Eleven: Locked Out

My computer tries to limit questionable websites, and one of the ways it does that is by blocking every website requiring a log in. 

So I've been locked out of blogging for the last two weeks. That's where I've been, if you must know.

But we're back. Just as a teaser, here's some of the stuff that's in the works. I will be pushing these just as soon as they're ready (and in no particular order).

• Short exposition on God and the Avengers.
• More "Mnemosyne".
• Lessons learned from BIO@TECH.
• A talk on my music, some of which is now published.
• To me what makes a good story.
• A review on "The Secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flamel" book series.

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For now though, let's talk about computer parental controls. 

The Negatives

The negatives come first because there seem to be more of them.

When I'm working and my computer tells me, "5 more minutes till 10 PM", that can get kind of annoying. If I'm in an online conversation or working on music or art or even a blog, there's nothing I can do except try to time a good ending point with the hard stop the computer gives me at 10 PM. After that time, my account logs out and doesn't reactivate till the morning.

I've had to interrupt some serious activities because of the log out timer before. Was in a game and on a Skype call with a friend when all of a sudden, the computer without warning tells me I have two minutes left. All of a sudden, it's a mad rush to make an excuse to go and quit the game and make sure nothing will break in 120 seconds or less. Stuff like that has happened in various forms on multiple occasions, namely conversations with friends (which I consider serious – more so than playing a game).

Moreover, stuff like popups saying, "You can't access this website," can be very annoying. Especially when they keep me from blogging about how annoying they are.

One time I was podcasting. We use a Google Doc for our outline. I went to open the link and the site became blocked for no apparent reason. It wouldn't open for the length of the podcast, putting me at a serious disadvantage. It's hard to deal with stuff like that when we're streaming live for 15 people around the world.

The Positives

On the other hand, I get to bed at a decent time. This is huge, cause it wouldn't happen otherwise.

I get to do my quiet times in the Bible without my distraction before my computer reactivates in the morning.

I get to practice asking for help (usually to unlock websites), which is not something I'm terribly good at. The asking, not the unlocking.

The Conclusion

Would I remove the limits on my computer if I had the choice? I'd be hard pressed to say yes. Sometimes I would REALLY REALLY REALLY like to keep working past 10PM. Sometimes I would REALLY REALLY REALLY like to work without interrupting popups or log on earlier in the morning.

But the small benefits for me outweigh the downsides enough that I'd have to say no more times than yes. 

It's a tough position to be in – deciding such a thing – because there are reasons to support both sides. I'm not going to say, "I'm glad I have those limits" because I'm not. Removing them would not be an offense to me whatsoever. But while they're still there, I enjoy the benefits of a computer that forces me to exercise self-control as well.

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More coming down the pipe soon. Stay tuned.