<<the default behaviour on my Toshiba laptop is that the wireless adapter continously searches for available wireless networks. I would have to manually set the software to stop the transmission.>>
I think what you are saying may contradict itself...
<<continously searches for available wireless networks.>>
I suspect this is by "listening" for any available transmissions?
<<to stop the transmission>>
I would have thought it would only "transmit" when it has detected a network to transmit to....??
I have just checked my mobile phone, which when "transmitting" interferes with my PC sound system (in the same way it interferes with airliner R/T in the "theoretical" case of my forgetting to turn it off!). The mobile did not transmit while it was "searching" for a Network. The moment it detected BT Cellnet, it started transmitting...
So long as there is no wireless network detected I would have thought all was OK. That said, is not "connexion by Boeing" (or whatever they call it?) wireless using this system?? I think I saw somewhere that it was, but the transmission power was much lower than a mobile... and therefore OK? Although again, I've just a PC Mag article showing you to contruct some DIY aerial that increases the transmission power (?) / range easily.
CD-ROMs - there was a problem with some CD-ROMs emitting some RF that caused interference, hence LH's rule. As you say, pretty impractical to enforce it now...