By silicon.com, 7 September 2004 18:00
With much of the UK within easy reach of a Wi-Fi hotspot and large parts of the world following the same trend, it is now possible to log on to the net from all manner of locations - from fast food chains to sports stadiums. Even planes, trains and automobiles are getting in on the act.
A number of pubs in Kent have today joined the massed ranks of wireless boozers, and while this trend is to be praised and encouraged it does raise some concerns.
These pubs are the latest example of locations which are possibly less laptop-friendly than the wireless services provided therein suggest.
One member of the silicon.com editorial team, with some knowledge of the pubs mentioned in this latest rollout, expressed concern over taking out a £1,000 piece of kit in an area where some of the locals may be more interested in your laptop than you'd be comfortable with.
But this isn't to point the finger at any one region or area. This writer can think of dozens of pubs in London and other cities across the UK which have signs warning 'Thieves operate in this area'.
It doesn't instantly make you think: 'Great, must get my laptop out.'
At least not unless you're after the insurance money.
(Why not take our latest poll on this subject and let us know what you think.)
At the risk of sounding like the Daily Mail, it must be a concern for anybody embracing the wireless world. Just because your local McDonalds has Wi-Fi doesn't all of a sudden make it somewhere you'd be happy to use your laptop.
This isn't for a minute to suggest McDonalds clientele are any more likely to thieve than another restaurant's, or that the company is to blame for its clientele, but such outlets do seem to have a magnetic effect on some of society's less desirables. (Ed note: OK, we are sailing very close to the wind now on the Daily Mail issue.)
Many train lines appear to be doing what they can to discourage travellers from using their mobile phones in and around the stations because such spots have become targets for mobile phone thieves. But such thinking isn't discouraging the rollout of Wi-Fi hotspots.
Then there is the irony, as expressed before, that for some of these businesses, coffee shops included, the move towards Wi-Fi provision appears to trample over much of the planning which went into their business models in the first place.
Whether it's wise to get your laptop out in McDonalds is almost irrelevant alongside the question of whether it's wise for McDonalds to be offering the service in the first place.
Obviously each situation should be judged on its merits and as we said at the beginning of this article, the move to a wireless world is a fantastic development, but caution - and a good insurance policy - are to be advised.
Be safe out there and don't have nightmares.
Comments
There are 4 comments. Join the discussion
1. peas
Great column, far better than the lunatic ramblings of the "Devil's Advocate".
2. Andy Piesse
Very good points.
Perhaps the 'problem' will resolve itself by WiFi becoming so widespread that alternatives devices will be created. How about a laptop that won't work without close proximity to a card or chip. All the laptop would be is an access point to the net. I could write more but I'll leave the idea open for others to comment on.
3. Nigel Perry
Brainwork is notoriously dehydrating so my computer likes to be operated in pubs. It does not like the smoke but looks forward to having its fuel cell topped up with Polish vodka. To eliminate the worry of theft may I suggest a small revision to the penal code? Amputation is a wonderful deterrent - very few computers are stolen from pubs in Saudi Arabia. (Ed note. Good thinking, though not sure how many pubs you'll find in Saudi Arabia.)
4. Craig Wylie
Remember that WiFi does not necessarily mena Laptop - my iPaq works just as well and is fine for the sort of stuff I need to resolve in the pub (like taxi services :-).
Seriously though - new devices may make better use of the new infrastructure than the traditional laptop.