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Idea #18963: Age detection or under-age detection

Written by timnwells the 1 Apr 09 at 06:50. Related project: Gnome. Status: New
Rationale
Occasionally my almost 2 year old manages to climb up on my desk and start bashing the keyboard. Of course on the odd occasion it's the cat looking for somewhere warm to sleep despite the fact its not allowed in my office. It would be nice if when a bunch of nonsense keys get pressed all at once or very close together that Ubuntu could lock itself.

Once the screen is locked there is very little damage a child can do by pressing keys or playing with the mouse.

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Solution #1: Create an optional child lock mode
Written by timnwells the 1 Apr 09 at 06:50.
Create an optional child lock mode, where Ubuntu locks the screen if it detects possible abuse (ie. banging on keyboard, holding down lots of keys at once, nonsense mouse clicking etc)
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Solution #2: Lock your screen when your not at your desk
Written by samoul the 5 Apr 09 at 20:22.
If a 2 year old OR a cat can damage Ubuntu ... well i'll have to give my boss my resignation tomorrow! Seriously lock you screen when your not working and you will not risk any damage!
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Solution #3: Child-lock GNOME-panel applet
Written by Clorox the 7 Apr 09 at 01:06.
Same as #1 but will always be on the GNOME panel when you need it, no need to launch a program. Works like the Power Manager Inhibit Applet: click to activate child-lock mode, click again to deactivate.
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Solution #5: Ctrl+scroll lock
Written by uaneme the 9 Apr 09 at 03:28.
Ctrl+scroll lock shortcut to activate lock screen



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Solution #6: Folder Lock plus child lock addons in browsers
Written by sanketmedhi the 21 Apr 09 at 07:06.
Add a folder lock utility with a nautilus-script which allows users to password lock individual folders and files.

Also, provide default child lock addons for web browsers such as Firefox and Epiphany.

Password protection can be linked to the default keyring application.

Propose your solution

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Comments
krs wrote on the 1 Apr 09 at 08:22
I d'ont know if something similar exist for Linux already, but you need something like this : http://www.bitboost.com/pawsense/

fukid wrote on the 1 Apr 09 at 14:29
hey this is great idea!

grofaty wrote on the 1 Apr 09 at 16:48
Or you can lock your keyboard by using ctrl+alt+L before you leave your keyboard.

awecomms wrote on the 2 Apr 09 at 04:39
It would also simplify locking the keyboard in an emergency. Instead of having to be in front of your keyboard or trying to find ctrl, alt and l upside down you can quickly lock your keyboard with a quick gesture.

maix wrote on the 2 Apr 09 at 10:24
There's a gnome-panel widget for this. Just add it, pull it to some corner of the screen and you just have to move the mouse to that corner and click.

Magnes wrote on the 2 Apr 09 at 13:28
I would also help people with cats. :D

Basem wrote on the 5 Apr 09 at 07:49
Scary clown as a wallpaper...

glococo wrote on the 6 Apr 09 at 15:40
This will slow the performance.
Use bluetooth proximity, ctrl+alt+L, etc.-

Endperform wrote on the 6 Apr 09 at 18:59
I've got an 18 month old daughter, and you know what I do to prevent 'damage' to Ubuntu? Lock the screen when you get up. It's simple, effective, and it's already available for use. I almost always move the keyboard out of her reach as well.

jamesisin wrote on the 8 Apr 09 at 00:33
glococo - Thanks for the tip. I tried Super-L, but I didn't think to try ctrl-alt-L to lock the screen.

Could be better advertised.

maix - Would you care to offer more information or perhaps a link to the hotcorner solution you mention?

tgm4883 (Brainstorm moderator) wrote on the 8 Apr 09 at 15:03
Deleting solution 4 as it is implemented already (and doesn't really fit)

311005901 wrote on the 10 Apr 09 at 13:44
#5 is not possible on my current keyboard. (Apple US)
I don't have a "Scroll Lock" key.

leael wrote on the 16 Apr 09 at 23:41
Look into pamusb - you can use your Flash Disk as a key (which saves you a lot of password typing, if you desire so) and can also be configured to lock the screen on unplugging the USB-stick and automatically unlocking the screen on insertion.

joontheweb wrote on the 20 Jan 10 at 18:10
I'd like to have an option to let my child practice hitting the keys in a text editor without unexpected side-effects. Simply switching off all the Alt and Function keys would do, so a keyboard option I could select (with the mouse) where only the alpha-numeric keys worked would be handy.


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