MacBooks, Carparks, and the UK Smoking Ban

[Skeletal-dæmon]

Okay, it is time for another one of my random half-five musings.

Because of the UK Smoking Ban passed in 2007, I'm not allowed to smoke within my university dorms, because they are technically a public building. So instead I have to come and sit outside on the cold concrete of the carpark to satisfy my shameful desire for nicotine.

A thought has occurred to me; isn't WiFi a wonderful thing? I mean ten years ago, if you had said to somebody that ten years from now you would be able to enjoy a 6mbps internet connection in a carpark twenty feet from your dormitory with no wires at all, they would have called you mad.

Even madder if you mentioned you were printing an essay at the same time.

Okay, normal mundane life will restore in 5... 4... 3...

 

[tayloralmond]

I'd definitely have to agree there. I remember being excited when I got to get onto the internet using AOL dial-up (on our family's Windows 3.1 machine lol) Wireless high speed internet is definitely in the "Star-Trek" realm compared to 15 years ago.

 

[molala]

It was about ten years ago when Steve Jobs first demonstrated the clamshell iBook on a wifi network with the earliest airport base station. Yes, we could hardly believe it then.

 

[testcard]

I was fairly impressed the first time I was in Central London with my new iPod touch, turned on Location Services, and it found my location to within 20 yards.

 

[sosaysiburke]

damn smoking bans!

 

[gnasher729]

Okay, it is time for another one of my random half-five musings.

Because of the UK Smoking Ban passed in 2007, I'm not allowed to smoke within my university dorms, because they are technically a public building. So instead I have to come and sit outside on the cold concrete of the carpark to satisfy my shameful desire for nicotine.

A thought has occurred to me; isn't WiFi a wonderful thing? I mean ten years ago, if you had said to somebody that ten years from now you would be able to enjoy a 6mbps internet connection in a carpark twenty feet from your dormitory with no wires at all, they would have called you mad.

Even madder if you mentioned you were printing an essay at the same time.

Okay, normal mundane life will restore in 5... 4... 3...

Smoking while using WiFi will be made illegal very soon

 

[JoeDRC]

can't you open a window in your dorm?

 

[alphaod]

can't you open a window in your dorm?

That's still smoking indoors.

 

[Schtumple]

We have super sensitive fire alarms in our rooms, if you smoked, even out the window, it WOULD set it off.

To the OP: Technology is a wonderful thing

Also, give up smoking, it's bad for you

 

[Mintin8]

I cannot live without wifi. I'm 15. Too bad my school doesn't have full wifi coverage yet.

 

[Schtumple]

I cannot live without wifi. I'm 15. Too bad my school doesn't have full wifi coverage yet.

School?!?

Why would a school need wifi

 

[andalusia]

School?!?

Why would a school need wifi

My guess is for laptops.

 

[molala]

I felt really old when our wireless router conked out and I told my younger housemates to use the ethernet port. They didn't know what it was.

 

[sosaysiburke]

didn't know what the ethernet port was.. damn that is bad haha. Thats not old man stuff thats just plain wrong.

 

[ppc750fx]

So instead I have to come and sit outside on the cold concrete of the carpark to satisfy my shameful desire for nicotine.

What's with the self-deprecation? There's nothing shameful about enjoying a smoke.

 

[skorpien]

didn't know what the ethernet port was.. damn that is bad haha. Thats not old man stuff thats just plain wrong.

+1

That's just outright ignorant if you ask me. Ethernet ports are far from being an obsolete technology.

 

[nick9191]

I'm sure they offer smoking and non smoking rooms at the university I will be attending. The smoking ban does not cover living accommodation, hotels are not covered for example.

 

[davidjearly]

What's with the self-deprecation?

It's a British thing.

There's nothing shameful about enjoying a smoke.

In your opinion.

I'm sure they offer smoking and non smoking rooms at the university I will be attending. The smoking ban does not cover living accommodation, hotels are not covered for example.

Other than in individual rooms, yes they are. Usually WIFI does not reach the rooms.

 

[Bye Bye Baby]

Which university?

 

[nick9191]

Which university?

Northampton.

 

[iNash]

My guess is for laptops.

PMSL, that is quite possibly the best answer the that question!

Northampton.

Ah just down the road from my humble abode, I'll pop and join you for a smoke next time

 

[testcard]

I'll bring an ashtray...

 

[JoeDRC]

That's still smoking indoors.

true, but if your lazy like me...

 

[Darkroom]

how sweet would it be to just chill at a cafe with my macbook, order a massive black coffee and chain smoke while working... i wanna move to paris, i hear you can still do that there...

 

[instaxgirl]

Hmm in my university you could smoke in our halls. Someone even set the fire alarm off once, causing 3 fire trucks to turn up and all that happened was the fireman asked him to not smoke directly under the smoke detector. Then again, I'm in Scotland. My halls didn't have wifi though and there was only one ethernet port, 'twas a tough year

My iPhone frequently gives me OH MY GOD I'M LIVING IN THE FUTURE moments. Quite apart from the moments when I realise I'm online on a bus or am using a really cool app I occasionally just look at it and go "It's a touchscreen. And half the people I know have touchscreen phones now. WOAH"