Having grown up in the age of computers, today's students are no strangers to Internet. At the university level, computers have become, arguably, the most regular fixtures in students' daily routines.
"In high school it wasn't that big a deal if you had to use (a computer)," said Kristian Mercado, a sophomore majoring in media studies. "But here in UB, if you don't have one you're in trouble. Having regular access to the Internet is a must for any university student for classes and most of the other things that college kids like to do."
This increased dependence on computers has, according to some, adverse affects on students. College students are said to be at the highest risk for Internet addiction.
In his article, "Internet Addiction on Campus: The Vulnerability of College Students," Dr. Jonathon J. Kandell explores Internet addiction and the college student.
"Although the Internet can be a powerful tool for both academic study and personal communication, for some people Internet access can prove to be a temptation that is hard to resist," writes Kandell. "Pathological or problematic use of the Internet, also called 'Internet addiction,' is a behavior pattern that appears to be affecting more and more people, including students."
According to Kandell's research, Internet addiction, characterized by hours spent in front of a computer, can be severely disruptive to the lives of those who suffer from this disorder. It has been established that too much computer usage can adversely affect the individual, but there is also a question of how this increased usage can adversely affect the machine.
Student practices like being constantly signed on to services like America Online's Instant Messenger are as much a part of dorm life as having a roommate. Many students say that they are signed on to the Internet continuously.
"I leave my computer on all the time," said Juan Cruz, a sophomore majoring in business administration. "I use (my computer) to shop, play games, do school work and communicate with people. I stay signed on in case someone wants to leave me a message."
Some students, though, suspect that leaving their computer on may have damaging effects.
"I have a laptop which I leave on 24/7," said Amy Wong, a sophomore pharmacy major. "I leave my AIM on so that people can contact me when I am not in my room. I suppose that in some way it damages my computer, but I leave it on anyway."
Those who may share Wong's concern may take comfort in what computer technicians had to say.
"If you leave the system on for long periods of time it doesn't adversely affect the computer," said Seriah Dylun, a technician for Dell. "In actuality, leaving the system on continuously affects it less negatively than turning it on and off."
Dylun said turning a computer on and off repeatedly changes the system's voltage, which can cause increased wear on the computer over time.
Rick Lesniak, director of Academic Services for Informational Technology, agreed that computers are not adversely affected by being left on constantly.
"A computer can run continuously; the only reason you would turn it off is to save resources. Most computers these days have fans in them so dust doesn't really bother it," he said. "If someone were concerned, they could vacuum it once in a while, but it really isn't necessary."
Cruz said while he is aware of the resources his computer uses by remaining on constantly, he is not concerned.
"The only thing that may be negative about staying on all the time is that it uses up a lot of electricity, but that's all covered in tuition, so I'm not worried," he said.
Although the machine itself is not in danger, Lesniak warned students against common online practices that may be detrimental.
"A persistent presence on the Web, with away messages saying what you're doing and where you are, is not good for privacy and security reasons," he said. "You should not be living your life out on the Internet, it isn't safe. I've seen situations where people actually get stalked."
Lesniak also warned against leaving your computer open for possible violation.
"If you're living in an environment where people are always around, it is necessary to protect your machine. What happens on your computer is your responsibility, so you want to make sure that your machine is protected from being used in crimes."
Lesniak advised students to keep computers "locked down as you would anything else with the capacity for your liability."
