Comments on: X3Watch and Covenant Eyes – What are the key differences? http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/ Thoughts on Pornography Addiction, Removing Online Temptation, and the Need for Accountability. Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:58:34 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Stephen http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/comment-page-1/#comment-53178 Stephen Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:44:13 +0000 http://blogs.covenanteyes.com/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/#comment-53178 I tried X3 for a couple of months before going over to CE. The problem with X3 was that it was just too easy to get around it. CE is extremely difficult to circumvent. I have found only one way to get around CE so far, because the program is well designed. At teh same time, I do applaud X3's ministry among workers in the industry - they need to receive grace and mercy as much as any one else. However, I do think that having the ministry to addicts and do industry workers so close together was a bit of a problem for me as well. You would not have a drug addict ministry and a children's ministry in teh same physical location - would you? I tried X3 for a couple of months before going over to CE.

The problem with X3 was that it was just too easy to get around it. CE is extremely difficult to circumvent. I have found only one way to get around CE so far, because the program is well designed.

At teh same time, I do applaud X3’s ministry among workers in the industry – they need to receive grace and mercy as much as any one else.

However, I do think that having the ministry to addicts and do industry workers so close together was a bit of a problem for me as well. You would not have a drug addict ministry and a children’s ministry in teh same physical location – would you?

]]> By: Luke Gilkerson http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/comment-page-1/#comment-53172 Luke Gilkerson Mon, 19 Oct 2009 12:56:11 +0000 http://blogs.covenanteyes.com/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/#comment-53172 @Anthony - Point well taken. We compare ourselves to X3 because they are the most widely used software that tries to do something similar to Covenant Eyes. Safe Eyes has recently added an accountability feature, and we mean to do a comparison to that product as well. At first glance SE's accountability reports are far too unorganized and long. As filtering goes, SE does a fine job. @Anthony – Point well taken. We compare ourselves to X3 because they are the most widely used software that tries to do something similar to Covenant Eyes. Safe Eyes has recently added an accountability feature, and we mean to do a comparison to that product as well. At first glance SE’s accountability reports are far too unorganized and long. As filtering goes, SE does a fine job.

]]> By: Anthony http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/comment-page-1/#comment-53091 Anthony Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:39:57 +0000 http://blogs.covenanteyes.com/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/#comment-53091 x3watch is free. Isnt comparing a 55 dollar program and a free one like comparing apples to cucumbers? They are both good for you but in totally different ways. x3watch works for the person whos not very computer savvy and doesnt know that Opera doesnt work and that it doesnt catch everything. Covenant Eyes would be for someone who is craftier, knows their way around and needs extra protection. At that route I might go with Safe eyes because the only way I found around that was through proxies but that was garbage and nothing ever really showed up. Someone with enough skill can probably bypass something that "watches" a program instead of a program that literally is a bypass or proxy filter much like what schools use these days. Why not compare against something comparable like a Safe Eyes or another pay-per-program? I never liked when free software was compared with pay-per because of course youll find glaring defects unless someone is literally giving away something worth money for free. x3watch is free. Isnt comparing a 55 dollar program and a free one like comparing apples to cucumbers? They are both good for you but in totally different ways.

x3watch works for the person whos not very computer savvy and doesnt know that Opera doesnt work and that it doesnt catch everything. Covenant Eyes would be for someone who is craftier, knows their way around and needs extra protection. At that route I might go with Safe eyes because the only way I found around that was through proxies but that was garbage and nothing ever really showed up. Someone with enough skill can probably bypass something that “watches” a program instead of a program that literally is a bypass or proxy filter much like what schools use these days.

Why not compare against something comparable like a Safe Eyes or another pay-per-program? I never liked when free software was compared with pay-per because of course youll find glaring defects unless someone is literally giving away something worth money for free.

]]> By: Luke Gilkerson http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/comment-page-1/#comment-52703 Luke Gilkerson Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:59:27 +0000 http://blogs.covenanteyes.com/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/#comment-52703 @tom - Plus, the force behind this post is in the last paragraph: "I do fear, however, that X3 could offer only the illusion of accuracy to an otherwise healthy accountability partnership." Personally I've experienced great failure on the part of X3watch, not reporting specific sites, constantly shutting down. If someone is depending on X3watch to be a trustworthy tool for help them find freedom, I would hate to see people disappointed. @tom – Plus, the force behind this post is in the last paragraph: “I do fear, however, that X3 could offer only the illusion of accuracy to an otherwise healthy accountability partnership.” Personally I’ve experienced great failure on the part of X3watch, not reporting specific sites, constantly shutting down. If someone is depending on X3watch to be a trustworthy tool for help them find freedom, I would hate to see people disappointed.

]]> By: Luke Gilkerson http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/comment-page-1/#comment-52701 Luke Gilkerson Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:53:48 +0000 http://blogs.covenanteyes.com/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/#comment-52701 @tom - I agree XXXchurch's focus has been different than ours, and we really appreciate the work they do in many respects. We're merely saying that when their free software is compared to a well-made paid version, it isn't very good. I am honestly not trying to take a holier-than-thou road, and I am sorry if it comes off that way. It would seem pretty disingenuous if Covenant Eyes tested X3watch and said, "Our software is better." You'd expect us to say that. That's why I went about quoting other bloggers. I tried to stick to the specifics of the software features, not their ministry to porn stars and the church directly. By the way, one of the reasons we've specifically partnered with groups like the <a href="http://www.thepinkcross.org/" rel="nofollow">Pink Cross Foundation</a> is because we want to help the dealers of pornography as well. @tom – I agree XXXchurch’s focus has been different than ours, and we really appreciate the work they do in many respects. We’re merely saying that when their free software is compared to a well-made paid version, it isn’t very good. I am honestly not trying to take a holier-than-thou road, and I am sorry if it comes off that way. It would seem pretty disingenuous if Covenant Eyes tested X3watch and said, “Our software is better.” You’d expect us to say that. That’s why I went about quoting other bloggers.

I tried to stick to the specifics of the software features, not their ministry to porn stars and the church directly. By the way, one of the reasons we’ve specifically partnered with groups like the Pink Cross Foundation is because we want to help the dealers of pornography as well.

]]> By: tom http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/comment-page-1/#comment-52655 tom Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:00:26 +0000 http://blogs.covenanteyes.com/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/#comment-52655 Saying "I'm not bashing this software, I'm just saying what people who bash the software say" is such a lame duck excuse. If you believe your software is superior, say it! The fact that you lamely hide behind 'blog claims' makes you look uncredible in this article. It also makes you seem like you are taking a holier than thou road. Honestly, XXXChurch does so much work ministering to people that you wouldn't even bother to look at. They aren't just about helping porn addicts, but porn stars as well. What a novel idea...not to just cure the addict but cure the dealer as well. I am not amused with this trite. Saying “I’m not bashing this software, I’m just saying what people who bash the software say” is such a lame duck excuse.
If you believe your software is superior, say it! The fact that you lamely hide behind ‘blog claims’ makes you look uncredible in this article. It also makes you seem like you are taking a holier than thou road.
Honestly, XXXChurch does so much work ministering to people that you wouldn’t even bother to look at. They aren’t just about helping porn addicts, but porn stars as well.
What a novel idea…not to just cure the addict but cure the dealer as well.
I am not amused with this trite.

]]> By: pe scara Cerului » Blog Archive » facem curatenie? http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/comment-page-1/#comment-50012 pe scara Cerului » Blog Archive » facem curatenie? Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:17:06 +0000 http://blogs.covenanteyes.com/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/#comment-50012 [...] Comparing Covenant Eyes with X3 filter [...] [...] Comparing Covenant Eyes with X3 filter [...]

]]> By: Bryan Jay http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/comment-page-1/#comment-46981 Bryan Jay Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:48:54 +0000 http://blogs.covenanteyes.com/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/#comment-46981 One of the problems that I see with X3 is that it assumes that once one is no longer accessing pornographic sites, that the battle is over. The root problem that needs to be addressed in our sinful human hearts is our tendency to pursue temptation and to get as close as we can to "sinning". I put "sinning" in quotes because we are actually fooling ourselves when we think that we aren't sinning just because x3 software doesn't consider us to be doing anything wrong, or just because our Covenant Eyes score is below a certain threshold. Proverbs 6 tells us seven things that the Lord hates and one of them is "feet that make haste to run to evil." (v. 18). Covenant Eyes is the only program that I have seen that helps me address that problem BECAUSE it reports everything that I do to my accountability partners. If my partners understand that my goal is not just to avoid porn, but to honor God with EVERY choice that I make in my web browsing, then they can ask me questions like.... "Bryan, why did you need to go to funnypics.com? Were you testing the waters? Trying to see if you could access something and not come up with too bad of a score?" Anyone who thinks that they can handle "the small stuff" and they only need something to protect them from "the big stuff" hasn't yet come to grasp just what their sinful flesh is capable of. Pride comes before a fall! One of the problems that I see with X3 is that it assumes that once one is no longer accessing pornographic sites, that the battle is over.

The root problem that needs to be addressed in our sinful human hearts is our tendency to pursue temptation and to get as close as we can to “sinning”. I put “sinning” in quotes because we are actually fooling ourselves when we think that we aren’t sinning just because x3 software doesn’t consider us to be doing anything wrong, or just because our Covenant Eyes score is below a certain threshold.

Proverbs 6 tells us seven things that the Lord hates and one of them is “feet that make haste to run to evil.” (v. 18). Covenant Eyes is the only program that I have seen that helps me address that problem BECAUSE it reports everything that I do to my accountability partners. If my partners understand that my goal is not just to avoid porn, but to honor God with EVERY choice that I make in my web browsing, then they can ask me questions like….

“Bryan, why did you need to go to funnypics.com? Were you testing the waters? Trying to see if you could access something and not come up with too bad of a score?”

Anyone who thinks that they can handle “the small stuff” and they only need something to protect them from “the big stuff” hasn’t yet come to grasp just what their sinful flesh is capable of. Pride comes before a fall!

]]> By: will http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/comment-page-1/#comment-46755 will Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:49:18 +0000 http://blogs.covenanteyes.com/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/#comment-46755 Has CE conducted any benchmark tests to access the effect of the filtering on throughput, effective bandwidth, or dynamic content (flash and embedded video, applets, java, etc...)? I would be very interested in this. Our church just began using Baraccuda over a typical proxy method, which seems to work well and fast, but it does deny access to some appropriate sights. Do you know if CE works much like Barracuda, as far as the filtering service goes?(see BWF at www.barracudanetworks.com for reference). Thanks! Has CE conducted any benchmark tests to access the effect of the filtering on throughput, effective bandwidth, or dynamic content (flash and embedded video, applets, java, etc…)? I would be very interested in this. Our church just began using Baraccuda over a typical proxy method, which seems to work well and fast, but it does deny access to some appropriate sights. Do you know if CE works much like Barracuda, as far as the filtering service goes?(see BWF at http://www.barracudanetworks.com for reference). Thanks!

]]> By: Luke Gilkerson http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/comment-page-1/#comment-32014 Luke Gilkerson Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:32:54 +0000 http://blogs.covenanteyes.com/2008/02/14/x3watch-and-covenant-eyes-what-are-key-the-differences/#comment-32014 Hello JC. There are a number of accountability software option out there. Some filtering software companies now offer accountability as an added bonus, but usually these tools are designed for parents and guardians to keep track of their children, not for an adult to hold another adult accountable. I have another post from youth ministers who use different types of accountability software. <a href="http://www.covenanteyes.com/blog/2008/12/30/youth-ministers-find-accountability-online/" rel="nofollow">You might like listening to that</a>. Hello JC. There are a number of accountability software option out there. Some filtering software companies now offer accountability as an added bonus, but usually these tools are designed for parents and guardians to keep track of their children, not for an adult to hold another adult accountable. I have another post from youth ministers who use different types of accountability software. You might like listening to that.

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