WatchDog

Note: This program is not supported anymore, but it can still be downloaded and used with the limitations mentioned on this page.

For people with children that have access to a computer, it can be a real burden to monitor their entire activity during a day. Luckily, there are programs that can monitor all the actions performed on a PC. WatchDog is one of those programs that give you the power over your system, by simply recording all activity and even restricts the time of use.

After installation, the app will reside in the system tray as a dog icon, and it can be accessed by there. The GUI starts with a user list, where the settings picked for you account are displayed on the filter bar.

Also, you can open the "Options"  windows that contain several more tabs that allow further customization.

Each user can have their timing period based on daily, weekly, monthly or unlimited. WatchDog's security measures block out unauthorized access completely.

It can also restrict the time of day a user may log in, what applications can be run, monitor URLs, keyboard input and take screen shots periodically. WatchDog has direct Windows Policy integration to enable many advanced security features on a per-user basis.

To check what actions were performed on a system, WatchDog will create logs that display information based on the hour and date activity and also it builds up session reports that monitor the exact time spent on a certain user. The app lists all screenshots taken over sessions.

In conclusion, WatchDog is a versatile program that allows you to record each and every action performed on a system. It can be operated by any user as long as he takes his time to study the app a little, as there are a lot of settings for a more powerful tool.