Random ramblings from the Golden Ghetto

Ever since discovering that the Johnson County Library has finally liberated its Wi-Fi, it seems I've been spending more and more time either at the Central Resource Library or on my way either there or back. Oh, it's not just that JCL is now doing a better job with Wi-Fi than KCMO's public libraries (and let's not even talk about KCK or the two local library systems still running closed networks, shall we?) but throw longer hours and free parking into the mix and it's a slam-dunk win for JoCo-driving distance and the price of gas notwithstanding.

So...how's this going over out there? Strangely, it doesn't seem to be drawing much more of a crowd. I don't think I've ever seen as many laptoppers there as I regularly do at KCMO's Plaza Branch, which despite being open similar hours and also offering free parking doesn't have anywhere near as many resources as JCL Central because it is a branch, not the main library. One wonders whether Plaza is more of a draw because it's in KCMO and closer to the urban core, and thus attracts laptop owners who come seeking only Wi-Fi and who perhaps, unlike their Johnson County counterparts, either don't have access to another broadband connection or can do better in the library than they can at home. Even if you can afford a faster connection, you can't buy one if no one will sell it to you.

And I share ath64's curiosity as to why the tablet revolution doesn't seem to have reached into public hotspots on either side of the state line. I thought I saw my first library iPad user out at Central last night...but alas, it turned out she was holding a tiny dry-erase whiteboard that from a distance, resembled you-know-what. Her tablemate, however, was equipped with a rather cute little Asus netbook.

Finally, speaking of curiosity, why has the tip someone passed on to ath64 a couple of years back that all of the Burger King locations in the metro were unwired turned out to be such a bum steer? On my way to or from JCL Central I've checked out several JoCo BKs, along with others in midtown and south KCMO. Not a single one lit up in the bunch. Too bad. Makes it harder to use those buy-one-get-one-free Whopper coupons.