Speed up PBC - and help reduce our costs
August 1st, 2006Although it is the holiday period and things are a bit quieter at the moment one of the big problems we have on the site are the demands on our servers when dozens of users are trying to load and re-load very long discussions all at the same time.
This can make it frustrating for users because the site seems very slow and it also means that we are using up a lot of bandwidth repeatedly sending you the same page with hundreds of comments where only the last two or three are new.
Can I recommend Google’s free new Web Accelerator. This uses a number of measures to speed up the web but most relevant here is that it downloads only the updates if a web page has changed slightly since you last viewed it.
The biggest cost of running the site is for the bandwidth and if enough of our regular users had the Google accelerator it would make a big difference.
Many thanks.
Mike Smithson
MessageSpace Advertising
Looks good unless you are (a) a mac user, (b) chinese or (c) mildly unnerved by what big companies like google do with data!
I’ve downloaded it…but I’m not sure if I’ve understood how it works……should I load and re-load pages as always?
3. I’ve done…but in the main thread you said “it downloads only the updates if a web page has changed slightly since you last viewed it”….I re-loaded this morning’s thread and it downloaded all the 140+ comments not just the new one.
Maybe I’ve not downloaded it well….now I’ve it on my toolbar saying “0 seconds saved”.
now I don’t know if I’m dreaming or what, but there was another comment in that thread some minutes ago.
maybe it’s the new Web Accelerator at work…but I can see older comments.
Confused now….
Also the bit about “keeping a record of imbeded personal information” no thanks I’d rather not have some nerd seeing every webpage I go to.
Is there any way you can split the comments pages up. so like 20 comments per page or something?
Can’t we ban Liberal Democrats from this site which would cut down on the hot air???
(Sorry Mike)
Sorry Mike, but I haven’t installed it. I’m a bit concerned about Google having a record of all my web requests - what will they do with the information?
7 - perhaps we could recycle otiose Conservative posters
9 lol - supper tabbo!
I have nothing to hide and hence have decided to download it - but I haven’t noticed much difference in speed thus far.
8. are they be able to get info on the site I visit even when I’ve Google Accelerator disconnected?
8 - The websites you browse are already logged by your ISP, and if you read the Google disclaimer it says they dont do anything with that information.
One suggestion for reducing page loading overheads it to split the dicussion over pages - say, 50 comments per page.
I’m going to repeat a suggestion from last time: why not include a link to PayPal or something so that we can chip in a few quid to the hosting costs?
5. I second Eddie’s comments.
I have just installed the accellerator, and it DOES seem to load pages quicker. Google aren’t a bad company, so it’s not surprising that it does exaxtly what it says on the tin.
11 - Pleased to hear that A H Matlock has nothing to hide. Obviously an early volunteer for the ID card system
Acid reflux disorder.
I took the advice to install the Google tool but have now uninstalled after it was interfering with other sites (eg designing a survey in surveymonkey just wasn’t happening and registering a logon with another site also failed) so, in my experience, it does have limitations.
Mike I would give it a go but I am now an Apple Mac user and so pleased with it after years and years of Microsoft hassle that I am now addicted.
Could be problems if you use scripts to automatically refresh betfair pages.
Re those who have generously offered to help with the bandwidth costs. If you have a PayPal account you can email a donation to my email address - mike@smithson.com.
This is very much appreciated.
I might put a donation button up.
Many thanks.
Mike. Hopefully you will have received a small token of my esteem via PayPal. I had to set up a new account, and I’m not entirely sure what I’m doing. If you don’t get anything coming through, then please email me. Thanks.
Yes a PayPal button would be a very good idea.