Was EarthLink's failed citywide Wi-Fi a blessing in disguise? | News - Wireless - CNET News

It's difficult to gauge what the impact of this exclusion means. In the past, Internet access was viewed as an unnecessary luxury, a tool used to send e-mail and casually surf Web sites. But increasingly, the Internet has become an important tool for getting information about and access to just about everything from health care to social services. It's used as a tool to engage parents in their children's education. And as newspapers shed their classified listings, it's become an important tool for looking for jobs.