hi, wonder if it's possible to create a user account login with limited access to certain programmes/games. let's say: yahoo messenger for eg. wat i wld like to do is, allow that user login to be able to use yahoo for certain time only, 5-6pm. before 5pm, or after 6pm, the user login will have no access to yahoo. if he's using yahoo at 530pm, at 6pm sharp the prog shd terminate automatically.. and ofcoz the user cant fool the system by keeping adjusting the system clock backwards to avoid hitting 6pm.. :) is this possible to achieve on win2k? any thots appreciated. if it's possible or able to do something quite close to what i wanted, pls give me some instructions as i'm quite new to win2k. thanks,

According to the books that Microsoft has put out there is no way to do what you want with windows 2000. there may be some kind of 3rd party program (a program from someone other then Microsoft) that could do that for you. now before you get all pissed off at Microsoft or the Windwos family, having an allowed time for programs can be done using a PDC (Primary Domain Controller) if you are on a Domain with Windows 2000 or 2003 server you could use the Active Directory to set that. but from what you said i don't think you are. I'm sorry that i couldn't be more help to you, but now you know.

ok.. thanks for your input. my win2k desktop is mainly for home use, ie not at office so it doesnt have a domain. it does however, belong to a Workgroup so i cld hook it up on home LAN and share resources with laptop. am i still able to use Active Directory? coz funny thing is i'm not able to find Active Directory setting in anywhere. do i need to install it separately? thanks,

You could get an Internet firewall to take care of this. I have a 3com which will allow me to set a policy which will block ports during a specific time, or all the time. I use this to block the AIM from 3pm to 6pm so my kids will not be able to use it until I am at home. I don't know if a software firewall will offer this option. You could check to see. I have used zone alarm in the past, which is pretty good, but slows the computer down. Hope this helps.

thx andy, will chk out zonealarm. that may work for internet access-related apps.. but i guess not for stand alone apps, for eg mspaint :)