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Hi.
My kid thinks he owns the desktop computer in the kitchen. He sits there in the kitchen for about eight hours a day, and when he's NOT sitting there... he has about a dozen .torrent files downloading and destroying the speed of our router. (I use my laptop, since wifey and the brat keep screwing around with the screen settings.... and other stuff that bugs me).
How do I keep my computer from recognizing .torrent files? I can't get it through his thick head that everything he's stealing through the internet can lead to a copyright infringement lawsuit ...or at the very least, he could get our internet shut off. (He keeps downloading "Code Lyoko" cartoons and "Dr Who"....... full seasons).
Anyone got any good advice,..... or do I just smack him around, a little?
Thanks, Don®.
Thanks guys.
He doesn't respond to "the speech". (He's a "special-needs" child,..... so pegged by "the wisest of the wise" of our local public education department. He's been in therapy since first grade and on meds for almost as long..... dispite the objections of his parents,.... but the Dept of Mental Health knows what's best, don't they)? Discipline is as effective as a gas-powered fire extinguisher.
And I suspect that his download rates are at rock bottom, since he's a leech of the worst kind, and doesn't even realize that his rates could be increased by "sharing".
In my quest for knowledge, I discovered that my firewall settings control his downloads. I adjusted the settings to not allow his "BitLord" downloads.
There are three "Limited" accounts on the computer, and Mother has the only "Administrator" account. His actions are limited,.... until Mom leaves the PC to go to the bathroom and he sneaks on and changes things from HER account.
I do my best to limit his options without outright DENYING him access to the computer,..... I TRY to be strict: but fair..... and he THINKS I'm totally computer illiterate, but I can almost always keep up with him and thwart his evil trickery. I still can add a "Boot" password, the Boot settings ARE password protected, and only I know the password,.... If I have to, I can always add a boot password so he cannot start Windows. (But I don't think I need to go that far,..... not yet, anyway).
He'll grow up, someday... i'm sure. Until then, hopefully I can lead him there by EXAMPLE..... since he refuses to learn by personal, individual parental enlightenment.
Thanks again, guys,......... Don®
(I'll look into that "opera" stuff).
I assume you are using Windows XP on your kitchen PC.
in addition to Steve's advice
- uninstall the download software (or all)
- uninstall Opera if present - it has got an inbuilt bittorrent client
- create a separate admin account for yourself
- reduce the rights of your son's account to normal user rights, meaning whenever he is going to install software he has to ask you, so you're back in control
Don't forget to password protect your account well.
Or install a password protected firewall and block your son's software in there.
From one father to another father
And give him The Speech. Whenever my sons and I need to agree on something, I ask for some 'earnest money' in case they default. Like cleaning all the windows in the house, or all the radiators, or... Think of something and insist on his keeping the promise!
Be a father! Take away the privilege of using the computer for some weeks and enforce this measure!
Being a father is not the same as being a friend. Being happy is not the same as being entertained. And making someone happy often starts with a stern "No!".
--
always look on the bright sight of life...
You could go into the router and delete the rule allowing his bittorrent program through and then re-set the password for the router so he will not be able to get in to the settings.
You would also have to disable UPnP in the router.
He would still be able to do some transfers, but at very low speeds.
There are probably programs that can block the bittorrent transfers, but I do not know.
Steve
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