Shell

Designed as a security measure for Internet cafe owners, Shell is a shell replacement tool that gives administrators the possibility to restrict the access of clients to specific programs on the computer, in order to protect privacy and prevent them for tinkering with system tools. It is very simple to install and configure.

Once launched, Shell brings up a full-screen window which represents its interface. You can get started by inserting a password which will be required at every app launch and exit.

It is possible to indicate programs you want to allow access to (while denying access to everything else), assign an icon, description and screenshot, specify command-line arguments, as well as set the window size to standard, minimized or maximized.

In case you want to put together a list with numerous applications, then Shell gives you the possibility to organize them into multiple tabs for easy access. What's more, the tool puts at your disposal shortcuts for immediately accessing Windows Explorer, Registry Editor and Notepad, together with desktop and network properties. The PC can be shut down or restarted.

Although it looks outdated, Shell does its jobs quite well. It runs on minimal CPU and RAM, so its impact on system performance is minimal. Commands are executed swiftly, and the app did not hang, crash or pop up errors in our testing. Shell comes in handy to all admins looking for an easy way of restricting user access on the computer.