The only thing I do hate about OSX...

[ChrisH3677]

It's hard to find anything wrong with OSX since they've almost got Windows integration working perfectly (still can't connect to shares on a W2K3 server).

But there's one thing problem in OSX that makes me feel like I'm in the bad old world of Windows 95 where things didn't work the way they're meant to (eg Plug and pray).

in Accounts... Simple Finder and "Some Limits".

I have been trying to setup my kids' Mac with limited access. pffffftt! It takes the 9yo 5 mins to find out it doesn't work properly. I tried Simple Finder but it doesn't stop any application - despite iimplying that it will. It just presents a simple finder with shortcuts to the apps you think you have limited access to. By command-arrowing, you can navigate to the Apps folder and run any app you want.

Furthermore, some apps don't appear in the "My Applications" folder, so you have to manually create shortcuts to them.

so I thought I'd try the "Some Limits" option. no luck there either. sure it worked if you tried to run apps... well most of the time.... but Safari ran just fine from links in menus despite being an app that was not selected to be usable. Then other apps that were ticked as being usable, said they weren't!!! aaarrrgghhh!!

The Limitations in Accounts is extraordinarily dodgy and unreliable and is frustrating the heck out of me because this was a selling feature to my wife. So I didn't test it properly beforehand. Shoot me.

But, all that said, I have seen how Apple have fixed problems in OSX these last 12 mths and am very impressed. I look forward to them fixing these problems too. I hope I don't have to wait too long. Maybe that's will be handle in Tiger's ACLs (Access Control Lists). I hope so - my 9yo is only getting smarter.

PS This isn't just a vent. I would be most interested in knowing if anyone knows ways to fix these probs or if there's a back door to creating the security i want. (I do use MacMinder which helps)

 

[wrldwzrd89]

It's hard to find anything wrong with OSX since they've almost got Windows integration working perfectly (still can't connect to shares on a W2K3 server).

But there's one thing problem in OSX that makes me feel like I'm in the bad old world of Windows 95 where things didn't work the way they're meant to (eg Plug and pray).

in Accounts... Simple Finder and "Some Limits".

I have been trying to setup my kids' Mac with limited access. pffffftt! It takes the 9yo 5 mins to find out it doesn't work properly. I tried Simple Finder but it doesn't stop any application - despite iimplying that it will. It just presents a simple finder with shortcuts to the apps you think you have limited access to. By command-arrowing, you can navigate to the Apps folder and run any app you want.

Furthermore, some apps don't appear in the "My Applications" folder, so you have to manually create shortcuts to them.

so I thought I'd try the "Some Limits" option. no luck there either. sure it worked if you tried to run apps... well most of the time.... but Safari ran just fine from links in menus despite being an app that was not selected to be usable. Then other apps that were ticked as being usable, said they weren't!!! aaarrrgghhh!!

The Limitations in Accounts is extraordinarily dodgy and unreliable and is frustrating the heck out of me because this was a selling feature to my wife. So I didn't test it properly beforehand. Shoot me.

But, all that said, I have seen how Apple have fixed problems in OSX these last 12 mths and am very impressed. I look forward to them fixing these problems too. I hope I don't have to wait too long. Maybe that's will be handle in Tiger's ACLs (Access Control Lists). I hope so - my 9yo is only getting smarter.

PS This isn't just a vent. I would be most interested in knowing if anyone knows ways to fix these probs or if there's a back door to creating the security i want. (I do use MacMinder which helps)

First of all, I'd repair permissions to eliminate any possibilty that something there is causing the problem. Also, it's quite possible that a corrupt preference file is causing restrictions to act strangely. I don't use restrictions myself (I'm the only user of my iMac), so I don't know what the specific cause is, nor do I know which preference file(s) would be to blame.

 

[FlamDrag]

Here's a possible kludge around your problem...

Buy an external FireWire drive and place all 'restricted' files and applications on it. Then only have the drive connected when you're using the machine.

Of course, this won't work for any system applications or files though. Plus you'll have to spend cash on the drive.

So it's not an ideal solution, but depending on the problem, it may be a no-hassle fix.

 

[ravenvii]

Or you can try Finderella. It's a kiddie-ified Finder replacement that may serve what you need.

I never used it; I'm the sole user of my Mac as well, so I can't vouch for it's quality. But it's worth a try.

 

[jsw]

Other solution:

Go into Applications Folder.

Select all Apps you want to restrict.

Do a Command-I to "Get Info".

Click Arrow at bottom of "Ownership & Permissions"

Set 'Group' to 'admin', and make sure you and your wife have admin privs (System Preferences...->Accounts; go to each account's Security tab, check "Allow user to administer this computer"), then give yourself "Read" or "Read and Write" permission. Make sure kids do NOT have admin privs.

Set 'Others' to 'No Access'

Screwy, but it should work just fine.

 

[BrianKonarsMac]

why not just give him his own account with "safe" content on his user name, and keep the admin acct for you and your wife? slap a password on it and presto...

 

[JohnsonMac]

Agreed with user above. Set permissions on apps you don't want them using to 'admin'. Now only admin can run them. Simple.