A “Will Code 4 Latte” sign is sure to draw some attention, both good and bad. Which, of course, is to be expected, particularly when someone who claims to be homeless is holding a makeshift shift cardboard sign with an iPhone 4 in his or her pocket. Such is the case of unemployed Australian IT professional Adelle Hartley, who, despite not having a home to hang her hat, still owns a laptop computer. According to her, staying connected is much more important than having a place to safely rest her head at night.

Hartley, who studied mathematics and computer science in Tasmania, had been working in Sydney for the past 10 years, that is, until she lost her job six months ago. Unable to make ends meet, she is now counted amongst the city’s homeless, albeit one with laptop and smartphone.

“It’s not that expensive to have a mobile these days. I’ve held onto it because people who know me sometimes get in touch with work,” she explained. In order to stay connected, Hartley plunks down $10 a day to plug in at a local Internet cafe.

Although a lot of folks are sympathetic towards Hartley — one man even offered her use of his vacant office, complete with WiFi — a few people do take issue with the fact that she’s essentially begging for money on the street while doing business on her iPhone.

“I don’t think people usually look close enough to see my mobile, when I use it, but one guy came up and yelled at me the other day,” she explained. To be fair, the thought of a homeless person owning both a laptop and a mobile device is a little hard to swallow, especially when so many people are struggling just to get by.

Given the amount of coverage this story has received as of late, I’d say it won’t be too long before Hartley finds a full-time job with a steady paycheck once again.

Image provided courtesy of NineMSN