Wi-Fi Thief

9/10/09

"Thou shalt not steal" seems clear enough, but is surreptitiousl tapping into another's wi-fi stealing? How can it be stealing if the person/company whose network you are using is not really losing anything? Legally, I don't think so yet. And isn't sharing what you have already paid for and what you already know can be used by the entire universe the charitable thing to do? Then why does some neighbor of mine decide to turn off his/her wi-fi during working hours after more than two years of leaving it on?

You may say I should pay for my own internet connection and you probably would get a lot of support. But I say if he/she does not want a secure network, then why go through the extra effort of turning it on and off? After all it would give others (me) pleasure with no sweat of his/her back. Isn't it better to give...?

What does this have to do with my readjustment, you may ask? It is just the way the whole notion of what is mine is mine is creeping back into my life after trying to cope in a communal society for the past two years. As for what does "Thou shalt not steal" mean? It is for others more or less noble to ponder the question. In the meantime, I am just going to confine my internet usage to when my neighbor comes home, or walk across the street to the library, or heaven forbid, get my own internet service.