Calling all computer geeks -

Use OpenDNS. It have a network control, and only you will be able to change the configs. Block the old DNS IPs on hosts file, even though the ODNS software will be executing, killing the software will cut the whole network access. Also, you can setup word filters using it as well.

Another approach is useful if you have a home network. So, you can make your kid's pc to have access to the internet only through yours. It works like a proxy, so you setup all the rules on your PC, and no way he/her will be able to crack it, as it is your PC.
 
Peggy said:
What are they now?

From 3-7 or so, my sons obsessions were Lego, Transformers, and Hot Wheels (some things never change).
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As I live about 700 miles away from home, I'm not certain, but I believe they are now video games and music. He typically will start drumming with whatever he has his hands on and will make a clicking noise with his tongue - all with a consistent beat. When I visit in the summer, I know that I can usually find him in his room playing xbox live all day. Occasionally, he'll come outside and play basketball with me and our other brother.
 
Peggy,

Dodgeboard already mentioned editing the Windows hosts file. This is perhaps the easiest and most common method of blocking websites on a computer, but since the young guy is a computer wizard, he'd probably figure it out sooner or later.

I'm actually going to second what Ant suggested earlier...defining an access policy on your router. I happened to have done that on my router for my youngest brother's computer just a couple of weeks back, mainly since he tends to spend too much time on a site watching whole movies.

It allows you to block websites by URL and keywords as well and you can configure it to apply the block on specific computers via mac address. Some of these terms may sound new to you, but it really isn't hard at all. And since it works perfectly, all you need is make sure your router has a foolproof password. No access to the router, no way for him to bypass the policy.

Perhaps if you could share your router model, I could try to see if it supports such a feature or not. If it does, maybe providing you a step by step tutorial would help you set it up. :)
 
Saeed said:
Peggy,

Dodgeboard already mentioned editing the Windows hosts file. This is perhaps the easiest and most common method of blocking websites on a computer, but since the young guy is a computer wizard, he'd probably figure it out sooner or later.

I'm actually going to second what Ant suggested earlier...defining an access policy on your router. I happened to have done that on my router for my youngest brother's computer just a couple of weeks back, mainly since he tends to spend too much time on a site watching whole movies.

It allows you to block websites by URL and keywords as well and you can configure it to apply the block on specific computers via mac address. Some of these terms may sound new to you, but it really isn't hard at all. And since it works perfectly, all you need is make sure your router has a foolproof password. No access to the router, no way for him to bypass the policy.

Perhaps if you could share your router model, I could try to see if it supports such a feature or not. If it does, maybe providing you a step by step tutorial would help you set it up. :)
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Do you honestly think it will work stopping someone from let's say using a third-party site to execute a download of files? Or hacking the router?

Peggy, after careful consideration, I'm going to recommend this:

  • Use some sort of parental control/firewall software that filters out video sites or particular websites. Something like ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite might suffice. I'm not sure, but this one is up to you.
  • Deep Freeze the computer. This way no matter what changes are made, it would reset themselves. I would warn that any successful attempts to unfreeze the computer will likely result in the removal of the above firewall control. http://www.faronics.com/standard/deep-freeze-2/
Please pick an extremely strong password though, non reusable on any other account, or device. I would also do a full malware and keylogger sweep of your son's PC before deploying anything. This way we seal the attempt to figure out any passwords.
 
ManagerJosh said:
Who is also a computer genius by mom's standards :)
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You have to understand how he sees the world. He sees the flow of data from the originating computer to his as a pattern. He'll be able to figure out the point of change based on how the pattern flow changes. Every suggestion that has been made here is easily circumvented.

Here's a better approach.

Peggy, you know how we are about rules and regiments. We will completely disregard any rule that doesn't make sense, but stick to any rule that does like gospel. Why do you need to have this rule? What makes sense about it? How is it bad if this rule isn't followed?

Rules that limit us, we break. Rules that protect us, we follow. To him, this probably seems like a rule to limit him. How does he think he's being limited? Explain how he's being protected.

Start here:
http://www.google.com/support/youtube/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=126262
Children under 13 years are not permitted to access YouTube.
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That is their rule. He's too young right now.

http://www.google.com/support/youtube/bin/request.py?contact_type=abuse
Go through some of the videos with him. Show him that even Youtube can be a dangerous place. Tell him you can talk about it again when he is 13.

Now he understands that Youtube is not harmless. Youtube says he's too young, not you. And he knows that when he's 13, he may be allowed, with additional rules.
 
Fred, you are right on track. I should have just asked you, lol. I keep forgetting that you have AS.

Fred Sherman said:
Now he understands that Youtube is not harmless. Youtube says he's too young, not you. And he knows that when he's 13, he may be allowed, with additional rules.
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I have talked to him about the age limit rule, but not to that extent, nor in that way. I shall give this a try.

Oh and here was the scenario yesterday morning -
Ed: (comes to wake me up at 7 am) Good morning MOM! I hope you don't mine, but I was watching youtube videos this morning.

Me: WHAT??? You KNOW that you're not permitted to go to YouTube, and btw HOW did you get on YouTube anyway?!?!

So he shows me how he found the FF add-on and disabled it, and found the antivirus ip block and disabled it, then went merrily on his way watching Nascar videos.

True, what he watched was completely harmless. But the fact IS, you can't let them on a site to watch one kind of video and not another, because you can't block one kind of video.

Another fact is, he didn't disable everything and proceed to the site, just to be a brat, or prove that he could get past my blocks, etc. He simply woke up with a desire to watch Nascar races, so went about making that happen.

I removed his internet access for the day.But this morning took him to Nascar.com and showed him where he can watch the videos without breaking any rules.
He's happily watching Nascar races as I type.
 
Peggy said:
Fred, you are right on track. I should have just asked you, lol. I keep forgetting that you have AS.

I have talked to him about the age limit rule, but not to that extent, nor in that way. I shall give this a try.

Oh and here was the scenario yesterday morning -
Ed: (comes to wake me up at 7 am) Good morning MOM! I hope you don't mine, but I was watching youtube videos this morning.

Me: WHAT??? You KNOW that you're not permitted to go to YouTube, and btw HOW did you get on YouTube anyway?!?!

So he shows me how he found the FF add-on and disabled it, and found the antivirus ip block and disabled it, then went merrily on his way watching Nascar videos.

True, what he watched was completely harmless. But the fact IS, you can't let them on a site to watch one kind of video and not another, because you can't block one kind of video.

Another fact is, he didn't disable everything and proceed to the site, just to be a brat, or prove that he could get past my blocks, etc. He simply woke up with a desire to watch Nascar races, so went about making that happen.

I removed his internet access for the day.But this morning took him to Nascar.com and showed him where he can watch the videos without breaking any rules.

He's happily watching Nascar races as I type.
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Wow. That's so familiar - sort of.

My first "home computer" was a PDP-11, which took up nearly an entire room in the house (small bedroom). Because it was so expensive, that room had a deadbolt lock on it. The house had an alarm system.

Once, I left my electronic football game in the room. Old fashioned kind. Red LEDs for the players and the ball. 1970s tech. Anyway, I went home and got it.

Later, my father asked how I was able to do it. I showed him that in the same amount of time that it took to turn the key and enter the code, I could bypass the system. And then the deadbolt was just a straightforward lock pick.

He asked how I knew to bypass it, and I showed him the schematic.

Most engineers become fixed with what I can engineer syndrome. You're trying to reach an end state and run into a problem. They become obsessed with solving that problem. What I do, a true Aspie trait, is I may document the problem, but I'm not interested in solving it. Work around it, find another way, get to the end-state.

You saw it. Motivation, goal, end-state. I want to watch NASCAR, I can't, I remove the things that are keeping me from my goal. You did perfectly. Show him a different, easier way. No need to waste time with youtube. Easier to go to NASCAR.com.
 
LOL! Yeah that's him exactly. When he has his mind set to do something he will search for every conceivable avenue to that end.
Not to be disobedient, not to prove that he can. Aspies just have true tunnel vision.
Oh and never tell an Aspie that they can't accomplish something. It's like waving a red flag in front of a bull.
Ha.
 
Fred Sherman said:
There is a dark flip side to that. If we ever convince ourselves that something can't be done, we'll never be able to do it.
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Exactly. He's been in that mindset a couple of times, took alot to convince him that he could do whatever it was, I forget now.
But man, it was like pulling shark's teeth.
 
Another fact is, he didn't disable everything and proceed to the site, just to be a brat, or prove that he could get past my blocks, etc. He simply woke up with a desire to watch Nascar races, so went about making that happen.
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This is fact. "aspies" don't do it to be a pain to the parent, it's simply an action he's determined on and those are means to achieve it.

As long as he runs on Windows, he will find a way around every parental control or password or lock you put on. It's Windows. The permission system is lacking too much and any variable can be changed via some sneaky plugin or program. You can only do your best explaining clearly that it's not a good thing to bypass restrictions the request from parents to not do it. And improve the restrictions.
 
I told him this morning that going on YouTube is against the law (ok slight exaggeration) because their minimum age limit is 13, and he could get in alot of trouble with the law if they should monitor him.

He didn't go near YouTube all day, lol. I'm not sure how long that will last though.
 
Is it an idea to create a pattern for him where he and you together take a few minutes every day to try and find some fun youtube content? That way he has the freedom of watching something, and you perhaps have the freedom of having it being time limited. Gives him something to look forward to, knowing he's going to get his way. And for you a lot less stress. I don't know if it works like that. We get kids with autism (and everything else) at the horsebackriding club and I know it's quite different per individual what might work and not. Once it took us 2 hours for the parent to convince the kid he couldn't bring (his) horse home with him when he was introduced to it. hehe.
 
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