O.C. Counted Among Nation’s Internet Leaders

The Internet “is creating a new set of leaders and losers among the cities and regions of the United States,” and Orange County is among the leaders, according to a recent study by the Taub Urban Research Center at New York University.

Researchers at NYU analyzed the numbers of Internet hosts--computers directly connected to the Internet most or all of the time--and found that Orange County placed sixth among counties in the United States with 123,685 hosts.

Santa Clara County in Northern California was No. 1 with 554,967 hosts. Los Angeles County was third with 159,944. The numbers generally do not include home computers, which typically connect to the Internet infrequently through dial-up accounts.

The authors make a case that access to the Internet is a measure of economic and intellectual vigor in the modern economy. “In the 19th Century, access to a deep-water port was essential for the growth of cities,” wrote authors Mitchell Moss and Anthony Townsend. “In the 20th Century, access to the Internet may be the critical factor.”

But unlike access to a port, access to the Internet can be accomplished from just about anywhere. For that reason, academics have often predicted that the Internet would free workers and companies from urban centers, rendering geography insignificant in the information age.

But the study casts doubt on such idealistic notions. In fact, the authors say, “the Internet is reinforcing the economic and intellectual hegemony of a handful of states and regions.”

This is mainly because universities, corporations and government facilities that are concentrated in certain urban settings are leading the adoption of Internet technology. Because co-workers and classmates often teach one another how to use the Net, the researchers say, it’s possible the technology gap among regions could widen.

Among the “losers” identified by the study are the areas surrounding Houston, Miami, Detroit and New Orleans. These regions, the study said, “are not major participants in the Internet.”

Greg Miller covers high technology for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-7830 and at greg.miller@latimes.com