[P1] OT: Setting up Public Wi-Fi

[Mike Beede]

On Mar 12, 2004, at 11:35 AM, Harry D.Corsover wrote:

> On Mar 11, 2004, at 4:24 PM, gwallace wrote:
>
>> What if a wireless network appears in your neighborhood, no password 
>> required to access it?  Are you obligated to knock on doors and ask 
>> permission?  I'm inclined to think that it's their responsibility to 
>> secure their network with (at least) a password.
>
> Let's change the context to see if this illuminates things: You leave 
> your car running while going into a store for a minute. Does that make 
> it ok for someone to use it while you're not (without your 
> permission). They'll return it really quickly, maybe even before 
> you're out of the store . . .  If that car "borrower" gets caught, do 
> you think they can get off by saying it was the car owner's 
> responsibility to secure it, so it's ok that he took it?

Let's change it to something more realistic.  You leave your newspaper
on the table in the coffee shop.  Someone else reads it, and returns it
when you ask.  I'm not saying that you can't do things that Are Wrong
when using someone else's wireless, but I'm a little hazy on this
concept that if someone leaves a hammer laying around and I drive a
nail with it, it's like boosting a car.

	Mike Beede