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Hosted by Darren Baker, Jim Starkweather
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User Survey: Site speed
staff_Jim
Publisher
Joined: December 15, 2001
KitMaker: 12,571 posts
Armorama: 6,599 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 02:45 AM UTC
staff_Jim
PublisherJoined: December 15, 2001
KitMaker: 12,571 posts
Armorama: 6,599 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 05:22 AM UTC
Wow...so far it couldn't be more average. 
I guess leaning towards average is better than slow. I know the gallery has been really bad lately. I can only guess that having so many files (getting upwards of 350,000 photos now) is probably causing some poor directory scanning and programming issues.
On a side note... we really need more USER INTERACTION on this site. You guys are taking a lot for granted in the past 2 years. Like the fact that someone else will post a comment so you don't feel you need to, etc. Communities are all about interaction. Stop interacting and there will be no community to come and lurk around. It's really that simple.
Thanks,
Jim
I guess leaning towards average is better than slow. I know the gallery has been really bad lately. I can only guess that having so many files (getting upwards of 350,000 photos now) is probably causing some poor directory scanning and programming issues.
On a side note... we really need more USER INTERACTION on this site. You guys are taking a lot for granted in the past 2 years. Like the fact that someone else will post a comment so you don't feel you need to, etc. Communities are all about interaction. Stop interacting and there will be no community to come and lurk around. It's really that simple.
Thanks,
Jim
exer
Joined: November 27, 2004
KitMaker: 6,048 posts
Armorama: 4,619 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 05:42 AM UTC
I have a very fast broadband connection and so I usually have two or three windows open on Kitmaker and switch between them. I just clicked on reply and counted "One thousand one, one thousand two" before the reply dialogue box appeared.
Gunfighter
Joined: September 03, 2004
KitMaker: 743 posts
Armorama: 274 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 06:13 AM UTC
Jim - one thing I've noticed is that sometimes I'll just get the banner ad at the top of the screen, and the rest will take some time to load. It happens on both my work laptop in the office and my home machine. If I refresh the screen, everything usually loads up quickly.
Most of the time, the site moves along fine. It just seems to hang up occassionally on the top ad in my experiences.
- Frank
Most of the time, the site moves along fine. It just seems to hang up occassionally on the top ad in my experiences.
- Frank
staff_Jim
PublisherJoined: December 15, 2001
KitMaker: 12,571 posts
Armorama: 6,599 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 06:24 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Jim - one thing I've noticed is that sometimes I'll just get the banner ad at the top of the screen, and the rest will take some time to load. It happens on both my work laptop in the office and my home machine. If I refresh the screen, everything usually loads up quickly.
Most of the time, the site moves along fine. It just seems to hang up occassionally on the top ad in my experiences.
- Frank
Frank,
The reason this happens is that the top banner is part of the ad serving portion of the page, which runs on a seperate server. So that server is basically queried fast and has that image ready to load where as some pages require more time for the main server to build. Thus you get the mostly blank dark page on Armorama for a bit. Normally this shouldn't go longer than 5 seconds or so unless you happen to hit a page like Latest Posts and the cached version is having to re-build itself. Those can take longer sometimes. But if the cache version is still good it usually loads in a few seconds.
Cheers,
Jim
05Sultan
#037
Joined: December 19, 2004
KitMaker: 2,870 posts
Armorama: 1,458 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 07:42 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Wow...so far it couldn't be more average.
I guess leaning towards average is better than slow. I know the gallery has been really bad lately. I can only guess that having so many files (getting upwards of 350,000 photos now) is probably causing some poor directory scanning and programming issues.
On a side note... we really need more USER INTERACTION on this site. You guys are taking a lot for granted in the past 2 years. Like the fact that someone else will post a comment so you don't feel you need to, etc.
Communities are all about interaction. Stop interacting and there will be no community to come and lurk around. It's really that simple.
Thanks,
Jim
Jim,
I think the weather's too good for a lot of people to sit at a devil box and tap away.
I'm on my way to football practice now and will fire up the barby,swill some wine,and watch a movie when I get back. 
No offense boss,just a seasonal thing.
cheers!
Grumpyoldman
ConsigliereJoined: October 17, 2003
KitMaker: 15,338 posts
Armorama: 7,297 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 09:34 AM UTC
Biggest problem for me is the gallery, since I still have several hundred reference-show photos to go, plus a few members have given me permission to load there reference photos in galleries also. The "busy server" sure slows this process down, and with an over load at work- 5 men down to 3, no days off, and 12-16 hour days, time is limited.
Gunfighter
Joined: September 03, 2004
KitMaker: 743 posts
Armorama: 274 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 11:51 AM UTC
Thanks for the explanation, Jim. Makes total sense. The delays I see are usually longer than 5 seconds and is probably the rebuilding you talked about.
Other than that, the site is on the speedy side for me the majority of the time.
- Frank
Other than that, the site is on the speedy side for me the majority of the time.
- Frank
Tomcat31
#042
Joined: November 18, 2006
KitMaker: 2,828 posts
Armorama: 45 posts
Posted: Saturday, September 15, 2007 - 01:23 AM UTC
I don't know if its only me but since the introduction of the grey box with the "page is being built" it takes longer for me to access pages on the three different computers that I use. That and I'm not too sure if I like it as it distracts from my browsing experience 
Cheers
Allen
Cheers
Allen
staff_Jim
PublisherJoined: December 15, 2001
KitMaker: 12,571 posts
Armorama: 6,599 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 16, 2007 - 03:51 PM UTC
Allen,
Since the script is javascript and running 'client-side' (on your pc/browser) it can't really be slowing down your load time more than before. The only issue being that sometimes there are items still loading out of sight that keep the box up, but it doesn't stop you from doing anything on the page. There is really no downside to this script and a tremendous upside for the people who think the page may be stalling out when it's just taking a bit longer to load.
Thanks,
Jim
Since the script is javascript and running 'client-side' (on your pc/browser) it can't really be slowing down your load time more than before. The only issue being that sometimes there are items still loading out of sight that keep the box up, but it doesn't stop you from doing anything on the page. There is really no downside to this script and a tremendous upside for the people who think the page may be stalling out when it's just taking a bit longer to load.
Thanks,
Jim
Lisec
Joined: September 13, 2006
KitMaker: 306 posts
Armorama: 282 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 16, 2007 - 08:27 PM UTC
Quoted Text
I don't know if its only me but since the introduction of the grey box with the "page is being built" it takes longer for me to access pages on the three different computers that I use. That and I'm not too sure if I like it as it distracts from my browsing experience
Cheers
Allen
ditto
I know that that could be my subjective opinion, but it does take a longer time to load...
sweaver
Joined: April 19, 2007
KitMaker: 759 posts
Armorama: 410 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 16, 2007 - 09:54 PM UTC
The site loads quickly for me. The only "problem" I encounter, is with the Kitmaker photo site, which sometimes takes a while to load. That is really pretty minor, though.
Good point, Jim. I know I am guilty of that. I really appreciate how you continue to make this site better and better. Keep up the good work. 
Quoted Text
On a side note... we really need more USER INTERACTION on this site. You guys are taking a lot for granted in the past 2 years. Like the fact that someone else will post a comment so you don't feel you need to, etc. Communities are all about interaction. Stop interacting and there will be no community to come and lurk around. It's really that simple.
Good point, Jim. I know I am guilty of that.
I really appreciate how you continue to make this site better and better. Keep up the good work. 
CMOT
Editor-in-Chief
Joined: May 14, 2006
KitMaker: 10,954 posts
Armorama: 8,571 posts
Posted: Monday, September 17, 2007 - 02:33 AM UTC
I have noticed the pages take longer to open now but assumed it was just heavy traffic or a poor server.
staff_Jim
PublisherJoined: December 15, 2001
KitMaker: 12,571 posts
Armorama: 6,599 posts
Posted: Monday, September 17, 2007 - 10:55 AM UTC
Quoted Text
I have noticed the pages take longer to open now but assumed it was just heavy traffic or a poor server.
We have servers. And neither of them are poor. Both are Pentium 4 3GHhz machines with 2GB of ram. What we do have is a very dynamic site. If this site was say... I dunno a completely flat-HTML site built with frontpage I could run about a 1000 of those with 500 users each on them with just one server as basically it would just be a fileserver to do that. But alas we need a bit more juice to run this site with 5 different MySQL databases and 500MB of MySQL data that is why we have 2 dedicated machines that run nothing other than KitMaker sites.
But yes sometimes it is slow for me as well. Ussually when I am at work on our less-than-stellar wireless ISP connection (which is still suppose to be broadband).
Jim
tisdazza
Joined: September 12, 2007
KitMaker: 12 posts
Armorama: 4 posts
Posted: Monday, September 17, 2007 - 10:09 PM UTC
The speed most of the toime appears ok , but other time it does get sluggish. Basiccly spped fluctuacte for me.
Not sure is amout of users online has anything to do with it.
Maybe ??
This morning (aus time) I logged in - speed was fine
147 Modelers Online in the past 30 minutes
24 Members online
0 Staff members online
123 Visitors or users (not logged in)
No (afternoon AUS time) speed a bit sluggish
262 Modelers Online in the past 30 minutes
35 Members online
2 Staff members online
227 Visitors or users (not logged in)
Nearly double the amount of users.
OK I know I'm new here, but here's my comments.
When I found this forum I was quite surprised how much freedom a visitor has in looking around & reading posts etc. without having to signup or anything.
Not meaning to be selfish or mean or anything like that , but if visitors get limited access or no access to certain areas then they would either join or go away, plus worse thought is stop leeching information & ideas.
At the moment
37 members online
227 Visiting
Not a good ratio
Even worse if you take into account of Jim Starkweather's comment about User Interaction.
Hope this comment hasn't offended anyone, just a truthful observation.
if so I'M SORRY
Not sure is amout of users online has anything to do with it.
Maybe ??
This morning (aus time) I logged in - speed was fine
147 Modelers Online in the past 30 minutes
24 Members online
0 Staff members online
123 Visitors or users (not logged in)
No (afternoon AUS time) speed a bit sluggish
262 Modelers Online in the past 30 minutes
35 Members online
2 Staff members online
227 Visitors or users (not logged in)
Nearly double the amount of users.
OK I know I'm new here, but here's my comments.
When I found this forum I was quite surprised how much freedom a visitor has in looking around & reading posts etc. without having to signup or anything.
Not meaning to be selfish or mean or anything like that , but if visitors get limited access or no access to certain areas then they would either join or go away, plus worse thought is stop leeching information & ideas.
At the moment
37 members online
227 Visiting
Not a good ratio
Even worse if you take into account of Jim Starkweather's comment about User Interaction.
Hope this comment hasn't offended anyone, just a truthful observation.
if so I'M SORRY
Eagle
Joined: May 22, 2002
KitMaker: 4,082 posts
Armorama: 1,993 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 - 05:34 AM UTC
Hi'all
There are only two reasons why I don't visit the site as much as I used to do :
1. The speed. I'm on 10Mb Cable but it took me 12 or so seconds to load this page alone.... other modeling sites pop up within 1 or two seconds.
2. The way the site is organized nowadays. In the early days I could find my way around very easily, but now, with all the communities and subsites...with all the funny looking icons.... it's very confusing for me.
I guess it's a matter of personal taste and therefore I'll let it be. Somebody over here told me that "If I didn't like it, I'd better leave and never come back"... solid advice given by a staff member. For the first time in my life I decided to listen (at least to the first part of his advice).
There are only two reasons why I don't visit the site as much as I used to do :
1. The speed. I'm on 10Mb Cable but it took me 12 or so seconds to load this page alone.... other modeling sites pop up within 1 or two seconds.
2. The way the site is organized nowadays. In the early days I could find my way around very easily, but now, with all the communities and subsites...with all the funny looking icons.... it's very confusing for me.
I guess it's a matter of personal taste and therefore I'll let it be. Somebody over here told me that "If I didn't like it, I'd better leave and never come back"... solid advice given by a staff member. For the first time in my life I decided to listen (at least to the first part of his advice).
staff_Jim
PublisherJoined: December 15, 2001
KitMaker: 12,571 posts
Armorama: 6,599 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 - 06:14 AM UTC
Danny,
Who the hell told you that? You should have told them to take a flying leap. Honestly I don't know why so many of the old regulars allowed yourselves to get driven off by this or that person. Just a few days ago I got an email from a user because he didn't like the way he was being spoken to by another user (who was really not breaking any enforceable rules of the site), so that user decided to never come back. Sorry but if people really feel that way than there wasn't really much holding them here I guess. Or at least that's the way it seems anyways.
You have been sadly missed by me just so you know. If that means anything to you that is.
Regards,
Jim
PS: As for the 12 second page issue. Which page was this? The latest posts page? If so yes that page takes a long time to build as it's a LOT of data to parse through. If the page is cached (as it should be most of the time) it should load in a few seconds. If the page is cached it's displayed on the bottom of the site as cached.
Who the hell told you that? You should have told them to take a flying leap. Honestly I don't know why so many of the old regulars allowed yourselves to get driven off by this or that person. Just a few days ago I got an email from a user because he didn't like the way he was being spoken to by another user (who was really not breaking any enforceable rules of the site), so that user decided to never come back. Sorry but if people really feel that way than there wasn't really much holding them here I guess. Or at least that's the way it seems anyways.
You have been sadly missed by me just so you know. If that means anything to you that is.
Regards,
Jim
PS: As for the 12 second page issue. Which page was this? The latest posts page? If so yes that page takes a long time to build as it's a LOT of data to parse through. If the page is cached (as it should be most of the time) it should load in a few seconds. If the page is cached it's displayed on the bottom of the site as cached.
Eagle
Joined: May 22, 2002
KitMaker: 4,082 posts
Armorama: 1,993 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 - 06:40 AM UTC
Jim,
It's a page that I open from the latest post page. It doesn't really matter what topic it is, they all appear to open very slowly.
When I'm at work in another part of the country the site seems to be faster than when I open it from home or at work around the corner. I really haven't got a clue
I talked to Robert about this a time ago..when my site was veeeeeeeeeeeeeeery sloooooooooooooow, his site was very fast and we where doing the same actions... I was puzzled and I still am
And about that other issue...let it go... I did Some people will never understand what a community is all about.
It's a page that I open from the latest post page. It doesn't really matter what topic it is, they all appear to open very slowly.
When I'm at work in another part of the country the site seems to be faster than when I open it from home or at work around the corner. I really haven't got a clue
I talked to Robert about this a time ago..when my site was veeeeeeeeeeeeeeery sloooooooooooooow, his site was very fast and we where doing the same actions... I was puzzled and I still am
And about that other issue...let it go... I did
Some people will never understand what a community is all about.staff_Jim
PublisherJoined: December 15, 2001
KitMaker: 12,571 posts
Armorama: 6,599 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 - 06:58 AM UTC
Danny,
The only thing from a technology standpoint that I am aware of that would make a site load more slowly than it should (given a fast connection) would be if your ISP does not cache DNS information on the domains requested. So every time you have a request the server at your ISP has to lookup the domain IP information from another server far away (like at GoDaddy's datacenter). This would slow down the speed of any site very much indeed. You should write to your ISP and ask them about this. Perhaps they have some list of blacklisted DNS domains (but I have never heard of an ISP doing this).
Sorry for the troubles.
Jim
The only thing from a technology standpoint that I am aware of that would make a site load more slowly than it should (given a fast connection) would be if your ISP does not cache DNS information on the domains requested. So every time you have a request the server at your ISP has to lookup the domain IP information from another server far away (like at GoDaddy's datacenter). This would slow down the speed of any site very much indeed. You should write to your ISP and ask them about this. Perhaps they have some list of blacklisted DNS domains (but I have never heard of an ISP doing this).
Sorry for the troubles.
Jim
CaptainA
Joined: May 14, 2007
KitMaker: 3,117 posts
Armorama: 564 posts
Posted: Friday, September 21, 2007 - 08:06 AM UTC
I have BB 10.0. It takes about 4-8 seconds to load a page. Slower than a few months ago, but not what I would consider to be a problem.
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