Volume control for family iMac

benr (apparently) - 10:07am Feb 19, 2007 PST
via email

I tracked the discussion about internet control, but it doesn't apply to me
yet. My just-7 daughter is for now perfectly happy within the limits of
possionrouge, ferryhalim, and cbbc. (If those are unfamiliar with the first
two and you own a computer and a 4-7 year old, I recommend them), and uses her
account on my wife's MacBook in our dining room with us. So no worries (yet)
about inappropriate content, and we don't find it very difficult (yet) to
control the duration of her computer time.

However... many of these things have repetitive music and commentary, and she
delights in cranking the volume up.

I don't think there's anything built-in to set a maximum volume (although now
that Apple has accepted volume limiting as a useful 'parental control' for
iPods, I nurse a hope that they'll carry the idea over) but I'd be happy to be
proved wrong.

Having smugly nodded along with those in the previous discussion who said that
we should use good parenting rather than rely on technological solutions... I
nonetheless think how very helpful it would be if there was a technological
solution that could limit the maximum volume in her user account. Even better
if it worked by scaling the volume so that she can still adjust the volume up
to the maximum on the scale - it just doesn't sound as loud (I'm a huge fan of
lying to children).

Does anyone know of such a sneaky solution (or failing that, one which limits
the maximum that can be set)?

- Ben