Feature set:
Net Nanny had as many or more features than
the other competitors. One aspect that Net Nanny
stands out in, is the ability to block online
games, something the other competitors have
not dealt with. The other feature that was interesting
was the email filtering. Even though it is not
an anti–Spam product, it does filter out objectionable
content in an email while still allowing you
to read the email without the filth.
Net Nanny 5.1 states that it blocks and filters
Instant Messaging, but it didn't appear to work
with all instant Messenger software in our tests. Net Nanny has chosen to open up
its core filtering technology – Anyone can view
the restricted and permitted URLs and URL wildcards.
You can also add to or remove from these lists.
Customization is also available for special
words or phrases that you may want filtered. |
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Ease of use:
The Internet blocking function that Net Nanny
has implemented works differently depending
on how you are surfing the web. If you type
in a URL, it displays an error message. If you
are using a search engine and type in an objectionable
word, it just omits the results, without a block
message.
Ease of installation:
Beginning with the install, it took more time
than anticipated to complete the installation
and then to get it working properly. This is
probably the product’s biggest weakness. Even
though it is a little more time–consuming to
get installed, it should not be a deterrent
from using the product. It just takes a few
additional steps for the setup
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Filtering
Effectiveness:
Net Nanny has improved the filtering effectiveness
as well as how they handle the blocking functions
and warning functions. The over blocking (websites
that should not have been blocked) worked extremely
well, with a few exceptions. The under blocking
(websites that should have been blocked, but
were not) works very well with the English web
sites, but could still use a few improvements
in the non–English environment. The overall
filtering effectiveness had a good balance between
blocking what it should and not blocking too
much.
Summary:
Overall, Net Nanny is a sound Internet filter.
With its worldwide brand reputation, it makes
a very good investment.
George La Rosa - ParentalSoftware.org |
