Rico Mossesgeld over at The Smart PDA expresses his surprise that using someone else's WiFi connection without their consent is illegal some places! Given the lawsuits I've heard about in the U.S., not to mention the stupid laws Congress is trying to propose, this is no shock to me.

Let's put this in perspective. WiFi used to be as insecure as a screen door. Recent routers that support WPA, provided they are configured correctly, will provide a safe, secure network that it will be nearly impossible for someone else to inadvertently use or crack into.

Instead of creating laws that protect people from their own stupidity and ignorance, make it incumbent on the operator of the WiFi router to secure their network-if they so choose. What if I want to share my WiFi with the neighborhood? How can I do that without running afoul of these stupid laws?