>>1
It has a lot to do with the interactive functioning of a computer.
Think of how you use it. You move the cursor to places on the screen, you click, wait. You review the output. You move the cursor again, or input with the keyboard. Wait. You review the output.
Most of the time spent on the computer is staring doing nothing, because instead of wanting to reach some output you're just staring at the screen moving your mouse back and forth.
That's my theory anyway. People have said they can just check Google News, blow 15 minutes on that, while checking their mail intermittently, 10 minutes on that, and then look through their Start Menu, recheck their daily websites for updates.
It's mainly a tug of war between productivity and obsessive compulsive disorder. Read up on OCD and you'll see how poor computer use works. I don't think I've read a single article that addresses this fact. It'll come out and hit us hard 15 years down the road when the US goes into deep economic decline and everyone is checking their email every 30 seconds.
The bustle of the city has grown out across the lands through the internet, and internet users like what they taste. Holy shit I wrote this for like 10 minutes.