Absolutely. I don't think I've ever played a playable public piano. In fact, I remember last year I happened to be visiting Harvard Law School (I think Langdel

Absolutely. I don't think I've ever played a playable public piano. In fact, I remember last year I happened to be visiting Harvard Law School (I think Langdell Hall) and I saw a piano and I thought to myself that since it's in such a pretty building and in an elite law school, surely it'd be in good shape. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it was pretty much unplayable: totally not in tune, and at least 3 or 4 non-working keys. At this point I think it would be a greater public service to offer digital pianos (if one does want to offer the public free-to-play pianos): they don't need to be tuned and a good one in this day and age is close enough to an acoustic piano. But if it must be acoustic for whatever reason, then for goodness' sake never place it outside.