On Friday, Starbucks made it official: The rumors are true, and some of the coffee behemoth's New York City franchises are indeed blocking power outlets to prevent customers from lingering all day with gadgets in tow. Is Starbucks justified in cracking down on parasitical laptop loafers?
No. Let them linger: One of the main functions of Starbucks is to offer an "oddly, slightly sticky armchair" for laptop users, says Zack Whittaker at ZDNet. After all, just last year, the company started providing free Wi-Fi. It's a place where you can work and enjoy coffee, a wonderful alternative for students to the college library. While no one should get to sit there for hours on end without making a purchase, "blocking off the power points seems to be a step in the wrong direction."
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