In addition, some experts point out, issueslike system integrity and security need to beaddressed to the full extent.

University officials seem to be less certainabout what kind of response will come fromstudents, especially when getting connected willcost most students a significant amount of moneyto buy Ethernet cards.

"We did a survey among incoming freshmen overthe summer," says Steen, "and 25 percent sent backreplies. Of these two-thirds said they wanted toconnect to the network."

But Lowell House Master Bossert is not sooptimistic about the level of enthusiasm studentsmay have.

"The response so far has not been active," saysBossert. "Some people are very excited and can'twait, but the vast majority of students don't knowwhat's going on and probably don't care."

Officials nonetheless agree that starting withfirst-years will help sell the network tostudents. "If the freshmen experiencesatisfaction," says Bossert, "they will make theproject a success."

Monica Alvarez '97 is one of those first-yearswho bring hope to the folks behind the project.

"This is all new to me," says Alvarez, who saysshe is very interested in getting on the network."I am concerned about technical things, but I amconfident the setup will be OK."

The HSDN project is divided into three phasesof development, according to Steen.

Planning and bids for the HSDN started in thefall of 1992, says Martin. Parts of the work havebeen assigned to the lowest outside bidders tokeep the cost down, he adds.

"This is a project in which the OIT and HASCSand the IT committee have all been workingtogether closely and sharing information andresponsibilities to assure the projectaccomplished as quickly, economically and smoothlyas possible," says Martin.

The first phase, which Steen says has alreadybeen completed, calls for the installation offiber optic data wires and communication switchingdevices in all first-year dorms (excluding 29Garden St.). First-years living in the Yard andUnion dorms can link up once they fill out anapplication with HASCS.

First-years living at 29 Garden St. will gettheir share of the network by winter, as fiberoptic cables are still being laid down in thebuilding, says Steen.

Phase two of the project will witness theaddition of Lowell House and the Quad houses tothe network by January 15, although this date isby no means set in stone, says Steen.

"We have very limited staff," says Steen, "soit will be difficult to bring everyone into thenetwork at once. We'd also like to have a chanceto tackle any problems with the network beforegoing on to the next step."