Silent Screen

If you want to see what users are doing on a computer, you generally don't want them to know it. This flawed automatic screenshot grabber not only indicates that it's working, but allows access to the files it saves.

Silent Screen's multitabbed configuration screen is easy enough for even novice users, but the program's settings are too inflexible for advanced needs. The app stumbles on install as it neglects to inform users which file installs the program. Once installed, though, configuration takes just a few seconds. The default interval is one screenshot per second, which would quickly fill up most systems with the large 200KB files. Oddly, the largest interval allowed is a grab every 9 seconds. That's still too often for most users.

The program's use as a spy tool is greatly hindered by the app's tooltray icon. It's easy to see when the program is running. Although access to program settings is password protected, any user can find, display, or erase the screenshots.

Though it does save images, and comes as freeware, Silent Screen simply has too many flaws to recommend it for any user. You can easily find a better program to see computer activities.