Internet site blocking

March 24, 2005 9:58 PM

Does anyone have recommendations for good software/methods to block certain overly addictive websites for say, the revision period prior to exams?

A lot of my notes are online and metafilter is but a click away.. Not good for ones concentration, or productivity. Tips for refocusing post informational instant gratification overload quitting always appreciated.

posted by Mossy to computers & internet (10 comments total)

try this: find a normal parental blocker, call a friend over, have them write it down, and ask them not to unblock it until after your exams.
I always just lock my laptop to a shelf where i have to stand up to type using a security cable- up my lazy geek ass quickly gave up on the whole physical exertion thing, and I learned a lot that week.
posted by michaelkuznet at 10:18 PM on March 24, 2005

Changes your hosts file to point to 127.0.0.1 for highly addictive sites.

For example in windows, open up C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\hosts and add the following line:

127.0.0.1 metafilter.com

When you want them unblocked just add a # to the start of the line.

That's the simplest/lo-fi way of doing it. Installing something like net-nanny would be another way of going about it.
posted by furtive at 10:21 PM on March 24, 2005

There's this similar question with some good suggestions - some technical, some behavioral.
posted by O9scar at 10:28 PM on March 24, 2005

i suppose a parental blocker you don't have the code for would work ... any other method that you install into your computer can just be uninstalled by you, adding to the time you're wasting

do you have a printer? ... print out your notes and study them AWAY from the computer ... preferably somewhere else entirely ... if you still need the computer for your work save the notes to your hard drive and take the cord out of your network card/modem and give it to a friend and tell him NOT to give it back for a couple of hours ...

or acquire some self-discipline ... that would work, too
posted by pyramid termite at 10:34 PM on March 24, 2005

Self discipline is hardest yet strongest discipline one could ever achieve.
posted by Dean Keaton at 11:48 PM on March 24, 2005

I find this site remarkably helpful. Just set it as your homepage, and before that procrastination can even begin, you've got a reminder, and you set a task. It requires a little discipline to set the task but once you get used to it, the counter becomes a remarkably satisfying tool, and a good way to hold yourself accountable.
posted by geryon at 12:23 AM on March 25, 2005

Mossy thanks for asking the question and Geryon thanks for pointing out the 'Get Back To Work Link'....it is excellent and the small but stark reminder I need to keep me between the ditches. It is my new homepage. Cheers!
posted by kenaman at 2:59 AM on March 25, 2005

Also see this MeTa thread.
posted by MLIS at 6:54 AM on March 25, 2005

Thank you all kindly. See you in a month or two ^_^
posted by Mossy at 7:55 AM on March 25, 2005

I will often block sites that I use to much on our firewall. The problem is that I also know how to unblock them.
posted by trbrts at 8:20 AM on March 25, 2005