Controls, are built in to Windows Vista.)

* Restrict access to programs and settings

If you're a parent, you can use Windows SteadyState User Settings to customize the family computer and help make it safer and easier for you and your children to use. 

For example, to help ensure your children don’t use the Internet without your knowledge, you can create a user profile and restrict their access to Internet Explorer, Windows Messenger, and other programs on the family computer. 

If you don't want your children to change settings on the computer, you can simply restrict their access to Windows management features such as the Control Panel.

With Windows SteadyState, you can create multiple user profiles and set a different level of restriction for each child.

* Return your computer to its original state

When children use the family computer, they might accidentally change important settings or download spyware, viruses, or other unwanted software. The Windows Disk Protection feature in Windows SteadyState helps you prevent these changes from causing any permanent damage to the hard disk. 

When you have Windows Disk Protection turned on, you can simply restart your computer to return Windows SteadyState to the condition it was in before the last user touched it. Windows SteadyState can clear all the changes made during the last user session, including installations of viruses or spyware, or deletions of critical system files. 

* Control your child’s experience

You can use Windows SteadyState to help control how your children interact with Windows, other programs, and the Web. For example, you can remove items from the Start menu for your child’s user account, which simplifies your child’s computing experience and can help protect your computer from unwanted changes. You can also choose which Web addresses your child can visit and block your child from opening specific programs through the Start menu. 

With Windows SteadyState, you can also enforce time limits on your child's sessions on the computer. 

* Using Windows SteadyState

When you open Windows SteadyState for the first time, you see the SteadyState console, where you can choose which settings you want to change on your computer. 

To make the best use of Windows SteadyState features, it’s a good idea to start out by adding a new user account for every person who will use the computer. You can adjust settings for each user account separately. 

After you’ve created user accounts, you can specify the restrictions you want to select for each user.

You can download Windows SteadyState for your Windows XP computer at no charge. To download SteadyState and to find more information, including FAQs and discussion forums, visit the Microsoft Shared Access site. 
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Cheers people
Stephen Loosley
Member Victorian
Institute of Teaching