Virtual office puts time limit on Wi-Fi users
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2
By Jim Stafford
Published: August 20, 2008
I eased into my seat and fired up my laptop as I always do at my "north office” at the Panera Bread along the Kilpatrick Turnpike at Meridian Avenue.
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Over the time limit
Anyway, as I logged on to their network I saw a little notice that "asked” Wi-Fi users to limit their time online to 30 minutes between the hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. It was a little after 10:30 a.m. on this day two weeks ago.
The story began to take shape and about an hour later I popped up to refill my coffee cup. When I got back to the computer it had lost the wireless connection.
An attempt to reconnect got a message that instantly put a black cloud over my day.
"You have exceeded your allotted time,” the message on my screen said.
Nothing left to do but pack up and head into the newsroom and finish the job.
Walking fine line
The new Panera Bread free-online-but-with-limits policy is all about restaurant access for lunchtime customers, spokesman Andrew Carlson told me on Tuesday.
The restaurant walks a fine line between accommodating Wi-Fi users and the lunchtime crowd simultaneously, he said.
"The lunch rush is a busy time for us, and we ask people to limit their time,” Carlson said.
"We want to be able to provide the amenity for our customers but ensure the entire restaurant is available to all customers.”
Fast forward to last week when another big project faced me.
I began to search out alternative restaurants that have free Wi-Fi networks.
Other free Internet options
IHOP? Too syrupy. McDonalds? Too kid friendly on a workday. Full Cup in Edmond? Not big enough to offer needed solitude.
So, the downtown Java Dave's won the out-of-office workspace lottery by default. It offers unlimited free Wi-Fi and plenty of space to spread out and get the job done.
However, today I came back to my comfortable north office where I'm writing this. I looked closely at the log on notice asking users to limit their time. Panera also asks solitary users to avoid large tables. There are only four seats at the table at which I'm sitting. I take up one seat and my backpack takes up another, so there.
My time online is approaching the dreaded 30-minute time limit, so I had better hurry and
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#2 Exactly why does it require an internet connection to write an article? Since when does Microsoft Word require an internet connection to type? Write your article THEN connect and upload the finished product. Sound more like you're complaining about time limited internet surfing in the restaurant instead of at the office where say, editors, can see you goofing off. ;)