Ubuntu / Linux news and application reviews.

Timekpr is a parental control application which can track and control your kids' access to the computer. The application can be used to easily limit the login time duration or access hours for your children's user accounts, as well as lock accounts with a click.

Timekpr Ubuntu

Unfortunately, the Timekpr development stopped a while back and the application doesn't work with the latest Ubuntu 14.04. However, thanks to Eduards Bezverhijs, you can use Timekpr in Ubuntu 14.04. Update: the PPA now supports Ubuntu 16.10, 16.04, 15.10, 15.04 and 14.10  / Linux Mint 18.x or 17.x.

Eduards fixed all the bugs that kept the application from working in Ubuntu 14.04 and also, he added an Ubuntu AppIndicator since the old Timekpr was using a tray icon, which can't be used under Unity.

Timekpr Ubuntu
Timekpr can limit access duration and time frame

Timekpr features:
  • limit users' daily usage of the computer based on a time access duration and configure times of day when they can or cannot login;
  • option to lock accounts;
  • option to bypass restrictions for today;
  • add time rewards / penalties;
  • Ubuntu AppIndicator / notifications.

Note that the Timekpr indicator doesn't show up for administrators - it is displayed under accounts for which you've limited the login time or access hours using Timekpr and it shows the remaining time (along with a notification which is displayed on login):

Timekpr Ubuntu

Unlike the old GNOME Nanny (which is unmaintained), Timekpr doesn't allow you to control which websites your kids can and can't access (you can use the hosts file or OpenDNS for that) and there are no options to choose which applications they are allowed to use either. But, even with a limited set of features, Timekpr is still a great tool if you want to make sure your kids don't spend all their time in front of the computer, and you don't want to mess with various configuration files.


Install Timekpr (Parental Control) in Ubuntu 16.10, 16.04 or 14.04 / Linux Mint 18 or 17


To install the new Timekpr in Ubuntu 16.10, 16.04 or 14.04 / Linux Mint 18 or 17, you can use Eduards's PPA. To add the PPA and install the application, use the following commands:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mjasnik/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install timekpr

If you don't want to add the PPA, grab the Timekpr deb from HERE.

For bug reports, see THIS Ubuntu Forums thread.