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Lawmaker

Lawmaker is a tool which can protect your computer while you're temporarily away or while a new user or a guest logs on.

Most users expect a free reign on their local machines, but the fact of the matter is that Windows (and especially Windows XP) can limit this freedom so your computer use comes grinding to a halt.

Restrictions fall into three categories: Explorer, Network, and System. Most are fairly self-explanatory.

Explorer Restrictions

NoCloseWith this set you simply can't close down the workstation.
NoCommonGroupsTakes the common items off the menu after the separator under 'Programs'.
NoDesktopThat's right - no desktop. Back to Win16 basics.
NoDrivesLimits which drives Explorer will let you browse to with - amongst other things - the common file dialogs. Bitwise mask.
NoDriveTypeAutoRunTakes drive types off the Autorun list. Bitwise mask.
NoEntireNetworkYep - you start browsing outside your own machine space and you hit a brick wall.
NoFileMenuTakes the File menu off Exploder.
NoFindDisables Exploder's search utility sidekick.
NoNetConnectDisconnectNo more network dialogs for a while.
NoNetHoodThat's right - Network Neighborhood comes off the desktop.
NoRunRun comes off the Start menu.
NoSaveSettingsNo shell window will retain its settings. Next time around things will be just like they were before you set this restriction.
NoSetFoldersSettings for folders denied.
NoSetTaskbarTaskbar settings inaccessible.
NoStartBannerAll that money and you miss the show. No Start banner and things get pretty boring!
NoStartMenuSubFoldersNothing off the Start menu - not Printers, Settings (-> Control Panel) Programs - nada.
NoWorkgroupContentsYou can't see what's in the various workgroups.

Network Restrictions

NoFileSharingControlFairly self-explanatory. You can't modify the file sharing in the network.
NoPrintSharingControlFairly self-explanatory. You can't modify the printer sharing in the network.

System Restrictions

DisableRegistryToolsNo more Regedit. Be careful here.
DisableTaskMgrYep. You won't get DavesFrameClass up anymore.
NoConfigPageTakes the Configuration Manager away.
NoDevMgrPageYou won't get at Device Manager.
NoDispAppearancePageTakes the Appearance tab out of Desktop Properties.
NoDispBackgroundPageTakes the Background tab out of Desktop Properties.
NoDispCPLControl Panel gone.
NoDispScrSavPageTakes the Screen Saver tab out of Desktop Properties.
NoDispSettingsPageTakes the Settings tab out of Desktop Properties.
NoFileSysPageTakes the Startup/Shutdown tab out of My Computer.
NoVirtMemPageTakes the Performance tab out of My Computer.

Bitwise & Boolean

Almost all settings are 'boolean', i.e. a 'yes' or a 'no', where their negation indicates their use: they restrict rather than permit.

These values are stored as DWORDs in the Registry.

Four values are not stored as DWORDs but as binary data: NoDrives, NoDriveTypeAutoRun, NoSaveSettings, and NoStartBanner. The former two are bitwise flags contained in a DWORD (but nevertheless stored as binary data). The NoDrives DWORD is a bitmask where a set bit indicates a drive the shell should not browse to: bit 0 is drive A:, bit 1 drive B:, and so forth.

Each checkbox button in Lawmaker can assume one of three states: checked, unchecked, or indeterminate (disabled). It is possible to check all checkboxes or uncheck all checkboxes or disable the whole caboodle with the push buttons on the right. Values for disabled (indeterminate) checkboxes will be ignored when it's time to store things in the Registry. Likewise the omission of text for any of the four binary values will disable the storage of their values as well.

You can click either of the two radio buttons (HKCU and HKU\.DEFAULT - the 'default user' or new user or guest user) as many times as you want in succession - each time Lawmaker will reload the pertinent settings without pausing to store what you've already changed.

You have to explicitly click Set to have any of your changes stored in the Registry.

File size: 6KB.

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