Author Topic: Bandwidth issues on the new design (Read 11451 times)

Qhimm · « **on:** 2001-10-05 01:08:00 »

I'm making steady progress on the new design. I won't release details yet, except that it's clearly game-related. Also, quoting The SaiNt, it is "ultimately cool".

However, this has a prize as I discovered. Personally, I don't give a damn about bandwidth since I'm on a FAH connection (Fast As Hell). But since most of the users here seem to be on modem connections (slow ones on top of that), I feel I have to let you be a part of the decision-making process.

This is a comparison between pages on the boards, in this case it is a completely filled page of a topic. The same topic has been used in all three examples.

Code: [Select]


                 Size (html)   Size (gfx)   Size (total)
Old board        130kB         34kB         164kB
This board       130kB         42kB         172kB
New design       200-220kB     50kB         250-270kB

Note that this board's graphics are incomplete. Also, if more users use avatars this will increase the gfx size of this board and the new design.

Also note that these are early figures. And also also note that the topic pages are the most bandwidth-intensive of all the boards - other pages like forum listings are considerably smaller.

I am doing what I can to shrink the new design down in size, even considering radical ideas like client-side processing (javascript). I know you're thinking "large is bad", but instead of just saying so please bring constructive ideas, too.

And the final note: The new design will make use of some heavy html coding, and some older browsers (Netscape 4.x) can't cope with this fully. This is more related to the fact that older browsers are stupid and very little related to bad html coding (there shouldn't be any =) ).

StrayWings · « **Reply #1 on:** 2001-10-05 03:02:00 »

It is fine with me, really.

Sukaeto · « **Reply #2 on:** 2001-10-05 05:14:00 »

I'm not worried. (and yeah, I'm one of those 56kers . . .) Just as long as the new design kicks enough ass to compensate for the slow down.

(which I'm sure it will.)

(Doesn't php work faster than cgi anyway? Won't that come into play with the speed of this board as opposed to the old one?)

----edit----

one thing, though (and this is actually OT, but this topic is probably an OK place to ask this question) . . . could you consider increasing the Font size of the posts in the final design. These small letters can be hard on the eyes.

[edited] 76 2001-10-05 06:16

Sephiroth 3D · « **Reply #3 on:** 2001-10-05 07:12:00 »

Yeah, the font it a tad bit small.

I say: Make the new design, keep the old design, and make a "low-intensive" design, and let people choose then design they want in the "Themes" preferance.

Maybe it's just me, but that seems to be the best solution...

Sephiroth 3D

"One who seeks knowledge from another person, doesn't learn half as much as the one who seeks knowledge for himself." - Vincent Valentine, The Sephiroth Chronicals, Book 1: Resurrection

[email protected]
Sephiroth 3D's Final Fantasy (Currently Offline)
Sephiroth 3D's Promised Land

Qhimm · « **Reply #4 on:** 2001-10-05 09:49:00 »

The font size will be slightly larger in the new design.

As for making several designs to choose from: I'm afraid the new design is too different from the old ones to be incorporated as a simple theme. In order to achieve speed and smaller size I have had to modify the PHP files directly, and to make other designs would require me to put massive if-clauses around practically the whole file. It also makes it hard to add features later, since everything would need to be changed twice.

What about client-side processing? Can everyone be cool with that?

M0T · « **Reply #5 on:** 2001-10-05 11:19:00 »

Im cool with it and since atm im on a FAAS (Fast As A Snail) connection it should be okay. But my connection upgrades soon to a FAH connection

StrayWings · « **Reply #6 on:** 2001-10-05 11:41:00 »

Hey MOT, download that Modem Booster program Joey refered too..

I downloaded it and it works fast for me! It depends much on how fast is your IP

The program improved my modem speed by 50%...well, something is better than nothing at all~

M0T · « **Reply #7 on:** 2001-10-05 16:46:00 »

whats the point, 11 days to go until FAH

eerrrr · « **Reply #8 on:** 2001-10-05 18:41:00 »

I dont really mind, but what exactly is client-side processing?

J* H***** · « **Reply #9 on:** 2001-10-05 19:12:00 »

Message.

StrayWings · « **Reply #10 on:** 2001-10-05 22:34:00 »

MOT - LoL

Well, good for you.

Qhimm · « **Reply #11 on:** 2001-10-05 23:14:00 »

Client-side processing means, in this particular case, that I use javascript to generate common HTML elements. For example, instead of sending a complex construct over and and over again for every post in the topic, I can do this instead:

Code: [Select]

Insert_contents_here
The functions would be defined in a stand-alone script file downloaded only once for the entire forum.

So far, preliminary client-side processing has cut down the HTML size from 205kB to 110kB. And more can be expected if I get my way (let's hope so). Pretty drastic change, ne?

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J* H*****

Guest

Bandwidth issues on the new design

« Reply #12 on: 2001-10-06 00:47:00 »

Message.

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Sephiroth 3D

Posts: 1679

Bandwidth issues on the new design

« Reply #13 on: 2001-10-06 03:41:00 »

Sounds good to me. Go with it!

Sephiroth 3D

"One who seeks knowledge from another person, doesn't learn half as much as the one who seeks knowledge for himself." - Vincent Valentine, The Sephiroth Chronicals, Book 1: Resurrection

[email protected]
Sephiroth 3D's Final Fantasy (Currently Offline)
Sephiroth 3D's Promised Land

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Sukaeto

Posts: 570

Bandwidth issues on the new design

« Reply #14 on: 2001-10-06 03:58:00 »

That's cool. (the client side processing.)

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Jedimark

Posts: 2056

Bandwidth issues on the new design

« Reply #15 on: 2001-10-06 07:33:00 »

Well it wont realy mind once all the files are stored in cache will it?

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M0T

Posts: 991

Bandwidth issues on the new design

« Reply #16 on: 2001-10-06 09:16:00 »

Yes but what if you delete your cache?
But I don't care the board has always loaded pretty fast so if its getting smaller itll load even better

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eerrrr

Posts: 1020

Bandwidth issues on the new design

« Reply #17 on: 2001-10-06 09:43:00 »

I never empty my cache, the 70MB or so in their dont mean much to me. Although I was copying a CD yesturday and cos I was low on drive space (Recently installed Photoshop and Delphi) I had to do a cleanup, it wouldnt let me copy the image cos I ran out of space! But I found that my Temp folder was holding 200MB! So I emptied that and now everything's jolly again.

Oh, thanks for the c-s processing explanation guys, it sounds cool.

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Jedimark

Posts: 2056

Bandwidth issues on the new design

« Reply #18 on: 2001-10-06 10:16:00 »

I despair to think how big my temporary internet files are!

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StrayWings

Posts: 173

Bandwidth issues on the new design

« Reply #19 on: 2001-10-06 17:14:00 »

It accumulates...and we don't notice them...they get bigger and bigger and BIGGER!! and finally...
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::blank::

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ficedula

Posts: 2178

Bandwidth issues on the new design

« Reply #20 on: 2001-10-06 22:22:00 »

Quote

Well it wont realy mind once all the files are stored in cache will it?

Yes, it will...that's what Jari was commenting on. It doesn't matter *too* much if the design uses big graphics, because your cache will store them. BUT, if the HTML is large, you're fux0red - you can't cache the HTML files on the message board because the whole point is that they change every time someone posts a new message; there's no point using a cached version!

That said, Qhimm seems to be sorting stuff out pretty well using JScript

Though I have to say I'm not too happy about losing NS 4.x compatibility simply because that's the ONLY browser our university network has (well, other than Lynx, but that's even worse...) I know, it IS crap, but I don't have a choice about that...
...I mean I'll survive, I can just access the board from home, but it'd be nice to be able to check it while I'm in uni

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Sephiroth 3D

Posts: 1679

Bandwidth issues on the new design

« Reply #21 on: 2001-10-07 04:32:00 »

I know the feeling Fice. I just upped myself to NS6 from 4.

Wow, it makes a difference. The board loads nearly 3-5x faster now. (NS6 handles tables like IE now, so it seems to load REALLY fast for me.)

I couldn't go back to NS4 now. I've already built a whole webpage around the way that NS6 handles information. (It's IE and NS4 comaptible, but it looks the best in NS6.)

Oh well... looks like I got OT a bit...

Sephiroth 3D

"One who seeks knowledge from another person, doesn't learn half as much as the one who seeks knowledge for himself." - Vincent Valentine, The Sephiroth Chronicals, Book 1: Resurrection

[email protected]
Sephiroth 3D's Final Fantasy (Currently Offline)
Sephiroth 3D's Promised Land

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