Internet filters/parental controls/etc

[krankguitarist]

This is gonna sound a little weird.

I've got a bad habit of vegging out and spending endless hours on the internet, just wasting time. If I stay away from the computer all day, I'm cool. If I go on the computer, though, it's all over. I just surf and search and browse and veg.

So I've taken to doing my homework when I get home, before venturing on to the land of interwebz. But sometimes I have homework that requires me to go on the internet, use my computer, etc, etc. The problem then is I start with the best of intentions, suddenly get distracted, and 2 hours later I realize that my homework isn't done.

So...I'm thinking that I might want to install an internet filter on my computer. Something that I can turn on and off at will, that will block the sites that I ask it to. So, if I get distracted, it will serve as a reminder that I'm supposed to be working on schoolwork, not effing around on the net.

Anybody have any ideas as to what I should look at?

[idsnowdog]

You don't need a filter you just need some discipline.

[krankguitarist]

Oi, but a filter would be a good tool in teaching a bro some discipline, eh?

It's a crutch, dude, I'm not gonna deny it.

[idsnowdog]

Just set a schedule and stick to it. I have the same problems with distractions. I dedicated my day to studying until 5pm with no TV and little internet. Then I goof off at night.

[MikeS]

If you can't discipline yourself to stay on task without a filter, what makes you think you'll be disciplined enough to stay on task with a filter that you can turn off at will? Sort of defeats the purpose, yes?

[SpaceShipOne]

Three words....Post it notes.

[krankguitarist]

If you can't discipline yourself to stay on task without a filter, what makes you think you'll be disciplined enough to stay on task with a filter that you can turn off at will? Sort of defeats the purpose, yes?

Please don't try to analyze me. Honestly. I'm not saying that I cannot discipline myself. I am saying that it might be useful to have something that I can turn on on my computer to help remind me not to drift off task.

Remember, I'm just looking for something to serve as a REMINDER. Not as an inescapable barrier.

[krankguitarist]

Addendum: Free is best. Cheap is OK. But I'm not lookin to shell out 30+ dollars for anything. Not when I could spend that money on booze.

[ibanezrocks]

Two words: Shock collar

[krankguitarist]

Preferably nothing involving electrodes. I learned my lesson last time with the nipple clamps.

[ParameterMan]

I like OpenDNS. Mostly for the speed boost it provides compared to whatever our ISP provides for DNS, but it can be customized to block domains or any of the provided categories(adware, porn, etc.).

[ratherdashing]

The easiest thing to do is to edit your hosts file and point the sites you don't want to visit to a bogus IP address. When you try to visit these sites in a web browser you will get no connection. This will work with any browser on your PC.

In Windows XP, the hosts file is c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts. Open this in Notepad. It will look something like this:

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host

127.0.0.1       localhost

Let's say you wanted to block this site. You would add the following line to the bottom of the file:

0.0.0.0       www.seymourduncan.com

Save the file and close it. You may have to re-launch your browser for it to take effect, but when I tried it with Firefox it took effect immediately.

The next time you try to go to that site you will get an error. When you're ready to surf the web to your heart's content, simply remove those lines from the hosts file and restart your browser.

[loudriver23]

Here are some reviews of internet filter software solutions.
http://www.internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/

[ImmortalSix]

are you serious?

[krankguitarist]

are you serious?

No, not about the nipple clamps.

[Empty Pockets]

it won't work man. you're just complicating the matter. if you want to visit a site and your filter pops up, you know you're just gonna turn off the filter and go to the site anyway.

just do what you're supposed to then mess around afterwards.

[krankguitarist]

it won't work man. you're just complicating the matter. if you want to visit a site and your filter pops up, you know you're just gonna turn off the filter and go to the site anyway.

just do what you're supposed to then mess around afterwards.

Once again, analysis rejected. The purpose of the filter would not be to block me from going to other websites, but to serve as a reminder that I should be doing work instead of goofing off.

My problem occurs when I get distracted. I'll wonder if I've gotten an e-mail, so I'll check those. Then I'll follow a link in my e-mail to some news story. Then another will strike my interest, then another, etc, etc. Pretty soon I've forgotten what I was supposed to be doing, and I'm on the Duncan forums, or craigslist, or ebay, or chatting with friends on AIM.

I've got plenty of willpower. Focus is what I lack.

[Empty Pockets]

ever drink that vitamin water called 'focus'? it's pretty good.

[Imp]

depends what your homework is based on..

last exam season i moved my PC home and had only an ipod touch (really limited browser) to check emails and view doc's on..

grades jumped 8%

if you're serious about it, ditch the computer for a while and see what happens to you!

[ratherdashing]

A couple more notes about the hosts file thing:

If you have a known list of sites that you want to block from time to time, make a copy of the hosts file and name it something like hosts.bad. Put all the blocked sites in there like I explained above and save it. When you want to start blocking them, rename hosts to hosts.default (or whatever) and rename hosts.bad to hosts. Reverse the procedure when you are ready to surf the web again.

If you were really keen you could even create a bat file on your desktop that does this automatically, but I get the feeling that if this were too easy to turn off it would kind of defeat the purpose of what you're trying to accomplish.