Re: OT - elder parent-proofing a computer

Jeff Lassman <[email protected]> Sun, 27 May 2012 01:00:51 -0700
Newsgroups gmane.org.operators.internet-access
Organization NoBaloney Internet Services
Message-ID <[email protected]>
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On Sunday, May 27, 2012 12:04:49 AM JC Dill wrote:

> I have him using Firefox on the Mac.  I can't find any way to lock
> Firefox so that he can't add any new Toolbars.  The solution needs to be
> transparent to him - it can't mess with his regular computer use.

<stuff snipped from middle> 

> Remember, the solution needs to work on a Mac.

My heart goes out to you.  In '94, not long before his 80th birthday, my 
father disappeared for over a day and wouldn't or couldn't tell us where he'd 
gone.  He didn't seem sure.  We had to take away his car.

But the solution to this problem may not be as life-changing.  Since the back 
end of the Mac is running BSD, if you can figure out which file to 'lock' to 
keep him from adding anything in Firefox, you can probably use the 'chattr' 
command to mark the file as immutable.

Jeff
-- 
Jeff Lassman, Nobaloney Internet Services
Post Office Box 52200, Riverside, CA  92517
Our blists address used on lists is for list email only
Phone +1 951 643-5345, or see: http://www.nobaloney.net/contactus.html

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<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">On Sunday, May 27, 2012 12:04:49 AM JC Dill wrote:</p>
<p style="-qt-paragraph-type:empty; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;"><br /></p>
<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">&gt; I have him using Firefox on the Mac.  I can't find any way to lock</p>
<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">&gt; Firefox so that he can't add any new Toolbars.  The solution needs to be</p>
<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">&gt; transparent to him - it can't mess with his regular computer use.</p>
<p style="-qt-paragraph-type:empty; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;"><br /></p>
<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">&lt;stuff snipped from middle&gt; </p>
<p style="-qt-paragraph-type:empty; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;"><br /></p>
<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">&gt; Remember, the solution needs to work on a Mac.</p>
<p style="-qt-paragraph-type:empty; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;"><br /></p>
<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">My heart goes out to you.  In '94, not long before his 80th birthday, my father disappeared for over a day and wouldn't or couldn't tell us where he'd gone.  He didn't seem sure.  We had to take away his car.</p>
<p style="-qt-paragraph-type:empty; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;"><br /></p>
<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">But the solution to this problem may not be as life-changing.  Since the back end of the Mac is running BSD, if you can figure out which file to 'lock' to keep him from adding anything in Firefox, you can probably use the 'chattr' command to mark the file as immutable.</p>
<p style="-qt-paragraph-type:empty; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;"><br /></p>
<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">Jeff</p>
<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">-- </p>
<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">Jeff Lassman, Nobaloney Internet Services</p>
<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">Post Office Box 52200, Riverside, CA  92517</p>
<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">Our blists address used on lists is for list email only</p>
<p style=" margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0px; margin-right:0px; -qt-block-indent:0; text-indent:0px; -qt-user-state:0;">Phone +1 951 643-5345, or see: http://www.nobaloney.net/contactus.html</p>
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