Ryan's Journal

Having lived and worked in or near places with readily accessible wifi since my junior year, becoming a couchsurfer on my old turf revealed a serious gap in my knowledge on where to find computer-grade Internet (as opposed to the mobile phone-grade one on which I now compose this treatise).

For me, there is always MIT and the student center, but we'll skip that for lack of general availability and ambient nastiness - every day with the rats scurrying around; unpleasant and unsanitary.

The Good Food Cafe, a five minute walk out of Davis towards Mass Ave. The food is good and the overall lack of patrons during the day means fast internet and lots of easily accessed power outlets. But why so few? Because there's nowhere for them to sit. There are maybe six tables and a couch in a space that could fit three or four times as many. Maybe they have underground bear-baiting matches in the evening, but the spare space is a bit silly without angry mastiffs running around. Unless they make some changes, the location is also a loser. I didn't see how they could afford three staffers based on maybe twenty purchases of reasonably priced food, which, as advertised, was good. I liked it a lot but didn't go back and don't expect it to be there when next I visit. Which is a shame. Maybe they can take out some space in Davis proper.

Darwin, Ltd., seven minutes out of Harvard Square. With Harvard one of the main public transport hubs in Cambridge, it's ideal for this type of thing. The food is overpriced, it appears to be frquently busy with slow connections, and power outlets are harder to come by. If you appreciate Harvard students and Cantabridgian patrons, it's a good spot. Again, being within the actual square would have helped, but as long as you can get a seat, it's a decent place.

Tosci's in Central Square is ice cream and coffee. Since I don't drink coffee, it's ice cream, a highly unhealthy manner to get to the internet, already a highly sedentary activity. But it's so good... No computers allowed during brunch, but otherwise fair game. Power outlets are very hard to come by and with so many patrons and an oddly weak signal, it's not easy to get a lot done. It just so happens Tosci's is also near everything else I needed to find, so that's where I'd opt for first.

Most other spots advertising wireless are only free for an hour or not free at all. I find it an odd trend considering the free hotspot craze only a few years ago. I guess shallow business interests have won out in general.

Now I just use my phone. Hello, mobile web. Those Japanese and Euro phone trends make so much more sense now.

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