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Purchasing and Licensing

Answers to frequently asked questions about purchasing and licensing our software.

• How do I buy ComputerTime? What are my options?

  ComputerTime can be purchased for a single computer, or you can puchase it with the Family Pack, which allows you to install it on all of the computers in your household. If you have bought ComputerTime without the family pack, you can always add on the Family Pack later.

  Click here to purchase ComputerTime online using a major credit card or PayPal. During the 14-day free trial, you are offered the opportunity at any time to purchase ComputerTime online using the Buy Now button.

  We sell ComputerTime through our website, but you can also call during normal business hours (9am-5pm M-F Eastern U.S. Time) at +1.203.481.1222 to purchase by phone. However we encourage you to purchase via the site, which uses secure SSL encryption to protect your information.

• Do I pay a monthly subscription fee for ComputerTime?

  No. When you purchase ComputerTime, you pay a one-time fee that allows you to use that version of ComputerTime for as long as you like.

  You'll get all maintenance updates free of charge as well. For example, if you buy ComputerTime 3.0, then you'll get all updates for 3.1, 3.2, etc as we release them.

  When we release a new major version (for example 4.0), we may offer you a special price for upgrading that will let you take advantage of the new features without having to pay full price.

  Regardless of which version that you continue to run, we will still provide free technical support via email and phone.

• What is the difference between the ComputerTime free trial version and the purchased version?

  The free trial is fully functional. The only way in which it is different is that it will work for 14-days. Once you purchase ComputerTime, you will receive a Product Key that activates your license and then you can use for as long as you like!

  You can even try it on multiple computers at the same time (especially when you're trying out the shared limits on your network). Just be sure to get the Family Pack when you purchase the software so that you can activate it on all of your computers.

• What versions of Windows does ComputerTime run on?

  The latest version of ComputerTime runs on Window 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Home Server (version 3.2.0 or higher required for Windows 7).

  ComputerTime 2.0, an older version, supports Windows 98SE and Windows ME.

  If you purchase ComputerTime, you will get a product key for the latest version of ComputerTime, but it will work to activate ComputerTime 2.0 if you have a Windows 98SE or Windows ME computer that requires ComputerTime.

• How can I activate ComputerTime without an Internet connection?

  Send us your serial number (the number that looks like SN-JJJJ-JJJJ-JJ and can be found on the Admin Logon window, at the top in the title bar of that window).

  You can send it via a support request and we will email you back an activation code that can be used in place of the Product Key to activate the software on that computer.

  Keep in mind, the serial numbers are different on each computer, so if you need to activate on more than one computer that is not connected to the Internet, please be sure to send us the serial numbers from each one.

  You may want to consider temporarily connecting those computers to the internet just so that you can activate them using your Product Key, and then disconnecting them. Running ComputerTime day-to-day does not require an Internet connection.

• I've lost my Product Key and need to reinstall? Can you help?

  If your email has not changed since you purchased the software, you can have it resent.

  Or, send us a support request, and we can look it up for you. If your email has changed since you purchased ComputerTime, then we can probably look it up, but just in case, we suggest you send us your full name, possibly your spouse's name if might have been purchased, or alternative email addresses that might have been used at the time of purchase.

• Can I transfer my license to a new computer?

  In most cases, you should be able to uninstall it from the old computer, and then reactivate with your Product Key on the new computer

  If you have a problem activating it, contact support and send us your Product Key, and we can look into the problem and make sure that our activation server will let you activate ComputerTime with the Product Key.

How To Use

Answers to frequently asked questions about how to use our software.

• When time is up, how will ComputerTime prevent access?

  When somebody hits their limits, or logs out of ComputerTime, the Windows desktop is hidden. ComputerTime does not force a log off from Windows.

  ComputerTime takes this approach because it's the safest way of preventing access and doing the least amount of harm to your unsaved work. Forcing a logoff could cause applications to quit without you being able to save files or complete work.

  Hiding the desktop leaves other applications running so that you can resume your work when your limits would let you back on, or if you get a Time Token that let's you back on.

  Of course, ComputerTime will give you plenty of warning before your time will run out. ComputerTime will warn you at 15 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes and 1 minute remaining. After the one minute warning, you will get a countdown that starts at 30 seconds. Then the desktop is hidden.

  In ComputerTime 3.1 and above, you can optionally decide which of those warnings you want to see and hear. You can also optionally have the sound and microphone muted when time is up so that music or chatting can be cut off as well.

• How can I provide extra time without having to change the limits set? Time Tokens!

  There are two ways of accomplishing this.

  ComputerTime gives you Time Tokens to accomplish this. You create Time Tokens using ComputerTime Admin. On the File menu, click "Time Tokens...". Ahead of time, you create some Time Tokens, each being worth a certain amount of time — One hour, or perhaps thirty minutes — hand you can print them and keep them in a safe place. The Time Token has a six-digit code. When somebody asks for extra time to extend their limits, you can give them one or more of these Time Token codes. Then they can add them to their profile using the Add Time Token command, which is available from the ComputerTime menu and in certain windows.

  [ComputerTime 3.1+] If you haven't prepared Time Tokens ahead of time, you can give an Instant Time Token. From the Add Time Token window, you can chose the option to just provide the ComputerTime Admin password, and the amount of time. Click OK and the time is instantly added to the current profile.

• What are Alternate Limits?

  Alternate Limits allow you to specify a different set of limits during a certain time period without altering the normal limits. For example, perhaps during a vacation week you want to allow more or less time on the computer.

• Is there a way to prevent the Away feature from being used?
  Yes, click here for details on how to disable the Away feature. For some families, this is a problem if one child invokes the Away feature because then another child cannot get on the computer.
• Can I set which time remaining warning messages are displayed?

  Yes. Click here for a list of ComputerTime "commands", including which time remaining warnings are displayed.

Solutions to Common Issues

Answers to frequently asked questions about common issues encountered with our software.

• What prevents the by passing of limits by simply changing the clock on the computer?

  The first line of defense should be that the kids have a Limited Account in Windows. That will prevent changes to the system date and time, since only Windows users with Administrative rights can change the time and date using the control panel.

  However, if the Windows account that ComputerTime is running in has Administrative rights, ComputerTime adds additional protections to prevents the changing of the clock on the computer by monitoring the system time.

  If for any reason you actually do need to reset the system time, for legitimate reasons, here is what you should do:

  • Log out of ComputerTime, and return to the main ComputerTime logon.
  • Click on the "Admin Logon" button, and enter the ComputerTime Admin password. Click OK.
  • Now you are logged on, but aren't being monitored. Neither is the clock. So you can now change the date and time using the control panel
• What should I do if I forget my password?

  If you forgot your ComputerTime Admin password, click the link "Forgot your password?" on the logon dialog. An email will be sent to you containing a password reset code. The email address used is the one set when you first installed ComputerTime. You can see, or change, that email address by clicking the Help menu in ComputerTime Admin and selecting "Set Email...".

• I think my child has found the list of Time Tokens I printed. How can I remove those Tokens so they cannot be used?

  To remove all Time Tokens, click here on the computer running ComputerTime.

  A confirmation dialog will be displayed confirming you wish to delete all Tokens. Note that this removes all Tokens, including any Token that may have already been entered.