[sangohan]

I want to stop using the internet. Seriously. Or at least limit my intake.

Is there a TIMER or something for Safari where it will only let me use Safari, say, for like 1 hr a day? I'll pick a terribly password like "@#$SDF@#$!2233" and not write it down...oooh and preferably, I should limit all other browsers (not other internet apps though)...a little clock/bar icon in the menu bar...and prevent me from deleting it without the password.

Stop laughing. I'm serious. I'd pay a good $50 for something like this. You know how it is...first you're just going to quickly check your email...oh but then a few news sites...ooh and then a quick game...oh and...now it's like 3 hours before you have to wake up the next day. AAAAAAA!

Help?

VC

[budster101]

I just quit smoking so, I'm upping my online time....

I'm addicted to MacNN.

[Chuckit]

There aren't any that give actual quotas, as far as I know, but I have actually seen apps that will bitch at you after a while and tell you to go get some exercise or something.

[budster101]

Get married.... Bingo!

[TerryJ]

Hmmm... wondering if you could set your automatic shut down time in System Preferences. this would simply shut down your whole computer, but from the sound of it that might not be a bad thing.

[Anubis IV]

Yeah, the automatic shut down via Energy Saver's schedule sounds like it might not be a bad idea, but for that to work the way that you want, you'd have to set an admin password that was unknown to you, lock the System Preferences, and even then you could still just restart the computer and keep on going...

Honestly, I don't know that such a thing is easily accomplished or in existence, but yeah, I've been at a place where I would've paid $50 for that product too. I just had to go cold turkey on the place on the net where I was spending my time (and no, it was not porn...it was a particular message board for gaming).

[Randman]

There are some shareware apps that will help. Macupdate.com should have them.

[cybergoober]

Some routers can be set to only allow access at certain times for specific IPs...

[romeosc]

Originally Posted by cybergoober

Some routers can be set to only allow access at certain times for specific IPs...

Tell your girlfriend come in naked after 10 minutes..... If that doesn't work have her bring a girlfriend..... if that doesn't work .......

[sangohan]

Wow, seriously, I can't believe there's no product on the market for this. I think there's a few good XP programs, but no shareware (that I could find) for the Mac.

Ok, I'd pay $55.

Aren't there any programmers like in Belgium or something who would want to make this? (It seems all good shareware these days originates somewhere in the European boonies... ) It's not just good for you, but you can control your kids/spouse/friends (I have way too many friends who use my computer when I'm not...) usage... Okay so maybe you wouldn't make MILLIONS off the product, but you could make...thousands? Zero competition...get a patent...etc...

Maybe have another option to choose which programs you want to limit and how (ie. 1hr of Safari a day, 2 hrs of Warcraft a day, 4 hours of Photoshop, etc.)...

VC

[romeosc]

If you are really serious....
http://www.hallogram.com/intego/contentbarrier/

[sangohan]

Originally Posted by romeosc

If you are really serious....
http://www.hallogram.com/intego/contentbarrier/

Mmm...still not quite what I'm looking for...

I can't believe there's not a program out there. Anywhere I can like post a wishlist where some bored programmer might take up the challenge?

[msuper69]

C'mon, what are you, a pussy?

Suck it up man and take control of your life!

You don't need no stinkin' software. Just a backbone.

[romeosc]

Originally Posted by msuper69

C'mon, what are you, a pussy?

Suck it up man and take control of your life!

You don't need no stinkin' software. Just a backbone.

"Eating all those Twinkies made me do it!" LOL

[Link]

Why don't you just make a crontab that executes an apple script that kills safari every hour or so? This might sound odd, and is definitely something that would probably need refining (to not quit while at a secure site or downloading) .. but at least you'd realize the passing of time.

Then what you do is have 3 marbles or stones on your table, maybe more. Every time the program quits, dump a stone into a container. Once you're out of stones, you're done for the day

Might sound crazy, but you'll be more aware of two things:

1. The passing of time
2: How much time you've spent on.

This also allows you to gradually ease off.

[__^^__]

When surfing the internet, I unplug my PB and run it off the battery. When the battery dies I stop and move on to something else.