Freeloading Monday!

[Grendus]

I don't think you can infect through a wall socket, but public charging stations definitely can. It's a fairly common hack actually, leave out a "charging station" that installs malware and see if you can nab valuable info, add the device to a botnet, etc. I don't think there's any way to send data through the three pronged plug though, there's too much power going through those to carry data and even if you could the adapter would lose it, I believe (don't quote me on that though, I'm a CSE not an EE).

[Jay 2K Winger]

There were a couple of days when I didn't have work and didn't want to sit around the house and get pestered by the folks, so I headed out to Barnes & Noble and parked myself at a table and used their WiFi.

But I made sure to buy frappucinos and food from the Starbucks, as well as buy some books and magazines. It was the least I could do.

[MadMike]

The one year we were at the beach, there was a barbecue place on the boardwalk that had laptops bolted to the counter for customers to use. They were actually generous enough to also let non-customers use them, but they were limited to 10 minutes or something like that. As long as you were eating food from there, there was no limit.

We had dinner there one night, and spent some time catching up on our email and stuff. Shortly after we placed our order, we saw some jackass park himself at one of the laptops without ordering anything. After we had finished our food and left, he was still there. I don't know why they bothered making that rule if they weren't going to enforce it.

[Bandit]

If I'm on the road and need to sponge some free WiFi, I'll at least buy a cheap drink. Even when I'm at my dad's place (who is 87 and barely comfortable with cable TV), I'll at least get a coffee at the local Timmy's when I check the e-mails.

B

[RootedPhoenix]

I'll always be massively indebted to one of the SLC Barnes & Noble stores. I was on their wifi for ages each day, and nobody said a thing.

I bought things, but not so much that would have made up for me being there so much. I was trying to keep away from a bad home situation. Their kindness saved my butt. I wasn't entitled to it, though.

I hate how people think that it's their right to have free stuff. No. Absolutely not.

[mathnerd]

I had the same experience with Barnes and Noble during the time I was homeless and living in a shelter. It was summer, so the kids weren't in school, plus my youngest son was in and out of surgery. The shelter was a hellish place to be, so I packed the kids up and headed to the B&N. I always ordered a small coffee, even though I really couldn't afford it. After about two weeks, the manager and I got to chatting, and for the rest of the summer he refused to let me pay for my coffee and let me stay as long as I wanted to. I will forever be grateful to that man, who made a really horrible summer just a little bit more tolerable.

[Kagato]

After about two weeks, the manager and I got to chatting, and for the rest of the summer he refused to let me pay for my coffee and let me stay as long as I wanted to. I will forever be grateful to that man, who made a really horrible summer just a little bit more tolerable.

People like him deserve a big pat on the back by the big cheese upstairs and first pick of the golf clubs when they pass through the pearly gates >_>

[mathnerd]

People like him deserve a big pat on the back by the big cheese upstairs and first pick of the golf clubs when they pass through the pearly gates >_>

Absolutely, and not just for the basic human decency he showed. The business result of his actions is that now that I'm in a better place financially, Barnes and Noble is the very first place I go to every time I need something they might sell. He made a very loyal customer simply by showing a person some kindness.

[Food Lady]

I calculated the cost of using wifi at public places and decided having my own is much cheaper. I have a friend who prefers to pay for all kinds of drinks and food at cafes. It was her suggestion I do the same, but of course I didn't follow suit. I can even take my router with me. My only problem is that my tablet won't hold a charge and has to remain plugged into a socket. So I mostly do internet at home. I will use the laundromat's.

[AmethystSquirrel]

I admit I meet a lot of people who I do custom orders for at the former donut place I worked. I refuse to go in there and sit without purchasing anything.
I can't stand this sense of freeloader entitlement now a days.
They should change the wifi password hourly and in order to get the password, they have to buy something.

[AmethystSquirrel]

Found this article about coffee shops in NY doing this.

Well once you read it, we see how well it went for Borders to charge for WiFi