I’ve finally implemented a neat feature for IMLocation that I’ve wanted to do for a while now, when you arrive at work, it can automagically close NSFW webpages. NSFW content is detected using the same technology behind Mac OS X’s Parental Controls.
I recommend downloading IMLocation to get the full effect, but you can also get just the automator action. Leopard is required, and it only works with Safari right now.
As you guessed, there is a trade-off between accidentally closing important webpages and letting questionable content slip through. I’m not yet sure what the best way to expose tweaking this tradeoff is. In the mean time I’ve chosen the more-confusing-but-powerful road, because I think it’s best to start with something that can do the job, and then refine and simplify it.
Firefox?
I want this to work with Firefox, but I am hamstrung by Firefox’s poor-to-nonexistant AppleScript support. (In the meantime you can try the worksafer Firefox plugin, but it’s not a true substitute).
Firefox is geared towards extension through plugins, while Safari has a less-rich plugin architecture, but good scripting support. Arguably, the Firefox way is better for a web-browser. I’ve seen some really cool Firefox plugins that extend the web-browsing experience in ways a script just can’t. Unfortunately, what I’m trying to do — have NSFW content automatically closed for you when you get to work — is the sort of thing a script does well, and a plugin does cumbersomely, if at all.
If anyone has some advice on how to hack around Firefox’s limitations please drop me a line. Right now my prognosis is “a lot of work for a clunky payoff”, so right now I’m focusing on more pressing concerns.
