Internet addiction is the hot topic of the week, following news that an Internet "detox" center has opened in the Seattle region. As it happens, we're attending the Gnomedex technology conference today, which is nothing if not a complete immersion in Internet culture. So we took the opportunity to ask some fellow attendees the burning question: Are you addicted to the Internet? Here's what they said.

Veronica Sopher, 36 Social Media Club, Seattle: Yes. Because I get the shakes, like now, because I've been away from my laptop for about a half of hour. [What effect does that have on your life?] I can't go camping, so that's a big problem. [For real?] I'm trying to be serious. It has prevented me from going camping or going hunting, anything outdoorsy, it's just not good. Just not going to work for me. [Are you being serious?] I actually don't go camping because I am wimpy like that, but my Internet addiction is a good excuse.

Mike Muldoon, 39, “code monkey” in the gaming industry: "I think it's addicted to me. Everywhere I go, there it is. It's stalking me. It's in my bed, I spill my cereal on it. I don't know, man, I think that's a pretty good indication of stalker activity."

Paige Saez, 32, interaction designer: No. ... The Internet is just a tool, it's a library on my lap. It's a bunch of great resources and a wonderful collection of art supplies, and a handful of really interesting videos about cats. At the end of the day, what you do online is just really only a reflection of what we're doing everywhere else in our lives. I work online, so I have to be online, that's fine. I don't have a problem with it at all. But if I could have my way would I do this? Would I have this kind of an interaction with this machine? Oh my God, no way. But would I always do this work? Absolutely. This machine and the way I have to sit, we need to work on exactly this problem. Everything else is fine.

Daniel Quinn, 30 software developer: "I try not to be. I don't do a very good job. I intentionally try and go outside. You know the Nintendo Wii? Everyone is so excited because you can go for a run? It's bull---. If you want to go for a run, go outside! It's the same sort of thing. I do have a social life, I make friends wih real people, and I go outside and I play with them. That's about the extent of it though."

James Roberts, 60, consultant: "Yes. First thing in the morning, last thing at night, checking the Internet. It doesn't affect my life, it is my life. ... I was on a cruise, you want the Internet, 50 cents a minute. I did that."

Nathan Bergey, 25, consultant: "Probably, yes, though I'm not diagnosed. [Would you ever go to a detox center?] Probably not, but it depends on how bad it got. It's the same sort of thing, if you ask an addict in the middle of their addiction, they probably wouldn't want self-help, either, that's part of the addiction. .... I'm more likely to want to look things up on the Internet than do what I need to get done at a particular point in time. ... I think overall it might be a good thing, because a lot of what I'm doing is essentially research, coming out at the end of the day with a net gain of knowledge."