Give kids an inch of access and the next minute they're cruising the Net, disguised as lonesome supermodels or downloading an alt.autoerotic.asphyxiation.here's.how FAQ. KidMail is designed to head this off by letting kids e-mail from a parent-patrolled world of cheerful graphics. KidMail lets you send e-mail from online services, but only to and from addresses approved by a supervisor, who can also limit messages.
Kids select Prehistoric, Space Age, or Secret Agent windows to read or send mail. Those uncertain of their powers of composition can use Quick Messages. Click on one, and KidMail fires off canned greetings and thank yous. Twisted adults may enjoy these. As I e-mailed a friend, "Our country was born on the Fourth of July/And that's why those fireworks light up the sky/Hope your 4th is Safe and Sane!"
The prehistoric world conflates Mesozoic and Cenozoic - dinosaurs coexist with Bedrock-style abodes. But no one promised KidMail would teach science.
KidMail seems aimed at grade schoolers, so older kids may feel trapped in a chirpy e-mail jail. But if you worry about kids e-mailing Singapore officials to come clean up your town, or incurring huge online bills, KidMail may be what you're looking for.
KidMail Connection for PC: US$35 for diskettes, $30 for CD-ROM. ConnectSoft: (800) 889 3499, +1 (206) 827 6467.
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