Laptop squatters - the new Japanese knotweed?

[Chief]

The laptop squatters appear to have moved from Caffe Nero, following recent criticism on the East Dulwich Forum, and have now started to invade the nearby and excellent Brick House Bakery. These squatters are a pest and becoming as invasive as Japanese knotweed.

We do not want them - especially a particularly annoying example of the species today who occupied a table for 4 people - with his single cup of coffee - and was wearing headphones so that he could engage loudly in boring telephone conversations about his stupid little 'business' problems - oblivious to how irritating his behaviour was to other customers.

The Brick House is a great place where friends can chat, eat and drink - or individual can enjoy a break, browsing newspapers and magazines. It is not for selfish laptop squatter nerds, so please GO AWAY! You are not wanted.

[Nigello]

Why not just ask, politely, that the "squatter" move to a more suitable table? It's easy and it works!

[Chief]

Nigello - you have missed the point.

[Jeremy]

Are you sure the Brick House don't want these customers? Surely it's up to them. There are ways they could dissuade laptops if they wanted to... e.g. limit wifi to 30 mins per person, not provide power points, etc.

I think a better tactic would be to speak with the manager(s) and let them decide if they want to take action or not.

[JohnL]

One solution is a big shared "laptop table" which are being used

in some of the central coffee houses

[landsberger]

My beef is with parents who bring their offspring into coffee shops, who then run riot when you are trying to have a quiet coffee; laptop squatters can always be convinced to share their tables, even with a few harrumphs. Some parents have a complete meltdown when you ask them to control their offspring.

[NewWave]

Agree with the latter post and the OP.

I went to Brickhouse for lunch yesterday-brought a loaf of bread and ordered a salad and a coffee to have in-a total outlay of over a tenner-it was hard to find anywhere to sit-one long table was full of mums and buggies, the other laptop squatters, the smaller tables also had people on laptops-I shared one of these tables.

The person sharing it with me had an empty cup when I arrived, and was still there when I left, ditto all the folks at the long shared tables, I recall seeing only one of these people eating a sandwhich.

Cafes should put a minimum spend/maximum stay limit up for busy times, I think thats fair.

[KidKruger]

Very hard to police the maxim stay tho when serving in a busy cafe.

[standswithfist]

Oh so now parents can't take their kids into coffee shops either? GIVE US A BREAK!!! Its really getting boring!

[jamiemck]

Change the record, please. I'm getting bored of listening to 'Laptop Squatters' by the Moaning Witch Brigade.

These "sqautters" - whoe'er they be - have just as much right as you to be there as you. Only they got there before you, didn't they, and you're a bit annoyed at that, aren't you? And (heaven forefend!) they're using a table designed for four people? Did you ever think that maybe when they came in it was the only free table? No. Or how about going over and asking them if they'd mind sharing or moving? No... that, apparently, misses the point?!

Moan, moan, moan, I've got nothing better to do with my time than complain about the most trifling of matters. Blah, blah laptops, blah, blah prams. Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to squat in someone else's buggie on all the tables in Foxtons.

[dulwich2020]

I don't understand why they don't just use their own wifi at home? I've never thought to take laptop out to a coffe shop. why? Surely everything has Internet at home now days?

[DulwichFox]

dulwich2020 Wrote:

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

> I don't understand why they don't just use their

> own wifi at home? I've never thought to take

> laptop out to a coffe shop. why? Surely

> everything has Internet at home now days?

Exactly...

And your home Wi-Fi is going to be FAR more secure than any Pub/Caf? internet connection..

Scammers and ID thieves love these places.. The person on the next to you may well be sharing more than

just a table with you.. Your email can easily be compromised without you knowing and your credit card details

can be accessed.

And this can be done with simple kit and cheap available software..

DulwichFox

[nxjen]

dulwich2020 Wrote:

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

> I don't understand why they don't just use their

> own wifi at home? I've never thought to take

> laptop out to a coffe shop. why? Surely

> everything has Internet at home now days?

But equally you could say why don't people stay at home and make their own coffee.

[DulwichFox]

nxjen Wrote:

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

> dulwich2020 Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I don't understand why they don't just use

> their

> > own wifi at home? I've never thought to take

> > laptop out to a coffe shop. why? Surely

> > everything has Internet at home now days?

>

>

> But equally you could say why don't people stay at

> home and make their own coffee.

I do both.. I'm sitting at home working on my laptop, TV / Music on in the background.

No buggies.. Kids running around.. If I want a coffee / tea biscuit, I pop to the kitchen put on the kettle

and I'm all done in 5 minutes..

Why lug Laptops and power leads down the caf?. ?? I think a lot of it is the desire to be seen.

Well the days of the young upwardly- mobile professional are long passed. Went out with the Filofax.

Some people need a whisper in their ear..

DulwichFox

[Sue]

If someone is working from home they might well welcome an occasional break from staring at their own four walls, whilst still needing to carry on working.

However I do think it is selfish to hog a table for hours with one cup of coffee when others are needing a place to sit.

But some people have always done that, except it might be with a book or whatever and not a laptop.

[KidKruger]

"Well the days of the young upwardly- mobile professional are long passed".

So no longer will there be young people who, through their hard work and efforts in a specific sector, manage to improve their lot and eke out a career for themselves.

[DulwichFox]

Sue Wrote:

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

> If someone is working from home they might well

> welcome an occasional break from staring at their

> own four walls, whilst still needing to carry on

> working.

>

> However I do think it is selfish to hog a table

> for hours with one cup of coffee when others are

> needing a place to sit.

>

> But some people have always done that, except it

> might be with a book or whatever and not a laptop.

Most people usually Choose to work from home for the very reasons I have stated..

If you are running a business from an insecure network then you asking for trouble..

Likewise online banking and other business related internet access.

Dangers of insecure networks

To understand that we first have to understand what a hacker normally does when he infects your computer with a virus. Infected computers allow hackers to do lots of no-good things such as:

Use your computer to send SPAM.

SPAM is generally sent from the computers of unsuspecting people who?ve been infected with a virus.

Perform a Denial of Service attack.

Key Logging. This is an attack where a virus watches everything that you type on your keyboard and relays it to a hacker somewhere remotely. Not so interesting if you?re writing an email to your mom, but VERY interesting if you?re entering account information into your bank?s site or typing in your credit card numbers to but something online.

Privacy issues and identity theft. Once a hacker can control your computer, he can see pretty much everything.

An infected computer is dangerous to use. However, when hackers attack routers and networks, every computer in the home becomes dangerous. This is because these attacks:

Allow hackers to take control of your DNS system.

Direct your computer to places which will infect it with viruses.

Take you to sites that only look like the ones you want to use. They?re really sites controlled by the hacker where he can serve you any information that he wants.

Source:- http://www.routercheck.com/dangers-of-insecure-networks/

Many people just aren't aware of the dangers or think their anti-virus will protect them..

The Hackers will take control of your device and disable your anti-virus.

DulwichFox

[rbarton]

For those "squatters" out there, by all means come and squat over at my establishment:

http://www.creativedesksltd.com this has been built for you!

http://www.creativedesksltd.com/images/49-Consort-Road---01.jpg

[landsberger]

standswithfist Wrote:

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

> Oh so now parents can't take their kids into

> coffee shops either? GIVE US A BREAK!!! Its really

> getting boring!

No, just, you know, control them a bit? Ask them to stop shouting ? Ask them not to run around and then cry when they fall over/bang their head on a table/spill a load of milk all over them/because they're overtired and you're ignoring them ?

Just my half penny's worth...

[Bluelagoon]

I'm really sorry guys - but can't we all just get along? I am assuming that the OP was some kind of tongue in cheek joke.

I work from home running my own business was, and although I usually don't as I have a big screen I use for lots of my work, there might be times when I think 'do you know what, these four walls are driving me mad, let's get out into the realm of real people and have something to eat or drink while I'm at it'. Maybe they have housemates and need some space, maybe they are having building work done. It's not all posturing.

If people are taking up space, ask to share. I imagine home workers are an important element of the weekday economy for businesses.

As for the risk of being hacked the second you leave your home. I think that's somewhat overstated, and who knows what people are doing.

Basically we all need to get along in this great city of ours, regardless of how irritating you might find certain people.

[JohnL]

Bluelagoon Wrote:

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

> I'm really sorry guys - but can't we all just get

> along? I am assuming that the OP was some kind of

> tongue in cheek joke.

>

> I work from home running my own business was, and

> although I usually don't as I have a big screen I

> use for lots of my work, there might be times when

> I think 'do you know what, these four walls are

> driving me mad, let's get out into the realm of

> real people and have something to eat or drink

> while I'm at it'. Maybe they have housemates and

> need some space, maybe they are having building

> work done. It's not all posturing.

>

> If people are taking up space, ask to share. I

> imagine home workers are an important element of

> the weekday economy for businesses.

>

> As for the risk of being hacked the second you

> leave your home. I think that's somewhat

> overstated, and who knows what people are doing.

>

> Basically we all need to get along in this great

> city of ours, regardless of how irritating you

> might find certain people.

Yes

But if we share tables are we meant to sit in silence

or share some anecdotes :)

[Beej]

silence; shut up and be quiet, this isn't America ;)

[Baggs]

The best thing to do with this kind of infestation is to cut the tops off and fill them with a concentrated glyphosate solution (if they are thick enough). Then spray the ones which are too small to fill/inject.

['bout now]

Rinse and Repeat indignation thread shocker.

[Sue]

Baggs Wrote:

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

> The best thing to do with this kind of infestation

> is to cut the tops off and fill them with a

> concentrated glyphosate solution (if they are

> thick enough). Then spray the ones which are too

> small to fill/inject.

I think you're on the wrong thread :))

Unless you're suggesting murdering the laptop squatters with Roundup :))