Disallowing certain URLs in Netscape 4.X

[Charles F. Bearden]

On Wed, 29 Jul 1998, Jeri Traw wrote:

> Is there a way to to not allow someone to go to a particular URL with 
> Netscape and/or WinSelect (Ikiosk)?  I read the recent discussions 
> about how to allow only certain URLs to dedicate computers for 
> certain indexes like SearchBank--but we do not want that.  We have no 
> problem with people surfing, luckily our surfers don't surf that 
> long.  Our problem is with the chatters and free emailers of the 
> world.
> 
> We don't want to load a product like NetNannie, etc.  But we are 
> having a big problem with people chating or using free email 
> services--you know the old story, we are very small and have few 
> computers which are posted policies state are for research purposes.  
> We can stop users from typing  a specific URL into the location line 
> but that does not stop them from using a search engine to find the 
> site and access it that way.
> 
> Chat and free email are giving my little library a big big headache 
> (I know loads of you out there are feel it too).
> I know there is probably not a solution but it can't hurt to ask.
> 
> 
> Thanks for any help anyone can give me,

I seem to recall that the newer versions of WinSelect (Kiosk, I think)
will permit you to set up filters for text-entry boxes like the 
location box in Netscape.  If I remember correctly, you could set it 
up to refuse to accept a text string like "*hotmail.com".  I only 
got to play with that product a few days before I changed jobs.


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Chuck Bearden                                   cbearden at rice.edu
Electronic Resources Librarian    
Fondren Library--MS44                        713 / 527-8101 x3634
Rice University                              713 / 737-5859 (fax)
P.O. Box 1892
Houston, TX 77251-1892
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::