21 votes
Make exit keyboard command more difficult planned
My 1 yr old played for the first time today and she was out of the app and opening up multiple instances of Windows Media Center in about 5 minutes. Any thought about making the keyboard command to exit the app a little more difficult or involved (i.e., adding additional keys besides just Alt-F4)?
OK, she hit ALT-F4 fast? My concern is that if I make exiting harder that *parents* won't be able to get out. ;) (I've had this complaint before). However, your point is well taken. What's a good keystroke? CTRL-SHIFT-ALT-F4?
- shanselman
gregorylam
I say let's not overthink this. Ctrl-Alt-Shift F4 will do the trick, methinks. A exit sound (i.e. "Bye bye!") might also be useful to alert the nearby parent that the program has been compromised. You can't leave your kids completely unattended, anyway.
about 18 hours ago
gregorylam
I say let's not overthink this. Ctrl-Alt-Shift F4 will do the trick, methinks. A exit sound (i.e. "Bye bye!") might also be useful to alert the nearby parent that the program has been compromised. You can't leave your kids completely unattended, anyway.
about 18 hours ago
taylorlugi
I would like to see this configurable because the child keyboards normally do not have function keys. I just picked one up for my child and the keyboard doesn't have any function keys. The keys are bigger so it is easier for younger children to type. So I agree with nickknyc that this should be configurable.
2 months ago
gymcoach
I did not see this comment until I made my own similar one. I agree with nikknyc. Make it configurable or similar to a password/pin.
3 months ago
nickknyc
User configurable, please.
5 months ago
spigot
I think Alt+F4 is fairly sufficient. Maybe one additional key from the right side of the keyboard (F12 or something), but I wouldn't get too crazy. Inevitably kids will get lucky. But if a baby is good enough to nail a captcha or simple typed "exit" command then perhaps it time to start actual typing lessons. Even pulsing instructions are very hard to see if you've turned off solid backgrounds
5 months ago
mpowell
Our laptop has a "start media center" button that I'm pretty sure isn't actually a keyboard key, and so isn't disabled by BabySmash. It's possible the OP just needs to disable special function keys to prevent MC from starting...
5 months ago
shanselman
Ya, I thought about the captcha thing, but what if the kid sees it...do I just give them one try to type a word, then leave? For a toddler the exiting of the game might become a game in itself!
How about if they press ALT-FT, I "pulse" or blink the instructions in the upper corner that say "use CTRL-SHIFT-ALT-F4"?
5 months ago
cometbill
ALT-F4 - standard Windows way of exiting an app, but display a dialogue that requires a certain word typing in, maybe captcha stylee.
5 months ago
derekhubbard
Good point about parents not being able to get out. I like CTRL-SHIFT-ALT-F4, but I'm computer friendly. Is something like CTRL-SHIFT-ALT-ESC more "user friendly?"
5 months ago