CDA

[Burt, David]

Sheryl Dwinell wrote:

>>What examples can you give of this under typical library conditions?
By
>>that I mean keyword filtering off, and only porn filtering enabled.
>>Which filter currently in use in libraries under library conditions
>>blocks sites on breast cancer?
>

>CYBERSitter.  You cannot disable the keyword filter.  And, there are
>libraries that are using CS.  What happens is that you are unable to
>perform a search using a search engine for any blocked word.  So, you
can't
>search for 'breast cancer' or 'chicken breasts' or 'Enola Gay' or
'fairy
>tales'.

I just downloaded the latest version of CYBERSITTER to verify that this
was still true, and yes, it is true.  When you type "sex" or "the f
word" into a search engine, nothing happens.  And no, you cannot turn it
off.

I know that some schools are using Cybersitter.  I didn't know that any
public libraries were.  They should switch to CyberPatrol, a much better
product.  Aside from the lack of keyword flexibility, Cybersitter has a
pretty nasty reputation, for threatening to sue people, for blocking
competitors sites, for not being responsive to unblocking sites, and it
is rumored they are affiliated with the Christian Right.


  ***********************************************************
          David Burt, Information Technology Librarian 
          The Lake Oswego Public Library 
          706 Fourth Street, Lake Oswego, OR 97034
          URL:          http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/library/library.htm
          Phone:     (503) 675-2537 
          Fax:           (503) 635-4171 
          E-mail:      dburt at ci.oswego.or.us