How to create a website for slow internet connection

Discussion in 'HTML & Website Design' started by bukavu, Nov 30, 2010.

  1. #1
    Hello,

    I'd like to ask how and can I create, build a website for people who use low internet connection

    Thank you


    - Website for news

    - Website for videos (this should be very tricky) but I'm thinking to just reduce the quality catastrophically, but how?

    - A forum like website
     
    bukavu, Nov 30, 2010 IP
  2. WSWD

    WSWD Well-Known Member

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    #2
    The easiest thing to do is just not design sites for people with slow connections. You can't go designing sites for the tiny minority of people out there.

    However, text and few images is the key to making it quick. Images are going to slow things down, flash is probably going to slow things down (depending on the size), etc. As far as the videos, you can offer a download link instead of showing/streaming them on the website. Not a whole lot you can do with forums. They are pretty much optimized already. I can't imagine a whole lot you could do to cut down on the size of the pages, aside from the same advice from above...no pics.
     
    WSWD, Nov 30, 2010 IP
  3. bukavu

    bukavu Active Member

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    #3
    Thank you for your advice

    You mean forums like vbulletin are already optimised to work on slow internet connections, there is this country where the highest speed is still 128 kbps, a country with 60.000.000 people although less than 5% have got access to the funny connection I wanted to help them get in touch with the world, the governement keeping them out of whats happening in the world so that it can manage to oppress them withouth their knowledge. anyway that was ().

    All they use is yahoo email and facebook on mobile phones
     
    bukavu, Nov 30, 2010 IP
  4. WSWD

    WSWD Well-Known Member

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    #4
    Ahhhh yes, 128k is pretty slow indeed.

    Forums aren't specifically optimized for slow Internet connections, but they can be easily made to be text only, or as much text as possible. If you eliminate attachments, and images, and avatars in the forum, you're left with pretty much a text only forum, that should be reasonably quick on a slow connection.
     
    WSWD, Nov 30, 2010 IP
  5. drhowarddrfine

    drhowarddrfine Peon

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    #5
    First, start with HTML and CSS alone. Do not use images that are not necessary. Make videos downloadable if possible. Minimize javascript but use Ajax for data transfers if possible.
     
    drhowarddrfine, Nov 30, 2010 IP
  6. lee_day_designandrcoding

    lee_day_designandrcoding Member

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    #6
    Just try not to use any images at all if possible, if you do need some tho, use jpegs and make sure they are on low quality settings, keep the quality as low as you can go before it starts to look bad. Make sure your images are the correct resolution, e.g. you don't want large 1280x1024 images scaled down to the size of a thumbnail, it wil still have to download a great amount of data, so shrink the images down.

    Everywhere else try to use css styling to get the look you need, it may sound like hard work, but, i've seen some really good sites which use no images at all.

    Another cool technique is to, have a 1 pixel wide image, which you can repeat along the x axis, and that way you can have a nice gradient or specular metal type effect for the header and title bars etc.

    Just look at this forum, for instance, it's really optimized.
     
  7. bukavu

    bukavu Active Member

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    #7
    Thank you very much,

    These are very useful informations I could use.

    I heard on another forum people talking about "ftp websites" is there anything called "ftp websites"
     
    bukavu, Nov 30, 2010 IP
  8. drhowarddrfine

    drhowarddrfine Peon

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    #8
    For photos only.
    No longer necessary using CSS gradients.
     
    drhowarddrfine, Nov 30, 2010 IP
  9. lee_day_designandrcoding

    lee_day_designandrcoding Member

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    #9
    What do you recommend for images other than photos? i suppose .PNG? for it's alpha channel? i didn't think it mattered to much but now i think about it the jpeg compression probably doesn't suite precise gfx as much as .PNG .

    And cool, didn't know gradients was possible in css, will look into this, i haven't been keeping up with things lately, getting back into webdevelopement as i've been video editing UK based Mixed Martial Arts events this year mainly. :)
     
  10. drhowarddrfine

    drhowarddrfine Peon

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    #10
    PNG for everything but photos and animated gifs, of course.
     
    drhowarddrfine, Nov 30, 2010 IP
  11. nadeem3366

    nadeem3366 Member

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    #11
    Yes, use photos by CSS file and photos must be in .png format and for animation, use animated gif photos but these animated gif photos also by using CSS file, then the website will be lighter..
     
    nadeem3366, Nov 30, 2010 IP
  12. hima rao

    hima rao Peon

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    #12
    You can learn from Google how to create a good looking site for slow connections :) Try to minimize the use of pictures and get the formatting done properly, and you have a good looking site!
     
    hima rao, Nov 30, 2010 IP
  13. solidcode

    solidcode Greenhorn

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    #13
    Not only do you help out people with slow internet connections with a fast loading site, it's also good for SEO.
     
    solidcode, Dec 11, 2010 IP