Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Loz Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Actually, Foxy, it's damn useful on the train to

> Leeds, when you only get 15 mins free and the trip

> is over 2 hours.

>

> There are a couple more gotchas. Cookies can get

> in the way as well.


Do they have Wi-Fi in Leeds.. ? lol


Foxy

Yes, easy to change MAC address (I'm a tech geek)... but I'm sure they could make free wifi hogging harder if they wanted, so I suspect they know it makes them money in the long run. Not so pleasant if you're trying to find a seat, but there's usually a spare one, if you're willing to ask.
Peckham Library has free wi-fi, albeit sluggish. You have to get there early or be rather lucky to find a table (especially the much coveted window places) but I find that a very pleasant space to write in. And of course, they have a fabulous range of books you can pick up at the same time.

lpool Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sat in Cafe Nero and the place is almost empty.

> Looks like original poster has scared away the

> squatters.


There's a strange rhythm to coffee shops - all

the ones near work were empty too :)

As if they really need anymore advertising, can we please stop mentioning cafe Nero? Doh! might as well drink coffee in McDonalds.. eeuughhh


Not that I'm ageist or anything but seriously, you need to get down with the kids. Working from home is sooooooo last season. Shed loads of cafes & coffee shops open entirely for the purposes of capitalising on people looking for non traditional work spaces. Even Starbucks (the devil) up the road, has power sockets for laptops under almost all of its tables. They're calling it the workshop/workspace and it's all the rage in the east end - look, you can even get your bike fixed while you're working at this one... http://blog.wbc.co.uk/2014/02/the-popup-workshop-workspace-cafe-phenomenon/ Good on any independent coffee shop that plays catch up, rather give you my business than the devils....

Beej Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I'm sure it's very nice but, IT'S MCDONALDS!!!!!!!!


So, you'd rather go somewhere else that may have less nice coffee, just because it's a McDs? #pretentious


> btw Did you know it's called McDavid's in Jerusalem #uselesstrivia


There is a McDavids, but it's a different fast food company. There are proper McDonalds in Jerusalem/Israel also.

oh dear it appears laptop squatters have taken over the British Library


Senior academics have complained that they are unable to find space to work on rare books because the library is overcrowded with students attracted by the free wi-fi.


Yesterday many students could be seen at the library with Facebook, Instagram and Twitter showing on their laptop screens. Others were watching YouTube videos.


http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/education/article4454509.ece

I suspect it's a wider issue than wifi and laptops. At some of the larger Pret & Starbucks in town, there are often large groups of students or (what seem to be) network marketers. Barely a purchased drink or product between them, and none of them on laptops. They just use these venues as places to socialise, or to hold meetings and presentations. Pret kind of encourages this by having cavernous venues (like the one off Hanover Square) with great sofas, and some alcoves that are perfect for groups. Amusingly, their wifi doesn't reach the far extremes of these venues, as I've told them several times.


So maybe it's more of an issue that we're being encouraged to use these venues for more than drinking coffee or consuming food purchased there. They are becoming the non-alcoholic equivalent of pubs.

ianc Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------


> They are becoming the non-alcoholic equivalent of pubs.


I bloody hope not. Perish the thought. You're way off the mark there. What a dystopian nightmare! Pubs are, or certainly should be, the social hub of the community and are for imbibing and generally having fun, not 'working' in, taking up space from drinkers and merry makers alike.

I think you're right, Dulwichdarling. It's a thread railing against the reality of something that already happened, and is driven by the commercial venues many of us would like to find a seat to drink our coffee in, but sometimes can't.


I expect it's natural to dislike some of these changes. How much that does to change them in our favour... well, that's more a philosophical question, than a useful debate on here.


As I've often said about certain topics on here, asking people in-person to move / vacate / free up a seat probably does more than any debate on here. There won't somehow be a consensus that laptop squatters are bad, and a sudden move by them to change their behaviour after someone shows them this thread ;-)

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • The current wave of xenophobia is due to powerful/influential people stirring up hatred.  It;'s what happened in the past, think 1930s Germany.  It seems to be even easier now as so many get their information from social media, whether it is right or wrong.  The media seeking so called balance will bring some nutter on, they don't then bring a nutter on to counteract that. They now seem to turn to Reform at the first opportunity. So your life is 'shite', let;s blame someone else.  Whilst sounding a bit like a Tory, taking some ownership/personal responsibility would be a start.  There are some situations where that may be more challenging, in deindustrialised 'left behind' wasteland we can't all get on our bikes and find work.  But I loathe how it is now popular to blame those of us from relatively modest backgrounds, like me, who did see education and knowledge as a way to self improve. Now we are seen by some as smug liberals......  
    • Kwik Fit buggered up an A/C leak diagnosis for me (saying there wasn't one, when there was) and sold a regas. The vehicle had to be taken to an A/C specialist for condensor replacement and a further regas. Not impressed.
    • Yes, these are all good points. I agree with you, that division has led us down dangerous paths in the past. And I deplore any kind of racism (as I think you probably know).  But I feel that a lot of the current wave of xenophobia we're witnessing is actually more about a general malaise and discontent. I know non-white people around here who are surprisingly vocal about immigrants - legal or otherwise. I think this feeling transcends skin colour for a lot of people and isn't as simple as, say, the Jew hatred of the 1930s or the Irish and Black racism that we saw laterally. I think people feel ignored and looked down upon.  What you don't realise, Sephiroth, is that I actually agree with a lot of what you're saying. I just think that looking down on people because of their voting history and opinions is self-defeating. And that's where Labour's getting it wrong and Reform is reaping the rewards.   
    • @Sephiroth you made some interesting points on the economy, on the Lammy thread. Thought it worth broadening the discussion. Reeves (irrespective of her financial competence) clearly was too downbeat on things when Labour came into power. But could there have been more honesty on the liklihood of taxes going up (which they have done, and will do in any case due to the freezing of personal allowances).  It may have been a silly commitment not to do this, but were you damned if you do and damned if you don't?
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...