The wheels are turning, and sooner than you might think, Microsoft is preparing to bring an end to Windows XP (even though that's what's powering most of today's PCs).

I just looked at some statistics from our WFAA.com Web site, and it shows that 69.2 percent of all our users have XP on their computers.

That percentage is slowly dropping, because almost all new Windows computers go out the door with Microsoft's Vista operating system, and the clock is ticking on XP.

Microsoft's Support Lifecycle site shows we're just about one year away until "mainstream support" ends for XP, but you'll no longer be able to even buy it after June 30.

Newer operating systems like Windows Vista or Mac OS X can do a better job of keeping your kids safe when on the Internet, but the developers of Kidzui wanted more.

"Our passion is to bring the best of the Internet to kids," said Kidzui CEO Cliff Boro. "Kidzui is primarily about independently discovering and finding great web sites, videos and pictures."

To that end, Boro's company created a whole new kid-friendly environment designed to make using a computer fun for youngsters ages 3 to 11.

It starts with your youngster choosing his or her own avatar — a cartoon representation that can be altered in just about every way, from hairstyle (and color) to footwear.

Kidzui's content is handpicked by an editorial team backed by more than 200 teachers and parents. "Our approach has been to actually select all of the good stuff and put it in, and to create a browser that lets kids find and share and discover that great content, but to stay within the definition of what we have already looked at and to make sure that kids stay safe," Boro said.

There are a lot of things kids can't do on Kidzui. No downloads are allowed, and that means no threat of viruses.

No time-wasting chat or instant messages are permitted, either.

But what if a parent wants to include a site that's not built in to Kidzui? "Parents can access the Kidzui.com parent site and they can add web sites or remove the content that they don't want their kids to see," Boro explained.

If your child tries to access content that's not pre-approved, he or she can flag it for a parent to review. Mom and dad also get e-mail alerts and can check online logs any time to see what the kids have been looking at.

"We want to teach kids that it's okay to have friends," Boro said, "but in Kidzui, parents can approve every friendship."

Kidzui has versions for Windows and Mac users, and parents can download a 30-day free trial.

"Our goal is that Kidzui will arm children to understand computers and to understand how to find great things without anxiety or fear," Boro said. "I really hope that that really is Kidzui's legacy."

After the free trial, Kidzui costs $5 a month per household, for as many computers (and kids) that you have.

Watch Computer Corner every week on News 8 Midday at noon (usually seen on Wednesdays), or online any time.

E-mail askwalt@wfaa.com