Recently I've joined a forum where during the introduction one of the forum members told that "This is a very addictive forum..".
I realised that this online world is as a whole very addictive . And the biggest problem, atleast occurs with me, is that, I always feel that I'm not effectively using my online hours.
So, would you mind telling me how long do you spend online and how do you use that time effectively?


Regards,
Sid

This could be taken two different ways from my point of view.

1. How much time to I physically spend using network resources.
2. How much time does my computer(s) spend using the Net.

I am usually physically using the Net about 5-8 hours a day, including work. On the other hand, my network connection is never idle. I always have something either downloading (uncopywrited, music files ) or scripts running. I also have 3+ computers that I run all the time so does each computer count?

8 at work
24 x 3 computers at home=72

All together I would say I spend 80 hours a day using the Net.

To be very honest, waaaay too much. I got a bit addicted to it and I recon I should do something about it, because I realy need to get out a bit more often, that's way I'm thinking about photography as a hobby.

It's even this bad that before I go to school, I usually spend about 30 minutes online. After school usualy 3-4 hours, in the weekends like 10hours . Sometimes I just surf to nowhere. I have some forums I visit, it happens I visit them 10 times per hour .

I completely agree. I am pretty addicted too and I really should give it a rest. I tend to get on to "just check my email" and then spend an hour and a half chatting. This would be ok except that I am also on when there is no one to chat with and all I do is look at the same things over and over again, forum, email, chat list, forum, email, chat list etc. I am too addicted to actually give it up. I spend about three hours after school each day and maybe 5 on weekends and though that includes work I don't do too much work online.

Maybe you should just try getting out more...read a book, play some sports, run around, do something. I certainly need to try it. It will be interesting to see how long student spend in front of the computer screen in the future.

I spend near 12-14 hours online accessing the Net and can be said to be really addicted. In fact, my wife quarrels with me for not sleeping properly. Also, I have developed severe pain in my left hand with which I operate the mouse.
But the addiction is so strong that I am unable to resist the temptation to sit before the PC and access the Net. My justification is that I have to constantly check and monitor the news events but in reality I want to escape to a different virtual reality.

I spend something about 8-10 hours online. Im using internet for contacting my clients at work, sending emails with designs... Downloading needed content, finding contact info, telehone numbers, transfering data to printer offices, sending files for correction to clients, and many similar stuff...
Then again at home I use the net for other purposes, enjoyment first, then for learning myself new stuff, and then again I use it for updating my website regulary.

The answer really depends on my free time. During the school year (which has just ended, yay ) I used to spend about 3 to 4 online, sometimes more or less. I usually visit the same web sites and download something I need. Recently I started playing SlaveHack (there is a topic on it here at Astahost) and it now uses all my time. Since the vacation has now started, I will probably be spending at least 6 hours a day online, and I'll be playing that game for about 80 percent of the time.

However, I do hope to have some free time to go out - even though being online is addictive, it also isn't the best thing you can do.

That's a hard question. I am online in intervals. I check forums, do work on my site, look up things about programming, and play/test a online game called Fantasy Film-maker (also a topic here at Astahost). I'm usually so busy doing that stuff that I forget to check my email, so that fills up by the time I get to it a couple times a week. When I think I'll only be online for a couple minutes, it turns out to be at least an hour. I can't help it. I usually get up early, so I'll have uninterupted time before my girlfriend gets up, at least 2 hours. Then the rest of the day til bed (which is late), probably another 4-7 hours. I'm Hooked!

Well lets see in the past week I've played about 40 hours of Guildwars, and 12 hours of Starcraft Broodwars, plus sent and receive email, posted and read here, worked on my site.

Hmm I think I need to take a vaction from my job and the net...well I'm going on vacation next week so I will have to make a point of leaving the computer and communications gear at home...lol

My computer is almost always on the internet whether it be me, my misses or one of the other family members.

I spend a bit of timer playing online games, chatting on msn messenger, software programming etc etc.

I would say quite a lot, probably too much lol.