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So, if I am on his internet, I am affecting his performance?

If that's the case, then yes, I did not know that - that passes as unethical because I am harming someone with my actions.

However, if it doesn't affect his performance or is "negligible" , I don't think the cable TV analogy stands. To pirate cable TV, you have got to make a very defined amount of actions to steal it, not just "log on and search." Plus there are terms there - you get cable, you pay for it.

First of all, his "magnetic waves" are crossing into my "territory", uninvited. It's not like I am pulling up in his driveway with my laptop and getting on that way. The cable co. doesn't cross into my domain uninvited or unpaid for.

I think my statement that they are "waste" stands pretty good, unless somehow it affects his performance.

What if by virtue, I pick up satellite TV with my computer being beamed down from space? (assuming it was unscrambled)

Would that be piracy?

I would think I have the right to listen for anything out there, whether that's internet waves, unscrambled satellite TV or aliens trying to reach me from a distant galaxy.