Privately storing G&N photos on computer

[colormaniac]

Originally Posted by Domwolf

Easy.... If you run windows

1) Create a seperate user account for you and your kids
2) Make your kids account Limited
3) Password protect your account and make your folders private
4) Change Logon to fast switch

There you go, the files in your account in your my docs are private and no one can see and the kids account is limited which helps against spamware and virus

This is probably the best way. Kids are very smart with computer. And Windows makes it very easy to track and find files. Even if you put the files in some weird folder, the "Recent Items" or "History" or just "search *.jpg" in Windows or many applications can let them retrieve the files conveniently. Even if you save the files on a USB drive, they may be able to see the link and the filenames, which could give them some unnecessary fancy.

[Shaymus]

Use a program such as "Hide Folders 2009"

http://www.fspro.net/hide-folders/

Pass-worded and completely hidden.

[woodsters]

Originally Posted by colormaniac

Kids are very smart with computer.

You are totally correct...Last year when my daughter was 7 she needed help with something on her computer. I went to get on her computer and got hit up witf needing a password. I asked her where that came from and she said she put it on there....They learn a lot of stuff in school now...lmao

[imbillkamal]

You can set user settings in windows computers, not sure how it's done on MAC osx though

[getbent]

I think the best way would be to have separate accounts for you and the kids. "Hiding" files in folders with unassuming names does nothing. All you have to do is search the computer for *.jpg files or any other photo type file extension and everything will pop-up in the search. Also, with newer versions of Windows, everything gets indexed so simply typing in a file name will bring up anything related. If you name a picture "nude..." then typing in nude will bring up that file no matter where it is on your computer, unless you deselect that specific file from the indexing process.

Creating a separate account ( with you as the administrator ) will allow you to keep your files completely hidden from your kids. But you'll still be able to see everything in their account since you're the administrator. Giving them their own account will also allow them to customize their settings so they don't mess yours up.

[Cosha]

Buy an external hard Drive that you plug in USB, Take it out when you dont use it!?

To be honest, i expect your kids have got there own 'Hidden' Files already

[dovaka]

the only way to really be safe is to have them on a separate drive and keep it locked up somewhere.

[blackhawk]

Not a good idea to share machines.

[Flores]

I would suggest you look into PGP (Pretty Good Privacy)

http://www.gnupg.org/ for the free version.

http://www.pgp.com for the commercial/easier to use if your not a geek version.

I've been using PGP for about 15 years.

Put it this way, your worried about peeping eyes. What happens if someone steals your computer?

[blackhawk]

If you lose your encryption key, and your images, how would you feel?

[Flores]

Originally Posted by blackhawk

If you lose your encryption key, and your images, how would you feel?

Like I didn't bother to keep backups? But if it was stolen, I would be relived that whoever took my drive/pc would not have useful access to the data on the drive.

Important stuff on my systems is backed up onto a separate system (just the encrypted stuff) at my office, and also to a hosting facility in California, which also hosts my web sites.

I've been burned before. not going to happen again. ever.

[blackhawk]

Originally Posted by Flores

Like I didn't bother to keep backups? But if it was stolen, I would be relived that whoever took my drive/pc would not have useful access to the data on the drive.

Important stuff on my systems is backed up onto a separate system (just the encrypted stuff) at my office, and also to a hosting facility in California, which also hosts my web sites.

I've been burned before. not going to happen again. ever.

I'd add a third.

[hqqns]

Have you considered giving them access just to an old PC and banning from yours? I'm sure they won't need the power to do PP yet

That way they can't stuff up anything important ... virus , delete your photos etc....

[dontcallmeash]

use an external, password protected encrypted USB hard drive if you want private storage on a 'public' computer.

if something is there, it can be EASILY found.

[dsd17]

Sort of off/on topic. I was doing tech support a few years back and was installing diagnostic software on a guy's laptop. He told me and my coworker that he had porn on there, but it was hid really well so we probably couldn't find it. We both just looked at each other and started laughing. I guess he realized who he said it to and then said 'Well, you guys probably can, but my wife hasn't yet.'