Laptops in coffee places

I have never been in to the Heights Coffee but seeing from outside, all the tables were taken up by laptop, it made me feel more not wanting to go in.

Gorilla also has WiFi and a lot of people bring their laptop but they play music really loud which I like and I see a lot of people there talking which creates good vibe, I think.

I guess I just simply love the Gorilla..

I had a similar experience at Heights Coffee... everyone was using their computers... and most of them even had headphones on.

The link about the place in Seattle was interesting... I wonder if it would help to have a laptop and non-laptop section in a place like Heights Coffee... like back in the days when smoking was allowed in restaurants.

Daveb: How could you get their passwords?

Unless your wireless connection is secure--using WPA and such--it's basically like your computer and the wireless router are transmitting to the world. In fact that's exactly what it's like.

It's not easy for the casual user--but it's not hard either--to setup a computer as a wireless sniffer that will collect all data it can. Then, just look through the raw info... And... Hey, that looks like an e-mail password!

Which is why you should always be wary of free and open wireless access points in cafes and such. Good for web browsing. Fishy for other things.

arielbl wrote: I've heard using public wifi to pay bills and handle financial stuff described as "like unprotected sex... but worse, because its your credit cards"


apparently its pretty easy for people who know how to get information you send out in that environment.

You don't even need to be in the same room. A few bucks worth of radio shack gear and a pringles can and you got yourself a wifi booster for easy snooping from the comfort of your car parked outside.

Wifi can be reasonably secure given that smart people are administering it. Public wifi is just asking for trouble if you're doing anything involving any degree of finance of confidentiality. You don't know who's running it, what kind of person they are, their general IQ or who else is listening on it.

Case in point, this year's DefCon in Vegas, there were a bunch of free wifi spots and kiosks kicking around. Some guys, just to prove a point snooped them and ran everyone's email passwords across a large scrolling LED display. Several Apple employees, a Cisco engineer, one Harvard professor and a whole slew of other IT Security professionals and enthusiasts were caught with their pants down. The scrolling display was nicknamed "The Wall of Sheep".
source and other security highlights from DefCon

stacey wrote: I have just bought a Lynksis (sp?) router so my computer, laptop, printer and Playstation can be played at the same time. Do you mean if I set this up at home it is like broadcasting to the whole world? Can I set it up to be secure? Thanks for any info.

Stacey, I am using a LinkSys router too and I have it secured.

What you want to do is setup encryption between your computer and the router. That way when all of your bits and bytes go flying through the air, it's all encrypted and unreadable.

For most LinkSys routers the proceedure is pretty simple.

1) Login to the Router. Open up a web browser and go to "http://192.168.1.1". You will be asked for a password. There are different default user/pass combinations depending on the make/model of the router. Look it up in your manual and it should be in there.
2) Once you're logged in, the first thing I would recommend to do is change the default router password under the 'Administration' tab. Once it's changed you might have to login to the router again with the new password. Go ahead and do that.
3) Now, once that's done go to the 'Wireless' tab and select 'Wireless Security'. The default is 'Disabled'. There are many options but I would recommend using 'WPA Personal'.
4) Set the passphrase--which is the pasword--and then hit save settings.
5) Now, the router will probably kick you off of the network because it's switching from being 'Disabled' security-wise to being locked down. Don't worry; that's what you want.
6) Reconnect to your wireless network and when they ask for a password/passphrase enter the one entered in step 4. If all goes well you'll be connected again to your router and you'll be all secure!

That's basically it. Specifics are different based on whether you're on a Mac or PC machine, but it's not that hard to do. And once you do that your WiFi connection is nice and secure. No worries about people sniffing and capturing packets and all that.

Hope this helps!

It is an interesting question. I think that the quiet atmosphere, the comfortable chairs and the room to spread out makes The Heights very appealing to folks. I find Gorilla more frustrating, because it is loud and uncomfortable and I get the sense that you should be in and out. So I rarely sit there, although they have my favorite coffee. The Tea Lounge, the newer one, is the worst though. It feels like it should be sociable, but it is over run with laptops. It is kind of comfortable, but so loud.

Don't most people have coffee and computer access in their own homes? Iguess if you got a laptop you have to show it off. The status symbol of the urbanite.

I totally agree with you, Jack.

And sometimes you just want to get out of your den/living room. Staring at the same four walls all day and night can be mind numbing. At least if you go to a coffee shop you feel like you're out in the world.

pitu wrote: When I'm working at home, I go to Gorilla to take a walk and get out in the world, maybe meet up with a friend. Then I see the sea of slack jaws and nice gear and hear the null of fingers on keyboards and I run the hell away. There might as well be cubicles, or coffins, or cyberpods.

If you like Gorilla coffee, yet don't want all the laptop drones, I'd recommend heading over to the newly reopened--and under new management--Flying Saucer Cafe on Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill (Between 3rd Avenue and Nevins). They serve Gorilla Coffee. The space is very nice with a great backyard. And yes, there will be the occasional laptop user. But nothing out of control like--let's say--Ozzie's on 5th. Just generally nice coffeeshop that's exactly like what a coffeeshop should be like. Simple and well run.

Subject: keep your laptops out of gorilla

the sad thing is that a lot of people at gorilla - and i am sure the coffee joints as well - indeed have wireless internet at home. plus you can go to the library or brooklyn museum or just about anywhere...

gorilla has the best coffee but the problem is the psuedo offices people set up and they often get really angry when you sit anywhere near their precious little laptop.

also watch out because a whole bunch of laptops have been STOLEN at gorilla... so why not just leave them at home?

you aren't reading thing from gorilla right now, RIGHT? :shock:

Oiseau wrote: [quote=Oiseau] The status symbol of the urbanite.

Oh dang, I meant urbanite poseur. Sorry folks, leave your laptop at home.

"Oh look at me! I'm cool, I'm hip! I'm paying bills from a laptop at Gorilla!"

Impressive!
I think you're projecting, my friend. Peope don't bring their laptop to show off. Who the hell is impressed by a laptop (unless it's a voodoo envy or something)? If you have to do any creative kind of work on your computer, sometimes a different environment is necessary to get the juices flowing. It's hard to write at home; personally I'm completely incapable of doing it. There are too many distractions.

Times change. Asking why folks bring a laptop to a coffee shop is like asking why they bring a book or a newspaper.

Will wrote: Times change. Asking why folks bring a laptop to a coffee shop is like asking why they bring a book or a newspaper.

I have never encountered someone with a laptop in a coffeeshop who is not tense or on the edge of being tense...

I'm a professional developer and even I know when to turn the damned thing off.

So who is ruder: People with laptops or people with babies?