By a more conventional definition, it’s hard to see downtown Carbondale as a “hot spot,” but thankfully, Internet technology has a chance to change that perception.

By wireless Internet standards, downtown Carbondale will be a hot spot within the next 60 days. For a 30-block stretch, anyone who can access the Internet downtown will have it at his or her disposal for two-hour increments.

The motivations behind this move have been shown through the continuous development of downtown Carbondale by the city government and Carbondale Main Street. Supplemented by a $17,000 grant from the state of Illinois, the first in this multiphase plan to make the whole of Carbondale a hot spot is a welcome advancement and should be by anyone who can benefit from it.

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The benefits are obvious. More people will be going downtown and staying there, and a longer stay increases the chance of more money being spent in the area – “Enjoying that Youtube, sir? How about some more coffee?”

Besides the financial possibilities, there is the simple courtesy of having this now affordable technology available to a community. $17,000 is not a big dent in Carbondale’s budget, let alone the state’s.

While presenting the city with this check, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn spoke about the plans to make the entire state a hot spot. Carbondale’s wireless transformation is being looked att as important to spreading wireless technology throughout this part of the state; its good to see Carbondale being offered to take this type of technological lead and running with it.

Any “brave new world” that this technology creates is likely to be positive, but just know that the origins of that phrase are ironic. There’s always the chance that this technology can be abused or misused in a way that would make downtown a hot spot for other reasons.

Everyone involved with these wireless plans continue to state how this is still in the early stages, in an attempt to guard against whatever hiccups may happen.

Questions on how wireless availability will affect local Internet providers, as well as how everything will be installed, were brushed off by Mayor Brad Cole earlier this week. Both questions shouldn’t just be dropped, although it does seem reasonable that local Internet providers should be fine. The Web site wi-fihotspotlist.com shows 118 communities in Illinois with some sort of hot spot, and no rash of Chapter 11’s have been filed yet.

An eye should be kept on the installation issue, though. Who knows of any substantial work done in town that hasn’t been the least bit conspicuous?

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As the ultimate users of this technology, let’s keep asking questions and stay involved with the development of this wireless hot spot.