“Wardriving”, for those not up on the latest geek buzzwords, is a popular pursuit of wireless computing junkies. They drive around with their laptops, looking for insecure wireless networks that (usually unintentionally) provide free internet access, and possibly sensitive information, to the wardrivers. According to this Wired News article, participants in the WorldWide WarDrive discovered an interesting bit of tourist information about New York:
“There’s something just plain wrong about a city where you can find 100 open wireless networks in a half hour and not one public bathroom,” grumbled Ken Fandello, New York network consultant, occasional WarDriver, and owner of a set of weak kidneys.
As someone who makes a living in the IT field but is baffled by the urgent need some people seem to have to be constantly connected, I couldn’t agree more.