(Read previous confessions here and here).
Sad, but true. I got a new laptop last month with Wi-Fi capability, and was surprised to see so many unsecured wireless networks available from my apartment. At first, I didn't hesitate at all to tap into the strongest of those signals, just for the fun of using a wireless connection. I loved being able to work on stuff at the dining room table instead of in my bedroom.
Anyway, now that I've moved into a new place, there is another unsecured wireless signal I think is coming from across the street. And a few days ago I read this seemingly prosaic New York Times story about people tapping into their neighbor's networks. Although the news itself was nothing unsurprising to me, for some reason I felt a new tinge of guilt. When I tap into my neighbor's wireless connection, it does consume some of their connection bandwidth. In my mind, that makes it different than using pirated software or downloading illegal MP3s. (And for that reason, the morality of those actions should be another discussion, I think.)
So now I plan to get my own broadband and set up an old 802.11b router one of my friends gave me earlier. I'm interested as to what your opinion is about tapping into unsecured wireless networks?
5 comments:
i think my morality on this is somewhat relativistic. we can't get dsl in our town, so the only high speed option that i have is cable. and they don't have a tiered plan. so i get 6mbps speed for more than i want to pay. for that reason, i would be loathe if my neighbors were stealing my signal. i have an encrypted signal, with a non-transmitting ssid - double whammy. just because you have an orchard doesn't mean that the neighborhood kids can steal apples.
I wouldn't know! But if you're not costing them any money, what does it matter?
Well....I read the New York Times story and learned a great deal that I hadn't ever heard before--so that was interesting! I don't really understand how wireless Internet works. It's one of those things that I accept and will gladly use, even though I don't understand it. I am inclined to believe that if it is illegal for you to use other people's wireless signals, you shouldn't do it.
It would be very lovely if the Internet signal could just be beamed around everywhere so that anybody who wanted to could tap into it anywhere, like turning on a water faucet. Ah, well. It will probably happen one of these days.
i think society is still coming up with new rules for the digital age ... i don't consider copying digital files to be stealing if it is artwork, such as images or music, because it doesn't cost the owner anything.
bandwidth is different cause it does have a material effect when you tap into it. bandwidth is basically like water pressure for the internet.
and about your opinion, saur, i think you just enjoy being contrarian! ;-P
oh yeah, thanks for all your comments!
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