Freeware Alarm

  • Thread starter Thread starter Carolyn
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Carolyn

I am looking for some kind of program that I can use to set off an alarm
(play a wav file) if my kids touch my computer.
Can anyone recommend something?
I do not want to keep shutting it down and turning it back on again. I do
not want to lock it down for fear that I will forget how to unlock it
myself. :o)
I think that if I could just find a program that would sound an alarm if
they touched the mouse, that would be enough of a deterrent.
Thanks in advance,
Carolyn
 
I am looking for some kind of program that I can use to set off an alarm
(play a wav file) if my kids touch my computer.
Can anyone recommend something?
I do not want to keep shutting it down and turning it back on again. I do
not want to lock it down for fear that I will forget how to unlock it
myself. :o)
I think that if I could just find a program that would sound an alarm if
they touched the mouse, that would be enough of a deterrent.
Thanks in advance,
Carolyn
Click to expand...

Well. I looked around for a while and thought of a solution.
Just start up a screensaver that has password protection. Set it for one
minute. I can't think of one off the top of my head. I would think a
screensaver would be a personal thing. Wait. Here is one now.


Falling Autumn Leaves Screen Saver runs on Microsoft® Windows®
95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP.
http://www.acez.com/autumnleaves.htm
This software is freeware. No adware and nagging screens included in
software
 
Carolyn said:
I am looking for some kind of program that I can use to set off an alarm
(play a wav file) if my kids touch my computer.
Can anyone recommend something?
Click to expand...

I can think of one solution that you already have. It is low
tech and free. It is known as Yelling, Screaming, and
Threats!

Works, too.

Richard
 
Richard Steinfeld said:
I can think of one solution that you already have. It is low
tech and free. It is known as Yelling, Screaming, and
Threats!

Works, too.

Richard
Click to expand...

I have done the yelling, screaming and threats thing and the worst part of
that one is that my husband then yells at me because he doesn't want to hear
the yelling, screaming and threats. He does not care whether the kids ruin
my computer or not because he doesn't use it.
I need another alternative to try to keep them off of it because my youngest
(18) will sneak down and try to use it in the middle of the night and I am
getting tired of turning it off and taking the power cord upstairs me, only
to come back down and install the power cord and boot up the next morning.
Carolyn
 
dszady said:
Well. I looked around for a while and thought of a solution.
Just start up a screensaver that has password protection. Set it for one
minute. I can't think of one off the top of my head. I would think a
screensaver would be a personal thing. Wait. Here is one now.


Falling Autumn Leaves Screen Saver runs on Microsoft® Windows®
95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP.
http://www.acez.com/autumnleaves.htm
This software is freeware. No adware and nagging screens included in
software
Click to expand...

I installed Plus on my Windows XP, so I have some nice screensavers that
appear to have a password option.
How does the password thing work on a screensaver? I have never used that
before.
Carolyn
 
I installed Plus on my Windows XP, so I have some nice screensavers that
appear to have a password option.
How does the password thing work on a screensaver? I have never used that
before.
Click to expand...

I have this option on my computer. The way it works is in the options part of
the screensaver you can check "password" and then type in the password that you
want to use.

For example I have the "blank screen" screensaver as a shortcut on my desktop
and when I want to activate it I just double click on it and the blank screen
appears. If me (or someone else) moves the mouse then the password box comes
up and asks you to type in the password. If you type in the wrong one or click
"cancel" or click the "x" in the upper right, it prompts for the password or it
goes back to the screensaver.

Hope that helps.

Rose
My "Nailbiting" Message Board!
Nailbiter's Unite!
http://members.aol.com/Roseb441702/nailbite.htm
 
On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 23:24:07 GMT, "Carolyn"

Hi Carolyn,

I have done the yelling, screaming and threats thing and the worst part of
that one is that my husband then yells at me because he doesn't want to hear
the yelling, screaming and threats. He does not care whether the kids ruin
my computer or not because he doesn't use it.
I need another alternative to try to keep them off of it because my youngest
(18) will sneak down and try to use it in the middle of the night and I am
getting tired of turning it off and taking the power cord upstairs me, only
to come back down and install the power cord and boot up the next morning.
Carolyn
Click to expand...

The trouble with your "low tech" solution is that he will only go out
and purchase his own power cord. :-(

Is money a problem ? If not I suggest you consider changing your HDD
to one inside a removable drive bay. Then it is easy enough to lock
the drive bay (you can get them with keys) or remove the drive and put
it in a locked drawer. Or take it upstairs, without that being able to
be foiled by the kids so easily.

There are a number of advantages to having a removable drive other
than the above situation. You might even consider what I do. Have two.
Then it is a quick/easy matter to "restore" the primary drive if you
ever want to.

The only down side, apart from the small expense, is that removable
drives generally need/have fans with them. So they can be slightly
noisier than fixed drives.

Regards, John.

--
****************************************************
,-._|\ (A.C.F FAQ) http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/faq.html
/ Oz \ John Fitzsimons - Melbourne, Australia.
\_,--.x/ http://www.aspects.org.au/index.htm
v http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/
 
I am looking for some kind of program that I can use to set off an alarm
(play a wav file) if my kids touch my computer.
Can anyone recommend something?
I do not want to keep shutting it down and turning it back on again. I do
not want to lock it down for fear that I will forget how to unlock it
myself. :o)
I think that if I could just find a program that would sound an alarm if
they touched the mouse, that would be enough of a deterrent.
Thanks in advance,
Carolyn
Click to expand...

Only the first time. Once they know an alarm will go off they will
turn down your speaker volume or unplug the speakers.

Regards, John.

--
****************************************************
,-._|\ (A.C.F FAQ) http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/faq.html
/ Oz \ John Fitzsimons - Melbourne, Australia.
\_,--.x/ http://www.aspects.org.au/index.htm
v http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/
 
dszady said:
]

Well. I looked around for a while and thought of a solution.
Just start up a screensaver that has password protection. Set it for one
minute. I can't think of one off the top of my head. I would think a
screensaver would be a personal thing. Wait. Here is one now.


Falling Autumn Leaves Screen Saver runs on Microsoft® Windows®
95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP.
http://www.acez.com/autumnleaves.htm
This software is freeware. No adware and nagging screens included in
software
Click to expand...

I installed Plus on my Windows XP, so I have some nice screensavers that
appear to have a password option.
How does the password thing work on a screensaver? I have never used that
before.
Click to expand...

I have never used a password protected screen saver. I assume you hit
a/certain? key to bring it back to life, enter your password and then you
can go on with your work. Ok, I'll try it now.
I have just tried it and you press any key and it will prompt you for a
password until you put the right password in. And you can change if they
figure that one out. I guess the password protection comes standard with
Win98 even though I have never noticed it before.
Hopefully it will bring the domestic tranquility you deserve.
 
Password protecting the screen saver is available with all windows default
screen savers. No need to download anything new.
 
Password protecting the screen saver is available with all windows default
screen savers. No need to download anything new.
Click to expand...

***Top posting fixed at the expense of other's replies***
No password protected screen savers in this version of WinXP which we got
last week. Unless you know of something in Start > Control Panel >
Display > Screen savers that I don't see.

Seems like when I try an experiment to follow-up with the example that you
used:

--
****************************************************
,-._|\ (A.C.F FAQ) http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/faq.html
/ Oz \ John Fitzsimons - Melbourne, Australia.
\_,--.x/ http://www.aspects.org.au/index.htm
v http://clients.net2000.com.au/~johnf/


My newsreader deletes it. It's a shame people can't read the other replies
in the middle because it gets tedious and I am sick of fixing the rampant
top-posting.
Do you read a book from right to left? Do you read a newspaper from the
bottom up?
 
I installed Plus on my Windows XP, so I have some nice screensavers that
appear to have a password option.
How does the password thing work on a screensaver? I have never used that
before.
Click to expand...

The screensaver runs until someone moves the mouse or touches a key.
Then a password prompt appears. If no password is entered, the
screensaver restarts.

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