Haller the "networker" had to divide up his time cleverly. In order to use every quarter of an hour profitably, he often did two things at once. Thus, for instance, this "multi-tasker" would read scientific treatises whilst talking to students or patients. At his specially made writing desk, the hub of his network, he also ate his meals ñ just like the "net junkies" of today. Haller invested a considerable amount of money in long-distance communication. And apart from the pure financial costs, he also paid a high personal price for his life as part of a network: his permanent presence in thousands of "conversations from a distance" meant that he often missed out on direct contact with family and friends.
