user account for kids 5 and under project

Cyrusm · 2009-05-01 16:33:31

Hey arch community,

I've been thinking a lot about setting up a user account for my son, he's pretty young right now but he'll be at "computer age" before I know it.

I'm going to be setting him up a user account so that he can become more familiar with computer use and I figured I'd run some ideas past the community to see what you think.

my goals are
1.) practice some sysadmin skills that I don't really have the opportunity to use on a single user machine.
2.) create an easy to use, educational, and fun user environment for a child under 5.

I'm thinking either XFCE or LXDE for the DE,
and I'm going to be installing some games to start out with:
tux-types
gcompris
childsplay
tuxpaint

and I'm open to any other suggestions.

also I'm concerned about what websites he'll be visiting, and I was wondering how one would go about limiting/monitoring another users internet usage without affecting my internet usage (I was thinking a shell script that creates a report of websites visited during a session, since I'd rather monitor his usage than limit it).

so basically, what do you think of my idea? any suggestions for additions or improvement?
if you have kids using your machine, what works for you?

thanks in advance
Cyrus Metcalf

Anikom15 · 2009-05-01 22:15:23

Well, first off you should set up permissions on your computer or network so he doesn't go deleting any important files. (You might wanna disable the shell) As for the internet thing. I think internet browsers themselves have filtering. And I know OpenDNS has filtering available. I'm sure there's some other programs to block websites or just filter stuff out (like disabling flash or ads), if you can program and know networking you might be able to make a script yourself. BTW, XFCE is good, or you might just go with whatever your already using (unless it's openbox or something like that).

hatten · 2009-05-02 09:13:52

If using firefox you can set it up to save the history, and then you can check it a little now and then.

arch0r · 2009-05-02 11:07:54

you can also use privoxy as a locale proxy which blocks a lot of those junk/ads/ppups etc there are also some blocklists avaible which can be easily added to the webfilter.

luuuciano · 2009-05-15 22:58:21

Cyrusm wrote:

tux-types
gcompris
childsplay
tuxpaint

well my little sunshine have 3 1/2 years, I have added desktop icons for her games/apps, like yours + ktuberling and pysycache... and now she ask me to use it...
when she had 2 she used pysycache, or tried, so now she knows about how to use the keyboard and mouse....
When I was working with several apps I say something like "see up here, never press over the X, you may use the down arrow, or the up arrow if it is needed... daddy have information there, etc..." so, now she just minimize all the apps, and plays with her "own" apps...

I will be adding more apps to her desktop section when she grows up, or when I see that she can handle other app types...

BTW, I did a little selection of kids apps: http://www.archlinux-es.org/foros/viewt … 410&p=7656
if you know another one, please told me and I will add it

Last edited by luuuciano (2009-05-15 22:59:27)

CuleX · 2009-05-16 07:57:27

Cyrusm wrote:

also I'm concerned about what websites he'll be visiting, and I was wondering how one would go about limiting/monitoring another users internet usage without affecting my internet usage (I was thinking a shell script that creates a report of websites visited during a session, since I'd rather monitor his usage than limit it).

I actually wonder what website he _can_ visit. I don't know, but reading could be a problem.

And monitoring your child is terrible practice. If you can't teach your child, which websites/search engine results usually contain bad stuff and/or porn (Which your child shouldn't be interested in... yet), you're effectively raising your child wrong, at least that's my opinion.

Cyrusm · 2009-05-16 15:30:18

Thanks for the input luuuciano, that list of kids apps is great and I've implemented a number of them (although I did have to pull out the spanish dictionary ).

As for you Culex, how I raise my kids is none of your damn business, troll elsewhere.

Allan · 2009-05-16 15:36:12

I think this is an interesting topic, so before this starts as an argument over parenting techniques, I will ask people to stick to answering the questions raised. If you don't agree with the methods, then fell free not to help...

Mr Green · 2009-05-16 15:36:31

I let my two use my system but they are 9 & 12 ....

Take a look at Qimo see how or if they like it then integrate it into Arch

A very worthy project one I would fully support

Arch Linux

#1 2009-05-01 16:33:31

user account for kids 5 and under project

#2 2009-05-01 22:15:23

Re: user account for kids 5 and under project

#3 2009-05-02 09:13:52

Re: user account for kids 5 and under project

#4 2009-05-02 11:07:54

Re: user account for kids 5 and under project

#5 2009-05-15 22:58:21

Re: user account for kids 5 and under project

#6 2009-05-16 07:57:27

Re: user account for kids 5 and under project

#7 2009-05-16 15:30:18

Re: user account for kids 5 and under project

#8 2009-05-16 15:36:12

Re: user account for kids 5 and under project

#9 2009-05-16 15:36:31

Re: user account for kids 5 and under project

Board footer