To run farther with the apple tree analogy, it's actually like an apple tree that hangs across my property line and drops apples in my neighbor's yard. My disregard for trimming it or preventing this suggests my concern about my neighbor taking apples is low and it's hard to argue that I'm shocked, shocked she would take a few.
Excepting laws about usage, I believe this falls into the moral category of discernment and good community citizenship. As kids, we would take extra apples from our neighbors trees without asking explicitly, because we knew them and they knew we wouldn't abuse the privilege. I think wi-fi use gets into that area of honor system where abusing or exploiting something is the point where it becomes a moral issue. Putting high demands on another's network, using it as your primary source to avoid getting your own, or using it for something knowingly nefarious is where you get into being in a morally wrong state.
When Wi-fi first showed up, it's more understandable that someone may unintentionally have his network open. Now, basic encryption is so standard that leaving a network open defaults more to communicating that one is ok with others jumping on or one is at the least unconcerned with others sharing. This isn't 100% yet, but we're not far from being there.
Excepting laws about usage, I believe this falls into the moral category of discernment and good community citizenship. As kids, we would take extra apples from our neighbors trees without asking explicitly, because we knew them and they knew we wouldn't abuse the privilege. I think wi-fi use gets into that area of honor system where abusing or exploiting something is the point where it becomes a moral issue. Putting high demands on another's network, using it as your primary source to avoid getting your own, or using it for something knowingly nefarious is where you get into being in a morally wrong state.
When Wi-fi first showed up, it's more understandable that someone may unintentionally have his network open. Now, basic encryption is so standard that leaving a network open defaults more to communicating that one is ok with others jumping on or one is at the least unconcerned with others sharing. This isn't 100% yet, but we're not far from being there.