The Omnibus

Issue date: 10/7/04 Section: The Gallery

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"So today I went to Springfield with a bunch of friends. First we saw a movie at the Palace and then went to Nutty Monkey before heading back to B-town for the night." That is a typical xanga entry for students on campus.

Xanga, pronounced "ZANG-ah," is a Web site through which people can start an online diary, called a weblog or blog. After establishing a blog, people can join blogrings, a meeting place for users with common interests. Southwest Baptist University has several blogrings, with the most popular one being named "SBU." It contains 160 members, with more than 50 joining after the fall semester began.

With all of xanga's attributes, there are several drawbacks. One main problem with xanga is anyone can access the xanga sites and read the entries. Users who post personal information run the risk of revealing who they are, which can be dangerous.

Xanga sites can become potential hunting grounds for pedophiles. Discretion should be exercised when posting sensitive material such as a phone number or address. In addition, there have been instances where computer viruses get transferred through such sites.

If you are looking for an arena to vent thoughts or a place to post your daily happenings, xanga.com is the site for you, but exercise caution in regard to the information you reveal.

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