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Keep
your visitors!
Download Speeds & Other Considerations
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Notes:
-
Our
tips are tested with Netscape Navigator 4.6 & Microsoft
Internet Explorer 3.02
- Check
off 'ignore javascript error' messages in MSIE 3.02+. It
still works.
- You
can re-size the example windows by 'click & drag' on
the borders.
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Images
- General tips to improve download speeds:
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Use
the lowest possible Kilobyte (Kb) size that you can live with
(in terms of appearance). Many images can be reduced by
more than one-half of their current Kb size, while still retaining
an acceptable "look."
Tip: Use
your file manager to see the Kb size, then check
out our "Do-It-Yourself" link on the left menu to
access online links that offer help for "optimizing"
your images.
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Put
image width and height measurements into the html coding;
if you don't, some browsers bring in all the page information
before showing any part of a page. (You may have seen pages
without these measurements—they're
the ones which force you to look at a blank screen while all
information is being downloaded.)
Tip:
instead of:
<img src="key.gif">,
use
<img src="key.gif" width="54"
height="26">.
With stated measurements, browsers know what to "set up"
for, set that space aside, and show all other information as
it's received.
At the least, test the following examples in both Navigator
and MSIE. You should notice a significant difference in the
manner in which each handles this issue.
Note:
if you don't want borders around your images, add border="0"
in the image tag.
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Use
the actual image sizes in the html coding (real pixel
width & height). Although html coding can set the image
sizes to width and height sizes that are different than the
actual size, the browser has to take extra time to do this.
Images render faster if everything matches.
Tip: Re-size
(resample) your images to the size you want on your pages.
Example
#3: Larger image & re-sized image
Note:
this issue may only be relevant to Navigator.
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If
you require a "thumbnail" of an image, take the time
to make one from the larger image. Duplicate the original,
re-size (resample) it, and then save it under a different file
name.
Tip: Some
of the free image optimization services will allow you to re-size
an image in addition to reducing the Kb size. See our "Do-It-Yourself"
link on the left menu.
Example
#4: Thumbnail image & larger image
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Have
you used the correct image format? The gif format is generally
best for images with large areas of solid color, while the jpeg/jpg
format is generally best for images with areas with many mixed
colors (such as photos).
Tip:
Convert your image to both formats, check the appearance and
the Kb size. If the appearance is acceptable, use the image
that gives you the smallest Kb size.
Example
#5: Two views: GIF vs JPEG/JPG
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Keep
your overall image (pixel) sizes as small as possible.
Tip: Weigh
what you gain by filling your pages with large images against
what can be lost because of their download time. Will a smaller
image perform the same task? If possible, use the smaller image.
Example
#6: Two images
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What
don't you need on your page? What's not serving any useful
purpose other than to fill up your pages? Try to be objective—imagine
yourself as a visitor who's never seen your pages before.
Tip: Scrap
the features that add to the download speeds, but don't enhance
your message. (e.g. consider things such as page counters, or
lots of icon links to other sites—can you link without the icons?)
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Web Graphics+
