As I said, slightly OT, but if I post on computer board I will get tech
specs & geek talk. and I am just interested in hearing recomendations
from parents who may be using parental control software on their home
computers to protect their kids from the untowards places on the
internet.

I am running windows xp home edition, take internet to laptop and a
desktop from a router, comes in on DSL.

I am thinking the very limitiing kind would suit my needs, like the
kind that only allows kids to go to pre-approved sites... I am guessing
a kid would request a site and the parent would have to authorize that
specific site.

Another nice feature would be to turn off internet access all
together... to save the "I need the laptop to type a paper for school"
but then trolling the web when I am not looking.

BTW- all you superparents who are tempted to give me the old "my kid
would never think of doing that anything wrong online.. " or "If I
caught my kid doing something like that I would hit him so hard with
the ol' belt his butt would bleed for a week" stuff. We are not all
uberparents like you are.. (or represent yourselves as) so some of us
need a little advice every now and then.. so just save the lecture, if
you have nothing relevant to say on this topic.. hold the parenting
advise..