B Gone filter

[gwendes]

After the nightmare of trying to setup a proxy on an old server (I've assumed dodgy hardware) I looked at other options to prevent unacceptable use.

I've installed B Gone on 25 computers and added terms like 'Instant Messenger', 'meebo', 'goowy' and 'Web Messenger' to it's blacklist. This is the most effective software I have seen - not for features or ability to sniff out a dodgy page - the way it deals with a violation is to simply close the browser! Kid searches 'web chat' and the term is picked up in the title bar and the window closes. Kid uses an IP address - *bing* IE closes.

Will report back if it starts causing me problems but so successful I thought I'd give it a thread.

[NetworkGeezer]

It's probably better than a lot of the filtering provided by LAs but it's lacking two important tings:

No central control. You'd have to change the settings on each machine individually.

No logging. Sometimes you can't block certain things but you may need to go back and see what sites a kid has been on.

[gwendes]

No central control. You'd have to change the settings on each machine individually.

It's gone out on an image so nice and easy - I see it more as an extra layer of protection. It's infuriating to try and find a chat site to work when the browser keeps closing on you!

No logging. Sometimes you can't block certain things but you may need to go back and see what sites a kid has been on.

It's a girls school so 'inappropriate' material, and logging said activities, is not the issue. Our problem is lessons being consumed by chatting online and this works really neatly

[mark]

Our girls are a problem (just to restore the girl/ boy balance! :P)

[gwendes]

Our girls are a problem (just to restore the girl/ boy balance! :P)

Sure - we get that too (the agressive and loud sorts) but with computers they seem to be lacking the gene that controls ability to circumvent! Most of the time we're safe and all they want to do is chat on meebo and goowy...

It's interesting how girls behave when there are no boys around - very scary sometimes...

[tom_newton]

@gwendes: we have a few all-girls-school customers who'd beg to differ, I think

[gwendes]

Maybe we're just lucky...