$39.95 (subscription)
Trials & Specials
Pros: CyberSitter was easy to install and leaves very little trace of itself. After installation you can scan your computer for objectionable files. Easy to manage. If you purchase the SnoopStick you can monitor your account from any Internet connection. Custom word, phrase, and website blocking. Includes Email filtering and the ability to block file sharing.
Cons: Computer scan is inaccurate (lots of false positives). Uninstall is not the most user friendly. Additional costs for the SnoopStick (some Internet filters provide the same service for free). Can slow computer performance, no multiple user customization, daily email of reports are difficult to configure (good luck with msn or yahoo).
Summary
CyberSitter is noted for its simplicity in design, unique feature set and ease of use. Some of CyberSitter's unique features include: Scanning your hard disk for objectionable material and a SnoopStick to monitor your computer from any Internet connection (for an additional cost).
CyberSitter however was lacking in other areas including: No custom user profiles, limited reports, no immediately override of blocked websites, and poor customer support. Be advised that you will be charged an addition $10 to reset your password.
Overall CyberSitter's Internet filter was simple to use and easy to manage. Overblocking was not a problem, but it did underblock a little more than it should have.
Installation/Setup
CyberSitter was very easy to download and install. With a footprint of 2.37MB it took less than a minute to download with a Broadband connection (May take 2-3 minutes on dial-up). In order to "insure you receive maximum blocking efficiency" you are asked to clear your browsers cache and/or temporary Internet files (can be difficult for inexperienced users)..
Once installation has completed you are asked if you would like to configure your Internet settings, which will open the CyberSitter administrative console. You are also asked if you would like to scan your hard disk for objectionable material. This will scan to find files on your computer that may contain objectionable keywords.
Management
Some of CyberSitter's most notable features include: block file sharing, block ftp sites, block newsgroups, block instant messengers, filter email, and restrict access to the Internet (based on time-of-day). Settings are applied to the computer and are not user specific, but do allow customization to block on words, phrases and/or websites.
In addition to the above mentioned CyberSitter can also send a daily email report. This includes violations (when users are blocked), a list of websites visited, and instant message conversations. Unfortunately if you do not know your smtp mail server or want to use a basic yahoo/msn account your out of luck.
Accuracy
Administrators are given the choice to filter on 33 different categories. CyberSitter comes with 7 categories filtered by default including: Adult/Sexually Oriented, Illegal Activities/Drugs, Hate/Intolerance, Illegal Guns/Violence, Image Searches, and Social Networking sites.We tested 2 lists of websites including: adult image searches, MySpace.com accounts, Hate oriented websites, websites that promote hacking, drug use, gambling, adult humor, etc
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