This is war, ADD proofing my computer!

[Smarky]

Hello,

Okay as a graphic designer and web designer (in the making!) I spend large amounts of time on the computer, in fact it's pretty much what I do, apart from when I go to work (at a computer retail place lol!), go out with friends and exercise.

A recent problem with mine has been when ADD strikes there is a lot of chance for me to stop working, load up a game, surf the internet, check email etc, browse these forums etc. There is a whole world out there open to me at a few clicks. This started me thinking. I was also thinking that although I can allow distractions (cause face it they are going to happen plus they are fun!) I need to control what distractions I am open to and that which I am not. that way I can ensure that all the distractions lead me to the outcomes i want and completing my goals (starting own business and a great portfolio!). So when i fall, I fall forward.

Cue the soultion! (the technical stuff!)

Okay first I create a new user called "Work" or whatever, in my case I Created one called "Creative"

Second I get a program called access boss from here URL removed by moderator (costs $24.99 to buy)

Then I get a program called program lock pro from link removed by moderator this has a cost too, but the trial version works just fine for the need (no time limit)


Okay now we have the tools, here is basically what I have done. Using Access boss I can set what times you are allowed to use each user. The "work" user has no restrictions but the main user does, I allow access in the morning and in the evening. When you are logged in as this user it will tell you when time is up and log you out within a set amount of time (so you can safe what you are doing)

Now using program lock on the main user I set and save a list of all the programs i don't want to be able to access email, internet, games etc.

When the time is up Access boss logs me out and I log into "Work" user, because program lock is running on the other user which i can no longer log into all the applications are locked and can't be used apart from that which I need too.

Further more, the "work" user has a different start menu and no applications that are not needed, just things like word processer, design programs etc, no internet, email, games.

What this does for me, is during hours that I should be working I don't have access to any of the distractions. Even if I want to access them I can't (or it's extremely difficult too), yet i still have everything on My computer for times when i'm allowed to use them.

I will allow myself some programs that might not be related to the job i am doing at that time, but is related to the larger outcome I want, so that there are ditstrictions there but even if I do choose to take them I still fall forward.

Now I have a simple choice, there is not much for me to get distracted with, I don't watch much TV (only have basic boring channels), I live on my own and there is nothing around to do that much. So I can either exercise, read or work on the computer (only do what i'm allowed) or just play around on the computer (restricted to design applications which are really helping me to get to were i want to be anyway)

This might take a bit of getting used to and may make me insane for a small amount of time, but it's worth a try!

[Struggling]

Wow...that's a lot of work to make sure ya do what you're supposed to be doing on the net.

I think I need that

[Swamp Donkey]

ROTFLOL!

Now that is what I call a very creative solution!

[Smarky]

Maybe i'm spending do much time on this and taking it too seriously but I have to try out something.

I have changed my way of doing it as I have managed to hack Windows XP Home to allow me access to the security tab. From here I can set access of files and folders per user. Since I have created a new user for doing work I can now just disallow anything not needed.

Thinking about this idea, I'm a little worried it will drive me insane, but I need to learn not to be so depentant on things like this. Also i'm considering allowing Internet access since I might need it for research, so i'm looking for a soultion to only allow selected sites that I might need and nothing else.

I already tested it out earlier today, for 2 hours. I was clicking hopelessly on the folder tited "games" and all I got was a nice error message

[Smarky]

Okay, I don't give in easy, so here goes my Internet soultion, I certainly will need access to the internet at some points so simply disallowing it would be a little too restrictive.

Cue another soultion, (i'm working to hard on this :P)

The Windows host file allows you to reroute any address to any other address. The file is simply called host. You can find it here

Windows XP = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC Windows 2K = C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC Win 98\ME = C:\WINDOWS

now if you add something like this to the file:

127.0.0.1 www.google.com

When you visit, www.google.com you will be redirected to localhost (on most computers just a blank page) There is no way to access www.google.com anymore, just add all the sites that I know I could use to search or pages I often visit but should not be allowed too, this way I can still have internet and "on-topic" stuff but no news site, forums etc.

Okay we are not done yet! Problem is this effects also the main account in which I will want to access google from, it would be a lot of editing to keep having to change it back and forth! Enter a freeware program I found called "hoststoggle", I now have two icons on the desktop "Restricted internet", "Non Restricted internet" at a click of a button I can change between the two.

I then disable access rights too this file from the "work" user, then I can only change it when I'm allowed too as such. I also add the "Restricted internet" onto startup so it is loaded as default when I turn the computer on. Restricted access us given access rights in the "work" user and we are all set.

Now I have a computer that I between working hours of 8am and 6pm Monday to Thursday I can only access a restricted user with a limited set of needed applications (no games!) and internet connection that only allows sites I would also need. Restricted from any districtions i might have, yet full access to everything i would need.

Genius eh?

[Smarky]

First day of doing it, shame I felt like junk but it did work, during Lunch I was playing Halo and up popped the window "back to work" lol

[Tyboulder]

Great idea. I have a computer that I study on and another computer kicking about (and not nearly as convenient). In the past I've tried to keep internet access of the computer I study on. When I've done this (those painful every 4 minutes when I get that "zap" of a great tangent to follow) it's kept me studying (unhappily)... But studying unhapily is better than not studying. I think people use the word "dicipline" to describe what I'm talking about-- btu I'm not sure.

[ursus]

THANK YOU for this thread. Solitare was killing me. I've managed to not reinstall it at work for many months now, but at home I'm still totally sucked in. And Google Earth? Wow. What a wonderful tool, and what a tar pit! (yeah, I'm a geoscientist).

[xyser]

you're silly. just take off your lawlersk8s!! they're makin' you trippin'' like crazY(don't bother reading that haha). anyways, dude. i'm glad that you've found your way around it. I've thought of ideas like that which help somewhat for me. i just find more and more stupider things to do(draw...type "abc"s over and over again. Idk, luckly for me though i can overall concentrate more on the computer. WWW = death for me, but at the same time i want death. oh wow i don't know what i'm talking about