As a laptop user living in Manhattan, I really benefit from the the open IEEE 802.11 (wireless ethernet) netwoks. It seems that whenever I open my laptop, I find at least one open 802.11 network. This is very nice because I am addicted to checking my email. Open networks benefit me and my presence costs them nothing.

But wireless networks aren't all open. 802.11 has features that can be used to "close" or "lock" the network, which means that a person passing by cannot use it. The most common such feature is called WEP.

I think that the #1 reason for a person to lock their network is the mean-sprited reason of "I pay for it, so why should you be able to use it for free?" I don't like that.