zlacker

>>jakobd+(OP)
Google seems to be escalating the speed of its efforts to restrict its user base to the completely non-technical, but Apple and Facebook already own that market.

It also sounds like they're promoting yet another way to make "the internet" slower, more bloated, and have greater impediments to usage.

>>BLKNSL+I6
I have never understood why Google has remained the esteemed vendor for a subset of technical users.

They lost me more than a decade ago when they hoovered clear text passwords from their wifi scanning and blamed it on a single engineer.

>>doctor+Uh
Are you referring to Google Maps automobiles connecting to open WiFi networks? Because to be fair, those networks were wide open, and they were being advertised.

I don't see how advertising an open WiFi network is much different from advertising an open house. In both cases you should expect visitors.

>>dumpst+Lt
An open wifi network is akin to having the shades open or your door unlocked.

You can take advantage of it, but almost everyone is going to feel like it's not right unless they have consent.

An open house would be akin to have an open wifi network labeled "PleaseUseMe".

>>Negati+lw
I disagree. An open WiFi network that is not being advertised would be similar to leaving a door unlocked or the shades open. When that network is actively advertised it ceases to be an open blind, and moves into open house territory.

>>dumpst+nx
So if my front door is open, or my garage door is open, you feel you have the right to enter my home without permission?

>>slimsa+pz
If you are advertising that your door is unlocked, and the precedent is to enter unlocked doors - as it is to connect to open networks, then yes. Permission in such a scenario is implied.

You make these analogies attempting to equate an advertised open WiFi network to an unlocked home, while ignoring the precedent around both of those things.

It is expected that people connect to your advertised open WiFi network. It is not expected that people wiggle your doorknob to check if it's unlocked or not. If you put a sign on the door advertising, "the door is unlocked!" then I wouldn't be surprised when someone mistakes that for "come in".

>>dumpst+1D
I think that depends a bit on context. If I am at home, and my neighbors are advertising an open Wi-Fi network, I’ve never taken that as an invitation to connect and use it. However, if I’m at coffee shop Foo and I see “Foo Guest” advertised, then sure…