Strange request of another to use my computer while I'm on-line at the airport!
Jan 18, 2011, 3:43 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 661
Strange request of another to use my computer while I'm on-line at the airport!
I'm at Luxor airport waiting for my flight to Sharjah, I am surfing on my netbook (the airport has free Wifi) and I also am listening to music on my iPod so I have my earphones on. I suddenly get a wave from this geeky looking xxxxx guy trying to get my attention. Wondering what is happening I remove my earphones and he says "can I check my gmail"......? 
My response "sorry, but this is my private computer" and he goes away with a disappointed look. Is this even something reasonable to ask of some random person? I thought it was really bizzare and inappropriate.. in any case I don't allow anyone to use my laptop due to concerns about viruses and such.
Any of you encountered anything like this?
My response "sorry, but this is my private computer" and he goes away with a disappointed look. Is this even something reasonable to ask of some random person? I thought it was really bizzare and inappropriate.. in any case I don't allow anyone to use my laptop due to concerns about viruses and such.
Any of you encountered anything like this?
Last edited by obscure2k; Jan 19, 2011 at 6:31 pm Reason: Removed ethnicity of the "geeky looking guy."
Jan 18, 2011, 4:37 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
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Agreed, it'd take a split second for him to install a keystroke capture program, and boom - he's got all your passwords.
Unless you've got a Mac, then you're 100% secure no matter what and can loan it out with impunity. According to my Macolyte friends
Unless you've got a Mac, then you're 100% secure no matter what and can loan it out with impunity. According to my Macolyte friends
Jan 18, 2011, 4:39 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2005
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I suddenly get a wave from this geeky looking Indian guy trying to get my attention. Wondering what is happening I remove my earphones and he says "can I check my gmail"......?
Jan 18, 2011, 4:44 pm
#9
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I've gotten specific, timely, relevant requests ("I'd like to see the seatmap for this flight") that I was happy to oblidge. But always I brought up the page for them, never let them at the keyboard.
Jan 18, 2011, 5:18 pm
#10
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I've had people ask a couple of times, but the answer was always sorry, no.
Both times the next person let them, so apparently it works for them.
I even saw somebody on the train once just stand up and say "There's three MiFi signals in this car, can somebody please let me jump on for a second?"
They didn't get any takers either.
Both times the next person let them, so apparently it works for them.
I even saw somebody on the train once just stand up and say "There's three MiFi signals in this car, can somebody please let me jump on for a second?"
They didn't get any takers either.
Jan 18, 2011, 5:22 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
More seriously, while any given stranger who asks to borrow your web browser is probably innocuous, many of us have enough personal info on our computers nowadays that we can't take that risk. Particularly if said computer belongs to our government or corporate employers and contains highly proprietary information.
Jan 18, 2011, 5:47 pm
#13
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I'd never loan my computer to a stranger. If they really need to check their email they should have brought their own. I know that may sound rude, but I have no way of knowing their intentions.
Jan 18, 2011, 6:06 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Washington, DC USA
Programs: UA; Amtrak
Posts: 2,002
I don't think the OP was in the wrong for declining the request, but neither do I think the request was particularly unusual and certainly not an indication of some devious or malicious intent.
Laptops, Internet connections, iPods, etc. are not always easy to come by outside the industrialized world; a whole village might share a mobile phone. Depending on the culture, it may be no big deal to ask a stranger for access; I've lent all these things in certain circumstances and had no ill effects. If someone asks me for a stick of gum while standing in line, I'm not going to assume it's because he's trying to poison me.
Laptops, Internet connections, iPods, etc. are not always easy to come by outside the industrialized world; a whole village might share a mobile phone. Depending on the culture, it may be no big deal to ask a stranger for access; I've lent all these things in certain circumstances and had no ill effects. If someone asks me for a stick of gum while standing in line, I'm not going to assume it's because he's trying to poison me
.
Jan 18, 2011, 6:12 pm
#15
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