moonbuggy

`Piggybacking, the usually unauthorized tapping into someone else’s wireless Internet connection, is no longer the exclusive domain of pilfering computer geeks or shady hackers cruising for unguarded networks. Ordinarily upstanding people are tapping in. As they do, new sets of Internet behaviors are creeping into America’s popular culture.

“I don’t think it’s stealing,” said Edwin Caroso, a 21-year-old student at Miami Dade College, echoing an often-heard sentiment.

“I always find people out there who aren’t protecting their connection, so I just feel free to go ahead and use it,” Mr. Caroso said. He added that he tapped into a stranger’s network mainly for Web surfing, keeping up with e-mail, text chatting with friends in foreign countries and doing homework.’

Makes me think I should buy a wireless card to go with my 13dB antenna that’s been sitting around for years. It’d give me an excuse to learn all about packet shaping and whatnot, and I could afford to let 10% or so of my bandwidth float out the window. [shrug] Why not? 🙂

Just so long as I don’t end up some sorta anonymous gay porn proxy or something. Hmm. 🙂