Just finished reading an article: http://www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/e...n-laptop-users

Got me thinking, whats the social convention re: laptop users in Spain?

Is it socially acceptable to buy a beer/coffee and set up shop for a few hrs or is it cheeky?

I've always found franchises to be pretty non plussed about me plugging into a mains socket and nursing a frappocino in the basemenet - Starbucks, Costa, McDonalds etc. In fact in university towns its encouraged!

What's the deal in Spain? Is there a 'culture' or convention one should observe, should it always be a case of asking permission (the logical procedure).

Are there particular places that welcome laptop use? Would it be considered rude to hog a cafe front table for an hour etc?

Hehe I mean its a silly thread topic really I know but I'd be interested to get a heads up in advance ..

Any amusing anecdotes? Dire warnings? Hehe.

a lot of bars & cafes advertise free wifi for customers - & yes, often just a coffee is enough

some will advertise a minimum spend

I don't think that means free electricity though

There are many bars and internet cafes on the costas, if you are inland then there may not be so many.

When in rural France my mobile battery was low and I asked at a cafe. The owner was pleased to charge it whilst I had breakfast.

I would suggest it is very rude and I doubt any cafe owner anywhere, would be very happy if you sit for hours using their electricity and internet while nursing one coffee.

I liked the comment from one cafe owner

I don't have any English friends here so can only comment on what my Spanish friends do. They (a group of us) will buy a drink (usualy all of us but often only some of us) and sit for minimum 1 hour and ramble on about nothing so if the cafe/bar offers free wifi (or a neighbour above doesn't have secure connection) then why not sit and use your lappy. I don't think asking to plug in your charger would go down very well but never seen anyone with 1 cup of coffee sat for an hour getting hassled to buy more or leave.

Some places actually encourage laptop users to set up, Starbucks and McDonalds do I know for sure by providing plenty of sockets.

I am just wondering how, given I am on tour, I am going to charge my laptop enough to let me upload photos and post to blog etc. The bike battery isn't big enough to handle an inverter alas.

I guess its the same old story, speak to people and ye shall find.

They give you a password and it lasts half an hour.

Yeah which is plenty of time to upload some photos or post to a blog. I usually do all my stuff using offline editors/picasa then just fire it off every couple of days in bulk.

I figured out how to power my laptop on the move anyway - have a motorcycle so I managed to get a 75w DC-DC adapter for £15. Runs off the fag lighter socket (£10 off ebay). Job done!