How do I set computer time limits for my kids on Windows XP like I can with Vista 7?

Try this: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/sharedaccess/seeit/athome.mspx

Looks like it does time limits among other useful features.

You could try this. Requires messing with a command line, but the instructions seem easy enough.

Two great answers so far, thanks!

erichw1504: I thought Steadystate was for classrooms and labs, not for home use. I am downloading it now.

BhacSsylan: Very cool. I can set up some .bat files to start/stop/alter the limits.

This is for some friends, I will show them both and see what they like.

@jaytkay I don’t know, I just Googled it.

@jaytkay I don’t know, I just Googled it.

Well, you Googled it better than I did, thanks again!

Not a problem, did it work for you?

Heh, I googled too >.< Still, glad I could help.

OK, I tried both and the “net user” command is the answer. Apparently the function is not new in Windows Vista/7, they just put a graphical front end on the command. With XP it’s handled the old-fashioned way.

I didn’t find a way to specify hours of the day in Steadystate. It can log off users after a set interval – for example, limiting them to 1-hour sessions.
Steadystate has a boatload of other restrictions. It can hide the control panel, hide entire drives, prevent modifying the C: drive and a about a hundred more things.
Also, it can remove all changes after each logoff. Very cool for places like libraries and shared computer labs.

Thanks everybody!

http://www.time-monitor.com/

Heres another one: http://www.kidswatch.com/Testimonials.php

Yay! Glad we could help. Also, yeah, steadystate is good for a public computer, but could be rather annoying for a home computer, because whoever has to use it under steadystate gets a rather castrated experience. Unless they’re too young to know the difference, I suppose.