Tech Shout!

Del Mar College located at Corpus Christi in Texas, has decided to ban the popular website MySpace.com; owing to complaints received, which claim that the internet speed of the site on campus computers is extremely slow.

According to August Alfonso, the school’s information and technology chief, an investigation revealed that it was the heavy traffic which was eating up a major part of the bandwidth. Forty percent of daily Internet traffic at the college involved the site, he said.

“This was more about us being able to offer Web-based instruction, and MySpace.com was slowing everything down,” President Carlos Garcia said.

MySpace.com — a social networking hub with more 72 million members — allow users to post searchable profiles that can include photos of themselves and such details as where they live and what music they like. It is an extremely active site and because of its all-inclusive service it is sometimes also called the social networking interface

Paul Martinez, 20, is a frequent visitor to MySpace.com and finds the site to be addictive. Restricting access to the site could be a good idea, he said.

“The library is pretty much full with people on MySpace, and with them banning it you won’t have anything to distract you,” he said.
Some though, disagree with Del Mar College’s decision.

Zeke Santos, 20, is one of the unhappy students. He said students who don’t want to study will find something other than textbooks to occupy their time, whether it’s MySpace.com or something else.

“We pay for school and the resources that are used,” said Zeke Santos. “It’s our choice; we’re the ones paying for our classes. If we pass or fail, it’s up to us.”