Is there a way to disable the keyboard on my PowerBook while my kid watches DVDs on it?

Is there a way to disable the keyboard on my PowerBook while my kid watches DVDs on it?

Posted 12/31/2006 at 11:59pm | by Niko Coucouvanis

Bonus: Slow Keys has incredible practical-joke potential.

 

After searching far and wide, we couldn't find a solution to this simple request - but we did find an easy workaround. The first keys you need to worry about are the F-keys, which launch Exposé and Dashboard when pressed; open System Preferences' Dashboard & Expose pane and clear each item's keyboard activator by selecting the dash mark at the bottom of the pull-down menu. If you've set any custom F-key behaviors, open the Keyboard & Mouse preferences pane and disable any F-key shortcuts or other global shortcuts that you've set. Finally, to account for DVD Player's playback controls (Play/Pause via the spacebar and navigation via arrow keys), open System Preferences' Universal Access pane and click the radio button to turn on Slow Keys, and crank the Acceptance Delay slider all the way to long - now Junior will have to press and hold keyboard keys for, oh, about a minute to interrupt the DVD action.

 

Tags:
Related Articles
1

Comment

+ Add a Comment
avatar

Anonymous

January 29, 2007 at 2:56pm

It will cost a bit, but maybe the best solution is to buy a wireless keyboard and mouse. When you start the movie, just take the keyboard with you. Now all junior will have available for entertainment (other than watching the movie) is poking at the screen (ouch!)

Log in to Mac|Life directly or log in using Facebook

Forgot your username or password?
Click here for help.

Login with Facebook
Log in using Facebook to share comments and articles easily with your Facebook feed.
Don't have an account? Join Now.