Speed optimization Archives - Page 3 of 8

Speed Up Your Netbook: Toshiba NB205 & Toshiba NB525 – upgrade laptop boot time speed optimization with RAM, SSD & software

Figure 1: Toshiba NB205-N210BN-G

Netbooks are small, low-cost laptop computers first launched in 2007. Typically powered by low voltage CPUs (like Intel’s Atom or AMD’s Fusion series) netbooks omit certain features of full-featured laptops like optical drives to keep cost and weight down. Netbook screen sizes typically range from 10.1″ to 12″ diagonal in later models. Netbooks are being replaced by thinner ultrabooks and tablets now, but are still quite handy as a second laptop for traveling. One problem with netbooks is that they can be slow to run applications and boot. This article shows how to upgrade your netbook to boot and perform faster.

Localize External Resources – The Perils of Off-Site Widgets

Third-party widgets abound these days on the Web. Widgets, typically implemented with a snippet of JavaScript, are an easy way to add useful functionality to your website. The problem with all these widgets is they can cause indeterminate delays if any third party servers are slow.

Average Number of Web Page Objects Breaks 100 – web page object statistics and survey trends

The number of objects in the average web page has reached triple digits. In just under 4 years, the number of objects in the average top 1000 web page has doubled from 49.9 objects in January 2009 to 100 objects in November 2012 (see Figure 1). By the end of the year, the average top 1000 web page is on track to break 100 objects per page.

Splitting PDF Files – How to split large PDF files to fit in email limits

The average web page is now over 1MB in size, with each of its various components increasing in file size as well (HTTPArchive.org June 2012). PDFs can become so large that some email programs and gateways will not allow them to pass (with 5MB or 10MB file size limits). This article shows how you can efficiently split your PDF into multiple files to fit within the 5-10MB email gateway limits.

Blocking JavaScript with Web Page Test – simulate eliminating JavaScript on web page load times

With the proliferation of content management systems we’re seeing an increase in the use of JavaScript. WordPress, Movable Type, Joomla, Drupal all employ JavaScript to add enhanced functionality to their sites. Plugins abound promising Web 2.0 features, higher interactivity, and increased user engagement. The problem with this trend is that JavaScript usage is inceasing at an alarming clip (see Figure 1). The HTTArchive shows the average page uses 14 external JavaScript and 190K of code.

Blocking CSS with Web Page Test to Simulate Elimination of CSS

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are a powerful way to style your XHTML code. Used properly, CSS can use modular layered rules to style similar elements in the same page or across an entire website. CSS optimization is an entire field in itself, utilizing shorthand properties, colors, modular CSS techniques, and even object-oriented CSS techniques ala Nicole Sullivan. CSS files like JavaScript files, however, can be overused. This article shows how to simulate the elimination of CSS file to approximate refactoring your CSS code to be smaller and to be combined within a single file.

Diagnosing Slow Web Servers with Time to First Byte – slow server response time to first byte metric – Speed Tweak

Although 80% of web performance problems are typically due to front-end issues (Souders 2009), back-end bottlenecks can slow your site down to a crawl. One thing to watch out for is when static pages load relatively quickly, while dynamic pages load slowly. This article shows what to look for when a server slows down a web site.

Use a Web Page Optimization Tool – html optimizers and validators, speed analysis and optimization tools

Sure you can remove whitespace by hand, but why bother? A number of web page analysis and optimization tools are available that can help locate performance bottlenecks and automate whitespace and redundant code removal. But some tools don’t stop there. You can optimize your JavaScript and images and even CSS with some of these tools. While no replacement for hand-tuned CSS-based pages, webpage optimization tools can give you a good start on your web page dietary plan.

JPEGmini: More Efficient Image Compression – jpeg reoptimization software review and interview – Speed Tweak

JPEGmini is image optimization technology that reduces the size of JPEGs by up to 5 or 6 times their original size, while maintaining resolution and perceived quality. Developed by ICTV, an Israeli startup company, JPEGmini works within the existing JPEG standard to optimize the size of JPEGs for faster downloads and lower storage costs. The patented algorithm developed by ICVT allows JPEGmini to compress images just below the level where perceived artifacts appear. The results, as you will see below, are smaller files that look visually identical to the original images. In this article we test the new service, and interview the CTO.

Velocity 2011 Web Performance Conference

I’m back from my combined business and hiking trip out west, visiting the Velocity 2011 Web Performance Conference in Santa Clara, California. The second part of my trip was devoted to hiking and photography in the great Northwest, which we won’t review here. This year’s Velocity was bigger and better and yes, sold out again. Here are some highlights.