Changing my computer settings!

[DrFaroohk]

I have two friends who, while generally good people, simply don't understand about propriety and such things. This gets annoying in two ways, 1) they will not leave until flat out told to. That's not such a big deal cuz I generally enjoy their company anyway but 2) they always fuck around with my computer settings.

I really try to be cool and generous with people using my stuff, because I think really anal people who are like "MINE! ALL MINE!" are annoying. So I'm happy to let someone use my computer for a while or watch TV.

But with the computer thing, they feel the need to start fucking arranging shit the way they want. One friend is so paranoid she has to wipe the whole friggin system every time she's done, because god forbid I might be a Russian spy out to get her! So it's annoying to get online and find that the history and everything is gone. All my visited websites, gone. Saved usernames and passwords - gone. Gotta redo everything, which takes some guesswork, cuz I can never remember which username and password I used where.

Then the other friend likes to just rearrange shit. I'll find that he's completely inverted my color scheme, changed my desktop background, and even deleted games that he feels I shouldn't play because they suck.

Seriously, WTF. I am overwhelmed at the annoyingness of it. Even after confronting him about it, he quit with the deleting shit, but I still have to change all my backgrounds and themes back to the way I want them. I don't like it when my computer says the "...and I'm all out of bubblegum." quote upon booting up.

[Rapscallion]

Set up user account for them?

Rapscallion

[powerboy]

Set up user account for them?

Rapscallion

That was actually going to be my suggestion.

[HYHYBT]

That, or get new friends...

I wouldn't want people in my main account anyway, even if they *do* leave things as they are.

[protege]

Set up user account for them?

That would work

An even better solution...would be to retaliate. That is, find the most annoying color scheme (like Hot Dog Stand, in Win 3.1) and set that. Then, go into their WIN.INI file and change the permissions...so they can't change it back. A few days of eye-searing yellows and reds, and they'll know not to fuck with your computer. Trust me on this

[jackfaire]

Yeah flat out set up a guest account that they can abuse to their hearts content or tell them that they cannot and will not be using your computer.


There is a difference between, "Mine all mine" and "I don't like the way you handle my stuff"

I might let someone borrow my car to drive to the store but if I see them pop it up on two wheels they aren't driving it again. (or if they change all of my radio presets.

[HYHYBT]

No, but you probably wouldn't expect the mirrors and seat to stay how you left them, either. It's all relative... which, aside from privacy, is why I keep "guest account" active.

Plus, since it resets itself every time you log out, I find it useful when I want to see whether, for instance, a cookie or preference file is causing a problem *before* either throwing them all out or tracking down which one it might be.

[Red Panda]

Give them a guest account but also gimp it. Put the most severe nanny lock on the internet and set the privileges so they can't change anything at all.

[jackfaire]

Yes but mirrors and the seat postiioning is equivilant to which windows they have to open to utilize the computer.

The presets is the equivilant to where files are positioned.

[Skunkle]

Agreed. Make a user account. Put a password on yours. I've done this, too... For a while, two of my friends would use my system, one would always install ICQ because he thinks everyone needs it and the other would uninstall it because "it sucks". Look, I don't care, really, I don't use it, but quit waging a war on my system.

I now have a separate user account, with no password. Generic desktop, generic XP layout (I use the older 98-style layout), nothing unusual...but no installing new programs.

My accounts are easy to tell apart. Zephyr has a skunk logo, Guest has a picture of a potted plant. And, in case they want to guess the password, the hint question is, "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" You won't have a single problem after that. But do make sure you set up YOUR account as the administrator, require admin permission for installing programs, and choke the 'net a bit in case they're prone to browsing porn sites and picking up stray Trojans.

In fact, your friend who erases the history... What are the chances he/she is visiting porn sites?

[DrFaroohk]

In fact, your friend who erases the history... What are the chances he/she is visiting porn sites?

I doubt she's visiting porn sites as we're almost always right in the room with her. I think it's just for security, but shit. You can have security on your own computer. MY computer, I want the settings left the fuck alone.

I hate having to go to a website and type out my full username and password. Then I have to go back into the settings and change it back so it saves it again.

[Fryk]

My accounts are easy to tell apart. Zephyr has a skunk logo, Guest has a picture of a potted plant. And, in case they want to guess the password, the hint question is, "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" You won't have a single problem after that. But do make sure you set up YOUR account as the administrator, require admin permission for installing programs, and choke the 'net a bit in case they're prone to browsing porn sites and picking up stray Trojans.

Haha, I know the answer to this!

[HYHYBT]

I don't remember what it's for, but somewhere, my self-chosen security question is "What's in the can?"

Reminds *me* of the answer, but nobody would ever guess it; certainly not within the three tries before they lock you out.

[gremcint]

The family I lived with in toronto never had a problem with me using their computer (I almost never did aside from checking router settings)
not only did the password happen to be the person's name but the hint told you the password outright (as in the password is hisname)

[Racket_Man]

I had to do a seperate account for my daughter when she still lived with me. set up a seperate account with very limited capabilities.

she was forever installing browser toolbars, d/l'ing Neopets stuff, clogging my Favorites folder/list with really bizzare and useless stuff/sites, occassionally getting a virus (yes I DID have a/v protection AND Spybot AND AdAware but still somehow managed to get some overseas dialer program installed which I had to go round and round with the phone company with to get the charges deleted) and if the OS or a program froze she either C+A+D'd it or just pulled the power plug (had to reinstall the OS and most of my backups at least twice because of this).

this was also a great way to keep her off of the computer when she was SUPPOSED to be doing household chores. just change her password to some large phrase and WAM no computer access.