Giving people access codes based on purchases is incredibly lame and hurts the the natural warm vibe of a good coffeeshop.
To All Coffee Shop Owners:
- Give away wifi.
- Gently enforce purchases with use of table space . Aka, more or less ban squatting.
- VERY IMPORTANT: Create laptop zones and/or make laptoppers sit with each other and not hog 4 person tables. It'd probably help people meet each other and it'll conserve space. Alternatively, have lots of little tables that barely fit one laptop.
While I agree that squatters suck, this isn't about technology, it's about people.
I meet tons of people in seattle coffee shops BECAUSE of their laptops. I also meet lots of folks because of their art or their book or whatever they're working on/doing. This is NOT about technology, it's about who you are.
If you want to encourage eye contact and socializing in public places, just start looking at and meeting people in public places! By showing people that it's cool to talk to strangers you make everyone more comfortable talking to strangers. Was that so difficult?
Oh, and if you're creepy, please disregard everything I just said.;)
Slashdot Mirror
Giving people access codes based on purchases is incredibly lame and hurts the the natural warm vibe of a good coffeeshop.
To All Coffee Shop Owners:
- Give away wifi.
- Gently enforce purchases with use of table space . Aka, more or less ban squatting.
- VERY IMPORTANT: Create laptop zones and/or make laptoppers sit with each other and not hog 4 person tables. It'd probably help people meet each other and it'll conserve space. Alternatively, have lots of little tables that barely fit one laptop.
Problem solved!!
A Victrola Regular
While I agree that squatters suck, this isn't about technology, it's about people.
;)
I meet tons of people in seattle coffee shops BECAUSE of their laptops. I also meet lots of folks because of their art or their book or whatever they're working on/doing. This is NOT about technology, it's about who you are.
If you want to encourage eye contact and socializing in public places, just start looking at and meeting people in public places! By showing people that it's cool to talk to strangers you make everyone more comfortable talking to strangers. Was that so difficult? Oh, and if you're creepy, please disregard everything I just said.