PAL Computer Surveillance System is for parents who want to monitor the apps their kids use, what they write, and where they go online. Its site blocking is rudimentary, though, banning only the sites you specify.

As with Cybersitter 2002, you can install PAL in a hidden mode. It records keystrokes and writes them to a date- and time-stamped text file. You can view the logs or have them e-mailed to you regularly or in response to alerts.

In our testing, word and phrase capture were inconsistent. For example, in Microsoft Outlook, PAL captured text in a choppy, difficult-to-follow format.

The keystroke recording logs only the local side of e-mail and instant messaging, but this lets parents discover screen names or passwords kids enter. PAL doesn't filter e-mail or IM; you either allow these or shut the clients down.

When kids enter banned URLs, PAL rudely shuts down the browser with no explanation or warning. PAL can also snap screenshots at regular intervals ranging from 6 seconds to 30 minutes.