Okay, maybe I'm the only one who is bugged by this...

[Amalthea]

...but one thing I TOTALLY hate is that people come in to the bookstore with their laptops, search for an outlet, and just plug in and hang out. Um, I'm sorry, is this YOUR house? Is this YOUR electricity? Do you see signs that say "Hey, do whatever the f*** you want, we don't care?" There's an outlet about 3 feet away from some of our cafe tables, and people will either A. Plug their laptop in and sit at the nearest table, leaving the cord strewn across the aisle where people WALK or B. Drag the table to the column with the outlet, and then LEAVE it there when they leave. ARGH. It really just burns me up.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

On one hand, it seems like a lot of bookstores nowadays are set up to encourage a person to "hang out" in them (comfy chairs to sit in and read, cafes, etc.)

However, rearranging the furniture to accomodate your laptop, and leaving the cord in the aisle where somebody can trip over it (and then it becomes the store's fault, not the dipshit who left the cord hanging there in the first place) is very rude.

[BusBus]

Mind if I sleep on the floor in the non-fiction section? Maybe set up a TV by the travel section? Why pay rent? Live at the bookstore.

[Amalthea]

On one hand, it seems like a lot of bookstores nowadays are set up to encourage a person to "hang out" in them (comfy chairs to sit in and read, cafes, etc.)

It's not the hanging out I mind. (Sorry if I was confusing) I mean, heck, I hang out at the bookstore sometimes when I'm not working. It's the fact that they think they can plug their stuff into our outlets and use it for an hour or two. That'd be like me going into the mall and plugging my gameboy into their outlet and playing for a couple hours. It's got a battery for a reason! Juice it up at YOUR house. Don't be thinking you can plug it in wherever you want!

[Jester]

Mind if I sleep on the floor in the non-fiction section? Maybe set up a TV by the travel section? Why pay rent? Live at the bookstore.

For a book whore like myself, that would be heaven.

Ironically, I am not one of those people that hangs out in book stores. My wallet couldn't afford it.

[Cvstos]

I'm guilty of that, although I'll usually buy something when I do so (and I'm very aware of where I jack in - if someone manages to trip over my cord, they were trying unsafe maneuvers even without the cord there).

Also, laptops, as a rule, don't require a lot of power. I think at peak performance my PowerBook drains 85W. Compare that to my PC which draws 430W, and my friends' PC that draws over 600W! If someone jacks in and hangs out for 6 whole hours, even with a 100W laptop, even at $0.10 per kW/h, that's a total electrical cost of maybe $0.06. Whoop-de-freaking-do. Buying just one premium coffee drink probably covers that times thirty.

[Broomjockey]

For a book whore like myself, that would be heaven.

Ironically, I am not one of those people that hangs out in book stores. My wallet couldn't afford it.

I whole-heartedly agree on all counts. Honestly, I can spend a few hours in a book store, and probably still leave wishing I had more time.

But I gotta say about plugging into outlets. As long as they are paying customers, I think it's fine (As long as they don't either move furniture or leave the cord in a dangerous position). My laptop, even with it's extended battery only lasts about 3 hours when I'm only doing word processing. Lord help me if I wanna listen to music, or anything else that requires actual processing power! Outlets are my friends

[Jester]

I whole-heartedly agree on all counts. Honestly, I can spend a few hours in a book store, and probably still leave wishing I had more time.

I am bad about that. I have actually had friends of mine warn their spouses/girlfriends/whatever NOT to go into a bookstore or music store with me, because my friends know I could be lost in there for hours, sometimes without even buying stuff, just browsing, or with only buying one or two items. I am famous for that. Which is why I now only go into bookstores when I know I am going to buy SOMETHING. Which is one reason I love used book stores! Powell's and Strands rock!

[DGoddessChardonnay]

For a book whore like myself, that would be heaven.

Ironically, I am not one of those people that hangs out in book stores. My wallet couldn't afford it.

I just about turned my office into a book room - there are so many books crammed everywhere.

Why go to the bookstore when I have one at home? But then, this time of year, I'm on the porch more.

TV. Cable. Laptop w/wireless connection. Wine and cigs. What more can a girl want, eh?

[Sonoma]

Powell's and Strands rock!

I just got my laptop last month, and am just now discovering the joys of portability. However, I do have a battery, and I will use it. But I will carry my power adapter with me, in case that is the better option, and I can use AC power w/o making a SC out of myself.

Unfortunately (for my wallet), they're building a new Powells, and making it a very convienent location to my work. Poor, poor checking account....

[Spiffy McMoron]

Honestly, I can spend a few hours in a book store, and probably still leave wishing I had more time.

I was in a bookstore on Monday, wishing that I had more money-it had been a while since I've been in a bookstore, and I saw all of these really cool books I would love-Life of Pi, an art book on WoW, several history book, etc. Unfortunately, I was there to buy a birthday gift for The Missus, and had to buy that instead.

[Jester]

BONUS!

I've been trying to clean up my place, and just came across the Borders gift card my Mom gave me for Christmas. Free books! Woo hoo!

[thegiraffe]

Your battery lasts for 3 hours?!?!? I'm lucky if mine lasts 40 minutes. Though....it IS two years old, it overheats (which greatly reduces the battery life), and it's been on fire. Yeah, it blew up when the power supply shorted and decided to make its own fireworks show. I had to get that fixed ($100). For all intents and purposes, this computer should NOT work. They said it had a cracked system board too, but...I'm not going to pay an additional $400 to fix that when I could buy a new (nice) computer for $700.

Therefore, if I'm going to be doing anything other than looking at the screen for 40 minutes, my power adapter is a necessity. However, I always buy something where I go, and sit as close to a power jack as possible.

[Broomjockey]

Your battery lasts for 3 hours?!?!? I'm lucky if mine lasts 40 minutes.

I spent the extra 90 bucks for an extended battery though. The one it came with got about an hour if I was very still, and didn't touch anything.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

For a book whore like myself, that would be heaven.

Ironically, I am not one of those people that hangs out in book stores. My wallet couldn't afford it.

I'd like that too. I probably have too many Dilbert, Calvin & Hobbes, The Onion compilations and Dave Barry books for my own good.

When I was in college, I used to hang out at a combination used book store/coffee shop. Nothing like a nice cappucino and the smell of old dusty books.