Features
What puts this program high on our list is not just that it is pretty (and it is pretty), but that it also monitors peer to peer activity. These days there are a lot of things being downloaded on the plethora of peer to peer programs available. Thanks to Spector Pro 5, users can now monitor that activity. You can see both what was searched for and what was downloaded.
Another thing that Spector has done quite well is the programs layout and interface. Frankly, Spector is a pleasure to look at. With all of the things that this robust program records, we were grateful to have an interface that was so intuitive and easy to use.
We were also pleased with the slideshow feature that allows you to view the computer's activity in a linear, visual fashion. It was nicely effective for conveying the userís sequence of events. Even though this feature only works for screenshots, it still provides a nice overview.
Our one main complaint really is that you have to be on the same computer you are recording to view the recorded data. This can make it very difficult to safely view the information at convenient times and with without giving away to the person being monitored that Spector Pro is on their computer.
Ease of use
This program is very easy to use, but because the information is stuck on the computer, it can be difficult to view recorded data. One
can optionally add eBlaster to be emailed reports, but that makes this product
very expensive at nearly $200.
Monitoring effectiveness
With the inclusion of peer to peer, Spector Pro is bound to keep a close eye on whomever you're trying to monitor. It's slick software that doesnít miss a beat. And thatís one of its biggest downfalls.
We
say that a bit tongue-in-cheek, because this is a quality program, but a problem we have with it is that it takes interval screenshots (meaning it takes screenshots every X number of seconds) rather than trigger based screenshots, which are only taken when a keyword is encountered.
With interval screenshots
so much data is recorded it can be overwhelming to sit and sift through. You end up missing things simply because there's too much to see.
Accessibility of information
As mentioned above, the information is stuck on the computer, and for some users this will make viewing the recorded data
very difficult.
Customer Support
Their customer support was a bit slow getting to us, but they were efficient answering questions and have extensive hours. That helps.
While it is more expensive than most, this fairly intuitive, well-designed monitoring system is (almost) worth the price of admission. What it lacks in blocking capabilities, it makes up for in ease of use and monitoring might. 
