In an earlier posting I whinged about a conference that had wifi internet available only in certain areas, and implicitly assumed that this was either about cost or logistics. A follow-up comment pointed out that speakers might actually prefer that the audience didn’t have their noses in their notebooks all the time, and the policy might be _intentional_, to compel attention.
Well. That idea had never occurred to me, but I think it’s probably doomed to failure. Take cellphones as an example: at the start we had no cultural norms at all, and had to develop them, and there was a chance that cellphones might have a limited sphere of influence, with cell users as oppressed as smokers are today, in “designated cellphone areas”, or huddling together furtively outside the entrances of their office complexes in winter, sneaking their miserable hasty ration of mobile conversation. But no – mobile phones have essentially won, despite the odd cranky letter to the etiquette columnist. That is, the etiquette has evolved and it’s: turn off the ringer when you’re in a movie, at the opera, or in certain very high-end restaurants and … that’s it.
As wifi becomes more ubiquitous, I think you’ll see continuous partial attention in the workplace become more and more normal and accepted. And so, if you are giving a talk and I am in the audience, you can be assured of my full and undivided attention just so long as you meet one minimal standard of quality: be more interesting than anyone I could be IM’ing with. š
Tim Converse 
The lack in the rooms has been more one of costs. It actually took forever to get a sponsor to underwrite the cost of wifi in the lounge areas, something I’d long pushed for.
I have debated the second jump of putting it in the conference rooms, but the attention factor has indeed been one reason why I haven’t pushed hard on that front. I have tended to think that if you’re in the room, you ought to pay attention the speakers, not be doing your email and other stuff.
I know from experience I’ve been in conferences where wifi in session rooms have been offer, and I’ve multitasked like anyone else. And then there’s that point when I’ve thought, “wait a minute — what did they say,” because I wasn’t paying as much attention as I should have.
Over time, I’m sure it will happen anyway. Heck, my phone gives me access to the web for my laptop, so it’s not like you can keep the technology out š