Reducing download time

Fergal C

Please see a draft version of my updated site at

Updated Proudirish.com

I think the download time is much too slow. Would you agree?

Any suggestions as to how I might speed it up?

Thanks,

Henri

mneylon

Part of the problem could be the host you're using in the US.
You're also relying on a lot of external data.

Graham

Hi Henri,

I dont see anything but the web1000.com homepage when I click on that link.

Fergal C

Thanks for responses.

Yes, the host is probably slow, just using a free host to test the updated version without interfering with the current site.

When I strip out the external data and leave the template only, I am left with a file size of 71K.

Is this too big?

Any suggestions as to how I can reduce the file size?

You can view the template at

www.proudirish.web1000.com/template.html

Graham,

The link appears to be working now and full address given above.

Thanks again,

Henri

mneylon

All the rollovers use up disk etc., If you used CSS you would be able to emulate the same kind of effects and decrease the download time. It also parses quite badly...

A good test: Try it on NS7 and Opera. See how they handle it

Enygma

Using mod_gzip can reduce the HTML sent to the browser by as much as 80%. You probably won't be able to do that on a free host though.

Look into the HTTP cache headers and how to set them, try to cache everything. If you've written some DB access/File access stuff, cache that on the server side.

You're using images for your menu links, you could just use text with a stylesheet.

You can do some clever stuff with single pixel images, look into that.

HTH

Fergal C

Blacknight,

Thanks, I'll teach myself CSS and fix it.

Enygma,

Thanks for suggestions. I am in the process of teaching myself HTML, having previously learned to design static sites in Dreamweaver MX.

Unfortunately I don't have the knowledge yet to implement your suggestions but will keep them on record until I do.

Henri.

Terminator

I didn't think it was too bad but then I'm on broadband. As Blacknight says if you change both the top and side menus from image to text css you'll see a huge improvement.

Seth Brundle

it took me roughly 27 seconds to download it fully on BB just now

Karoma

CSS & a new host.
CSS for the nav(as already stated) + you remove silly tags like <font color="#ff6600" size="1"> and streams of no-break space tags

http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp
http://www.webmonkey.com
and www.w3c.org are good places to start/learn CSS