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Andrew King Interviewed by Joshua Bixby of Strangeloop Networks

Joshua Bixby interviewed Andrew King about the web performance industry. Learn what to look for in a performance consultant and what to expect in an audit. more »

By website optimization on 29 Aug 2010 AM | | Comments (0)

Velocity 2010 Web Performance Conference

Highlights from the Velocity 2010 conference on web performance. This sold-out event explored the latest technique for fast websites, and is a must-see for performance engineers. more »

By website optimization on 29 Jun 2010 AM | | Comments (0)

Page Speed Factored into Google Search Rankings

Google's addition of a page speed signal to its search rankings algorithm officially links performance with search engine marketing. The loading speed of a web page affects user psychology in a number of ways, and now it can affect its rankings as well. more »

By website optimization on 11 Apr 2010 PM | | Comments (1)

PNG24 and PNG Optimization

Which program is the alpha transparency dog of PNG optimization? We put the front runners of the photo optimization pack through their paces. more »

By website optimization on 31 Mar 2010 AM | | Comments (2)

Anatomy of a Redesign

A behind the screens look at a recent redesign of WebsiteOptimization.com. Includes CSS sprites, Movable Type integration, and a three-dimensional look. more »

By website optimization on 23 Jan 2010 AM | | Comments (0)

Memory Markers and the Subjective Duration of Experience

New research shows that Web developers need to balance the need to create rich, immersive experiences with tolerable download times and scant distractions. more »

By website optimization on 13 Oct 2009 AM | | Comments (1)

Web Page Performance Thesis

A Ph.D. thesis on web page performance quantifies the key factors in web page response times. Uses software to measure, model, and monitor response times and improve user satisfaction. more »

By website optimization on 31 Jul 2009 PM | | Comments (2)

Usability Study: Men Need Speed

In a recent usability survey, researchers from Southern Illinois University found that after ease of use, men prefer fast download speed to easy navigation. Women prefer ease of use, easy navigation, and accessibility. The researchers hypothesize that these different usability criteria are due to differences in how men and women use the Web. more »

By website optimization on 28 Apr 2009 AM | | Comments (11)

Study: Web Users Prefer Speed Over Customization

The most important interface design factor is speed, according to a new HCI study. Good interface design is essential for widespread user adoption and ultimately website success. more »

By website optimization on 31 Mar 2009 AM | | Comments (1)

Offload Resource Intensive Scripts to Improve Server Performance

This article shows how offloading resource intensive scripts can significantly improve web server performance. By offloading the Web Page Analyzer script to a separate server, we improved response times by over 98%, improved throughput by a factor of 40, and significantly reduced response time variability. more »

By website optimization on 31 Jan 2009 PM | | Comments (0)

Average Top 100 Weblog Performance Survey

We compare the home page performance of the top 100 weblogs with the top 1000 websites. Updating a top 100 weblog survey, we find a correlation between popularity and page size. more »

By website optimization on 29 Dec 2008 AM | | Comments (0)

Evolution of the Web from 2000 to 2007

In a comparative survey of data traces from 2000 and 2007, University of Twente researchers found that the nature of the Web has changed from a static one-way medium to a dynamic platform for interactive services such as photo and video sharing portals. more »

By website optimization on 30 Nov 2008 PM | | Comments (0)

O'Reilly Books on Web Performance

We sum up the available books on web performance from O'Reilly. more »

By website optimization on 20 Oct 2008 PM | | Comments (1)

Solid-State Drive Web Server Test

We test a new server with solid-state drives and faster processors. Upgrading our dedicated server improved performance by 35% to 50%. more »

By website optimization on 17 Oct 2008 AM | | Comments (0)

Optimize Drop Shadows

Learn how to create optimized drop-shadows in Photoshop to minimize the size of web graphics. more »

By website optimization on 18 Aug 2008 AM | | Comments (0)

The Psychology of Web Performance

Users experience psychological and physiological effects when interacting with web pages, experiencing frustration when not completing tasks and engagement at faster web sites. Learn how web page response times affect user psychology and behavior. more »

By website optimization on 30 May 2008 AM | | Comments (0)

Inline Images with Data URLs

Learn how to embed images into your web pages with data URLs. The data: URI scheme includes images directly into your XHTML pages using code instead of external files, saving valuable HTTP requests. more »

By website optimization on 28 Feb 2008 AM | | Comments (11)

The Cost of Banner Advertising on Web Performance

The cost of banner ads for the average website is about one-sixth more objects and one-third more latency. Learn how online advertising affects web page response times, user behavior, and satisfaction. more »

By website optimization on 31 Jan 2008 PM | | Comments (0)

Optimize Parallel Downloads to Minimize Object Overhead

With the average web page growing past 50 external objects, object overhead now dominates most web page delays. Increasing parallel downloads by using multiple hostnames can realize up to a 40% improvement in web page latency. more »

By website optimization on 26 Dec 2007 AM | | Comments (10)

Use Delta Encoding to Compress RSS newsfeeds

Learn how to use delta encoding to compress your RSS XML newsfeeds. Save bandwidth by using delta compression for your RSS files. more »

By website optimization on 30 Nov 2007 PM | | Comments (0)

Suture CSS or JavaScript Files to Reduce HTTP Requests

Learn how to "suture" CSS or JavaScript files together before delivery from the server to save HTTP requests. You'll have your organization and eat it too with this server-side approach to merging files. more »

By website optimization on 31 Oct 2007 PM | | Comments (3)

CSS Sprites: How Yahoo.com and AOL.com Improve Web Performance

Learn how AOL and Yahoo! use CSS sprites to improve performance for their busy home pages. CSS sprites save HTTP requests by using CSS positioning to selectively display composite background images. To maximize accessibility and usability, CSS sprites are best used for icons or decorative effects. more »

By website optimization on 26 Sep 2007 AM | | Comments (10)

Mono-Image CSS Rollovers

Learn how to create menu rollovers with different graphic backgrounds with one image. Save HTTP requests by combining on and off images into one mini-sprite and position with CSS. more »

By website optimization on 31 Aug 2007 PM | | Comments (5)

Minimize Noise to Maximize Graphic and Video Compression

Noise is the enemy of efficient multimedia optimization. Learn how to minimize the noise in your images and videos to maximize compression. more »

By website optimization on 30 Jul 2007 AM | | Comments (0)

Web Video Optimization Tips

Optimizing web videos has become more important as the use and size of videos has increased on the Web. Learn some best practices to help optimize your videos. more »

By website optimization on 29 Jun 2007 AM | | Comments (1)

Home Page Usability and Credibility Survey

A usability survey revealed that high growth companies are not evaluating and improving their home page designs in a systematic way. By comparing the home pages of the Fortune 30 against Inc Magazine's fastest growing companies, researchers from Minnesota State University found the Fortune 30 had a usability score over 36% higher than the fast growing companies. more »

By website optimization on 31 May 2007 PM | | Comments (0)

Replace GIF with PNG Images

PNGs are designed to be a more efficient, flexible, and patent-free replacement for GIFs. By replacing your GIFs with PNGs you can speed up your web pages and save bandwidth. more »

By website optimization on 31 Mar 2007 AM | | Comments (11)

Book Preview: Information Foraging Theory

We interview today's digital Darwin Peter Pirolli, summarizing his revolutionary new book Information Foraging Theory. Hungry minds are foraging for valuable information on the Web. Learn how to boost your website's information scent or risk becoming a missing link. more »

By website optimization on 5 Feb 2007 AM | | Comments (1)

Automated Color Harmony Tools

Make your designs sing in four-part color harmony with these automated color harmonization tools. We review a joint effort by Microsoft and Tel Aviv University to automatically enhance the color harmony of an image. more »

By website optimization on 16 Jan 2007 AM | | Comments (13)

Don't Let the Graphics Grinch Steal Your Christmas Bonus

Know what jolly old site owners get when they let their graphics get so plump they shake like a bowl full of jelly? A lump of coal for Christmas. Let our Rudolph guide your way to a merry Christmas and happy New Year with an inspirational rendering of 'Twas the night before Christmas. more »

By website optimization on 11 Dec 2006 PM | | Comments (0)

The Interactive Effects of Website Delay, Breadth, and Familiarity

A recent study examined whether website delay, breadth, and familiarity have interactive effects on user psychology and performance. A significant three-way interaction among all three factors showed that the ill effects of delay can be dampened by familiarity and breadth. Developers are urged to consider site familiarity, breadth, and delay together rather than separately. more »

By website optimization on 29 Nov 2006 AM | | Comments (0)

Use a Web Accelerator

We review google web accelerator to see how well it speeds up web browsing. Web accelerators speed up web browsers with look-ahead caching, http compression, and proxy servers. This tutorial includes webmaster information. more »

By website optimization on 25 Oct 2006 PM | | Comments (5)

Optimize PDF Files

We review Acrobat 8 Professional (pre-release) and PDF Enhancer 3.1 for optimizing PDF files. The new Acrobat features faster operations, smaller PDFs, a new interface, and the ability to combine different types of files into one PDF. Learn how to use PDF optimization tools to remove redundancies, subset and outline fonts, and compress text and images for faster downloads and higher user satisfaction. more »

By website optimization on 25 Sep 2006 AM | | Comments (94)

Clickstream Study Reveals Dynamic Web

A new browser study revealed a shift in how we interact with the Web. University of Hamburg researchers found the Web moving from static hypertext information to dynamic interactive services. Clickstream heatmaps and web page statistics show rapid interaction over smaller areas of the screen. The authors recommend that web developers create concise, flexible, and fast loading web pages to keep pace with the speed of web navigation. more »

By website optimization on 26 Jul 2006 AM | | Comments (19)

Highlight the Current Page with CSS: The Body ID/Class Method

This article shows how to automatically highlight menu items that correspond to the current page using CSS and XHTML. These "you are here" waypoints help orient users and improve usability. Using CSS avoids the need for complex scripting which simplifies maintenance and improves performance. more »

By website optimization on 30 Jun 2006 AM | | Comments (6)

Combine Images to Save HTTP Requests

Learn how to reduce the number of HTTP requests required by your web pages by combining adjacent images and optionally imagemapping the links. This tutorial shows both client and server side techniques you can use to save precious HTTP requests and speed up your site. more »

By website optimization on 31 May 2006 PM | | Comments (3)

CSS Overlays: Using CSS Positioning to Overlay Web Objects

Learn how to create an eye-catching overlay with CSS positioning. This CSS-layout technique is faster than image slicing requiring fewer HTTP requests. more »

By website optimization on 30 Apr 2006 PM | | Comments (8)

Accessible CSS Forms: Using CSS to Create a Two-Column Layout

Websites have become less accessible and more complex over time according to recent studies. Learn how to buck the trend by creating fast, accessible CSS forms that work with modern browsers and gracefully degrade. more »

By website optimization on 30 Mar 2006 AM | | Comments (45)

Bookend Lists: Using CSS to Float a Masthead

Learn how to create that 'bookend' look with lists and CSS positioning. This CSS-layout technique saves a significant amount of XHTML code over tables. more »

By website optimization on 25 Feb 2006 AM | | Comments (11)

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