Lock windows PC to use only Otzar Hachochma

[Yisroel Tech]

I've seen in a shul such an Otzer setup using Inteset Secure Lockdown (https://www.inteset.com/index) and it was pretty solid and user friendly.

(I was able to somewhat bypass it, but there isn't a 100% solution and it wasn't set with all restrictions available. Yet, if I'd need to set something like this up I'd throw in some redundancies to make it more secure. For example I'd separately lockdown the Internet with one of those Yiddishe internet blockers or at least https://www.sordum.org/9660/net-disabler-v1-1/)

Yeah, it's not free. But it's really cheap and considering you spent a small fortune on Otzer I think it's ridiculous to penny-pinch now on the setup, and yet expect it to be a simple-as-anything to set up.

[Jojo202]

I've seen in a shul such an Otzer setup using Inteset Secure Lockdown (https://www.inteset.com/index) and it was pretty solid and user friendly.

(I was able to somewhat bypass it, but there isn't a 100% solution and it wasn't set with all restrictions available. Yet, if I'd need to set something like this up I'd throw in some redundancies to make it more secure. For example I'd separately lockdown the Internet with one of those Yiddishe internet blockers or at least https://www.sordum.org/9660/net-disabler-v1-1/)

Yeah, it's not free. But it's really cheap and considering you spent a small fortune on Otzer I think it's ridiculous to penny-pinch now on the setup, and yet expect it to be a simple-as-anything to set up.

Thanks, that looks good, I will look into it. One-time $30 fee is very reasonable. I was afraid of $20 monthly subscription and all that.

[Yisroel Tech]

Thanks, that looks good, I will look into it. One-time $30 fee is very reasonable. I was afraid of $20 monthly subscription and all that.

Keep us posted if you end up using it, or if you go with something else, and what other things you did for the set up. It may help someone else with the same question in the future.

[YitzyS]

And let us know where you set it up so we can all come down and take turns trying our workarounds... 

[Jojo202]

And let us know where you set it up so we can all come down and take turns trying our workarounds... 

OK so here's the whole story. I have set up a few already with Group policy editor but I really dont enjoy it. There are different policies on each version of Windows that happens to be on the computer even if they are all Windows 10. I do have fairly decent experience with type this type of thing, and what I did was pretty solid including special commands to remove any potentially problematic Windows Store apps. Even though its supposed to be a one-and-done setup, if I need to change something is really annoying and time consuming. Whether we decide to add the WordPad app so people can copy paste, remove it later because people are taking advantage and using it to make nonsense signs in the yeshiva, or simply want to change the screensaver setting, (which granted CAN be done from group policy editor, albeit in a backhanded way), any small setting that may need to be changed is a bother. It's not terribly bad I just assumed there's a much better way to do it that's why I'm asking here. The ideas above were seemingly-spot on what I was looking for, particularly "inteset". Its mainly bochurim using it, so I can assure you that they have tried way harder than you can...... Oh and I happen to be currently using a newer version of Oztar so I will revisit their "Kiosk" mode first. I'll update here once I am done.

[Jojo202]

Ok update time. Otzar kiosk mode ended up being quite simple once I was running the correct version, though all it does is disable the settings tab (still a very welcome addition, (looking at you, 12th grader who keeps changing the color to pink)) Bunch of chat-gpting later, and it seems like there are some options to make it easier to switch the Group Policy on/off, but I felt like I would be better off trying out the Inteset Software, instead of digging through all the policy manager settings again. Installation is straightforward. To activate the trial license, an internet connection is required, but it can also be done offline using a flash drive. A bit heavy on settings and not so straightforward, but once you get all the settings right, seems to be secure and easy to switch out of when necessary.

[Jojo202]

And finally Otzar responds with this:
I have yet to try it but it looks promising.

[michdude]

Gotta say that I admire your tenacity. I'd a given up ages ago.

Maybe that's why I'm not in tech. Not for the faint of heart.