Study lots of computers maintaining constant link (7)

I believe the answer is:

connect

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'link' is the definition.
(I know that link can be written as connect)

'study lots of computers maintaining constant' is the wordplay.
'study' becomes 'con' (con can informally mean to study).
'lots of computers' becomes 'net' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'maintaining' means one lot of letters goes inside another (inserted letters are held or maintained).
'constant' becomes 'c' (mathematical abbreviation).
'net' enclosing 'c' is 'nect'.
'con'+'nect'='CONNECT'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for connect that I've seen before include "Bring together" , "Join - link" , "Link together" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

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