Which Computer is Best for Kids?

One question that comes up every so often in the forums and on the mailing list is "which computer is best for a child?" Unlike most parenting questions, this is one I actually feel qualified to answer. As a card-carrying, Steve Jobs-worshipping, certified Apple fanatic, most of what I have to say should be fairly predictable. Yes, moms and dads, I recommend a Macintosh.

Any Mac fanboi worth his salt should be able to argue that the Macintosh is the better choice for anyone — not just children. However, where adults are concerned, two factors often out-weigh the advantages offered by Apple's computers: 1) people who have Windows computers at the office frequently don't want to have a different system at home; and 2) sometimes a much-needed (or much-desired, in the case of games) program is not available for the Mac. However, children have no office computers with which to conform and — given their limited software needs — shouldn't encounter software issues either.

Disadvantages out of the way, what are the advantages? Two stand out: ease of use and security. To a great extent, these are one and the same on the Mac and frequently a feature achieves both simultaneously. The Mac's ease of use is legendary. On the security front, the Mac has not been targeted by viruses, trojans, and other malware in the manner that Windows machines have. That may change some day, but right now malware is not an issue.

If you are in the market for a new computer for a child, I suggest the Mac mini. Just get the entry level model and, in many cases, no additional accessories will be necessary. Use a hand-me-down monitor (if you don't have one let me know — I have a number of them looking for good homes) and any cheap USB keyboard and mouse. Initially, you won't even need additional software.

Set up two or more accounts on the computer. One, the admin account, should have a super-secret password that you never disclose to the kids. The others should be non-admin accounts configured with various levels of parental controls depending on the age and needs of the kids. For our youngest — not quite three — we've used the "Simple Finder" feature to make only a small number of programs available. Our older son's account has fewer limitations, but still prevents him from installing additional programs (or deleting existing programs). We've configured Safari (Apple's web browser) to launch automatically at login, and set a short list of specific websites they are allowed to visit. The Mac's "Fast User Switching" feature eases switching between accounts. If an adult shared this computer, the separate accounts would ensure that the children had no access to the adult's data.

The net result of the above configuration is that the boys can't destroy the computer by deleting important files. They can't install potentially virus-laden software, and they can't inadvertently surf to an inappropriate website (e.g. www.microsoft.com). At the same time, the simplified interfaces don't overwhelm them. The younger child, who has only four or so programs from which to choose, is fully capable of launching Safari and navigating to a website at which he plays games. He is better with the mouse than many adults and on a number of occasions I've seen him knock the keyboard on the floor before getting started because he has little need for it. The computer is literally easy enough for a two-year-old to use.

In terms of maintenance of the above system, I use VNC to connect to it periodically from my computer and run "Software Update" to install system updates. But, there are no viruses definitions to update because there is no anti-virus software. Periodically, we must enter the admin username and password to authorize one of the kids to visit a new website. And, when punishment must be dispensed, we can also remove access to a website. Around our house its not unusual to hear "clean up this room or you'll never visit hotwheels.com again."