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Programs that can interfere with Headsprout Reading.

Knowledge Base Article ID: 25 ( Try another search )

Certain programs can interfere with the Headsprout Reading Program. This occurs because these programs either interfere with your Internet connection or do not honor the HTTP standards and, as a result, they can cause problems when your browser attempts to communicate with the Headsprout servers. Below is a list of known programs that can interfere with the Headsprout Reading program:


  • Any Web connection monitoring software - If you are running an application that monitors or filters your Web connection (such as Atguard, WebWasher, BlackICE, ADfilter, PC-Cillin, Norton Personal Firewall, or Norton SystemWorks) it can corrupt your connection to our Headsprout servers and cause a browser error or a partially loaded page. Temporarily disable the software or disable the feature that is causing the connection trouble (such as Norton Internet Sweep or PC-Cillin WebTrap/Web Security).

  • Any filtering software such as CyberSitter - If you use CyberSitter to filter Internet access at your home computer, it is important to add www.headsprout.com to the "Always Allowable Sites" list. Otherwise, CyberSitter may identify seemingly innocuous words as filterable. For example, the word 'shooting' within the phrase 'shooting star' is identified by CyberSitter as a violent word.

    To add www.headsprout.com to the "Always Allowable Sites" list, open the CyberSitter program and click on the Files menu on the left-hand navigation bar. Then select User Filters. This brings up a separate window labeled "Custom Sites". Click on the second tab (Always Allowable Sites) and type 'www.headsprout.com' into the text area, and then click save. Keep in mind that this will not take affect until you restart your computer.

  • Gator - This program intercepts HTTP FORM POSTS and will cause communication problems between your browser and the Headsprout servers. We recommend that you either disable this program or configure it so that it is not active when you use Headsprout.

  • Download Accelerators - Such as Download Accelerator Plus (PC) from www.speedbit.com or Speed Download (Mac) from www.yazsoft.com can interfere with the Headsprout Reading Program and may cause the program to operate incorrectly. To correct this issue you will need to uninstall the software and restart the computer.

If you are using a Windows PC, you can use the msconfig.exe utility to detect which programs are automatically loaded at system startup.

Keywords: interfere monitoring filter firewall norton cybersitter gator accelerator parent parental control

Date last modified: 12/12/2006

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