SelfRestraint
If you find yourself constantly ending up on distracting websites, you know what a time sink your computer can be. Unfortunately, you can't just stop using your comp...
- Free • Open Source
- Windows
- Linux
What is SelfRestraint?
If you find yourself constantly ending up on distracting websites, you know what a time sink your computer can be. Unfortunately, you can't just stop using your computer because you need it to be able to get work done. There are tools out there that will block you from going online, but there are some sites that you made need to access. That's why I've made SelfRestraint, it blocks websites you pick for a set amount of time. That way you can continue to go online without the fear of getting distracted. Once it's running, there's no turning back until the time expires. This is a Windows version of 
SelfControl , and is a Linux version as well.
Archived version of the old website: https://web.archive.org/web/20140329075830/http://parker.kuivi.la/projects/selfrestraint.html
The URL to the official website does not work & source at Github has not been updated for an extended period
SelfRestraint Screenshots
SelfRestraint Features
SelfRestraint information
Supported Languages
- English
Comments and Reviews
Tags
- web-browsing-utilities
- Web Browser
- browsing-aid
- web-browsing-aid
- web-browsing-utility
- focus
Category
Web BrowsersRecent user activities on SelfRestraint
POX edited SelfRestraint
focusbear added SelfRestraint as alternative(s) to Focus Bear
POX added SelfRestraint as alternative(s) to TimeLimit.io
This app is a huge help for my daily routine. It helps keep me focused and is so easy to use :)
SO I loved this app, used it a fair bit... then my computer shut down in the middle of a timer and despite re-opening the app and taking all advice as to how to get the app to work properly, I almost had to take it in and spend big $$$ getting and expert to either un-block or wipe my laptop and start form scratch
DO NOT DOWNLOAD - APP RUNS WORSE THAN A VIRUS
No antivirus software noticed this app as a threat, despite its highly intrusive operation and damage to normal computer functionality.
After spending hours trawling through how the app's code I found a simple unblock for any people experiencing similar difficulties, which I have shared here: http://pyselfrestrainthelp.blogspot.com.au/
You're Welcome
Okkkk.... So long story short; I used the Self Restraint PC program (Based on the mac only Self Control App) to block facebook whilst I studied, my computer then crashed & Self Restraint never removed the block on the website. As I work in Social Media Marketing part time, having no access to facebook (and all other sites that used my facebook account as a log in).. I was crippled from doing my job and forced to spend hours trying to learn code, etc.. to understand how Self Restraint works in order to start working again.
Sadly I wasted hours upon hours working through all of it before finding an extremely easy unblock which I can now promise will work if you have landed yourself in a similar situation to myself.
SELF CONTROL WORKS BY PLACING A BLOCK IN THE HOSTS FILE IN YOUR COMPUTER. Here's how to unblock websites from self control: (for windows 7&8.. other operating systems below) Open Notepad as Administrator (Start - Search - Notepad [right click] - Run as Administrator) Open Hosts File in Notepad: (File - Open: c:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts) Remove Blocked Websites from list: Find this section: "# PySelfControl Blocklist. NO NOT EDIT OR MODIFY THE CONTENTS OF THIS
PySelfControl will remove the block when the timer has ended
Block the following sites:
(List Of Blocked Websites)
End Blocklist"
To delete a specific website from the block list, delete the ENTIRE Line which it is listed on (including the numbers infront of it)
-OR-
To delete all websites blocked; delete all lines of this code (from #PySelfControl Blocklist... to - #End BlockList)
PERSONALLY I RECOMMEND USING THE SECOND OPTION, AS IT LEAVES NO CRAP LYING AROUND & SLOWING DOWN YOUR COMPUTER.
SO WHAT IF YOU'RE USING ANOTHER OPERATING SYSTEM??? The process to unblock websites should be relatively similar once in the host file! (if you hadn't noticed, the code for Self Restraint in the host file refers to itself as "self control", its predecessor Mac App; suggesting that the way in which the application blocks websites through modifying host files is almost, if not, exactly the same across operating system platforms).
The following is copied from: http://www.rackspace.com/knowledge_center/article/how-do-i-modify-my-hosts-file
Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista use User Account Control (UAC), so Notepad must be run as Administrator. For Windows 8 Press the Windows key. Type Notepad in the search field. In the search right click Notepad and select Run as administrator. In Notepad, open the following file: c:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts Make the necessary changes to the hosts file. Click File -> Save to save your changes. For Windows 7 and Windows Vista For Click Start -> All Programs -> Accessories. Right click Notepad and select Run as administrator. Click Continue on the "Windows needs your permission" UAC window. When Notepad opens Click File -> Open. In the filename field type: C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts Click Open. Make the necessary changes to the hosts file. Click File -> Save to save your changes.
Windows NT/2000/XP Click Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Notepad. Click File -> Open. In the filename field type: C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts Click Open. Make the necessary changes to the hosts file. Click File -> Save to save your changes.
Linux
Mac OS X 10.0 - 10.1.5
Mac OS X 10.6 - 10.1.8