Since the World Wide Web was introduced over a decade ago, the Internet has become a fixture of daily life.
"It's something we've all gotten used to at home, like cable TV," Haw said. "People have come to expect it to be there."
Haw said it has become important for the Internet to be available in individual rooms.
First-year College student Brad Blair agreed.
"We could all wait in line for [library] computers, but I think that the point of the Internet is that it's instantaneous," Blair said.
Ubiquity, however, can have its down sides.
Despite efforts to prevent problems like viruses, hackers and identity theft, they still exist, first-year Engineering student Charlie Scott said.
Do the inherent problems put a damper on the Internet's novelty?
"It's not like an absolute necessity," Scott said.
Scott said he could survive without the Internet in his own room.
Students would have to "make an effort to get information by personal contact," Blair said.
While personal Internet connections could be considered a luxury, students are not necessarily disturbed by the modern challenges involved in maintaining them.
Blair said his own computer once fell victim to a virus, but he shrugged it off.
Internet crime is "just crime like anything else," Blair said.
Haw also dismissed the increase in Internet troubles.
"People are [finding] more creative ways to misuse the Internet," Haw said. "But I guess that's the same with everything."
While there may be more things to avoid, Blair said he has not lost his initial fascination.
"I still think it's pretty cool to be able to click a button and connect to the whole world," Blair said. "I think everyone still appreciates that. They just might not show it as much."
Haw said he thinks the Internet is still exciting for a different reason -- entertainment value.
"Whenever I'm bored, I go online and hit sites," Haw said.
He noted, however, that he does not depend on the Internet as much for academic value.
"In the E-School, it's not all that crucial to look things up online," Haw said.
Scott, on the other hand, did emphasize the Internet's academic importance at the University. He said the Internet is "pretty essential" as an improvement to the academic environment.
"Despite all the faults, it's still really important to [my] everyday life," said Scott, who depends on the Internet for Toolkit, ISIS, getting assignments and grades, and communication.
Scott added that recreational services like instant messaging and Facebook make it easier to get to know people.
Still, "it's an academic tool," he said. "I'm not just going to go search the Internet to kill time."
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