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Web site clean up

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11 years 2 months ago #16114 by markm
Web site clean up was created by markm
Have you guys really looked at the ZCS home page of late? It could tolerate a bit of spring cleaning. At this point, I think announcements for a 2011 Walthers contest and a 2012 calendar have probably run their course. Maybe reduce the amount of graphics and images. The page can take a while to load. But please don't as far as Yahoo.

Mark

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11 years 2 months ago #16115 by stonysmith
Replied by stonysmith on topic Re: Web site clean up
The two items you're referring to are not so much "on the homepage" as they are instead "in the archives". The sections on the lower right rotate thru all the articles in the blogs.. and yes, some are outdated, but still might have some interest.

We're always open to suggestions for how to improve content here. Thanks!
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11 years 2 months ago #16116 by markm
Replied by markm on topic Re: Web site clean up

stonysmith wrote: The two items you're referring to are not so much "on the homepage" as they are instead "in the archives".


Does that mean that technically we don't pay for bandwidth to load them? :laugh:

I'm stuck on dial-up over the weekend and while I was waiting the 3-4 minutes for ZCS to load, I started to figure out the cost of loading the homepage over time.

For example since your article in Wired was posted, I figured I've downloaded the magazine image to the tune of over 36MB, about 4 hrs on dial-up, and about 10 times more than the actual article (good piece BTW).

I just end up wondering how many people use, ot even notice their IP address, or the quick links icons, or that there are links to the items I mentioned on both sides of the homepage? Or for that matter how many members have actually read the items or notice when they change? Perhaps a simple "There are new articles" is all that's need on the homepage? At the same time might there be a clearer way to identify that there are people in chat?

I really don't have any specific suggestions, just wondering what parts of the homepage actually get used and whether the page could be streamlined?

Mark
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11 years 2 months ago #16117 by garthah
Replied by garthah on topic Re: Web site clean up
I am not part of the organization that maintains this web site. While you are complaining about the cost of down loading on dial up, have you though about the hours of volunteer work that goes into producing this site and the upkeep of the servers the cost of bandwidth to support the site all of which you are not paying for, and most of us are not paying for. if I were concerned about bandwidth and data download bytes, I would be maintaining links to the pages I am most interested in and would not go through the home page to get there.

my thanks to the crew that keep this going, thanks for caring and giving your time to enhance my hobby experience.

regards Garth

cheerz Garth
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11 years 2 months ago #16118 by markm
Replied by markm on topic Re: Web site clean up
Garth,
I'm not complaining and trying to be a bit constructive. I realize this site is maintained by volunteers. But it seems to me we should be able to help them determine the best use of their time.

Does the IP address at the bottom of the page enhance anyone's appreciation of Z scale or this site?
If the answer is no why should they maintain it? What about the Quick links, do you use them? Or do you use the tabs on the top of the page like I do? Should they maintain the Eventz calendar if it's nearly always empty?

The same holds true for bandwidth. While I notice throughtput more on my dial-up days, somebody is paying for the bandwidth regardless of speed. Doesn't it help ZCS and us if that bandwidth is used as effectively as possible? If you use my Wired example and assume 1000 visits a day, that's 64GB for one thumbnail, more than I buy for my humble site in 2 years. Again does that thumbnail enhance anyone's experience?

I'm not suggesting any radical changes and certainly not immediately, but if we make some suggestions as to what's important, the next time the homepage gets editted minor changes could be made. It's good for the bandwidth and good for the maintenance effort.

Frankly, I have unlimited bandwidth for all my internet access. But I've yet to met a hosting provider that doesn't charge by the MB and GB for storage and bandwidth.

Mark
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11 years 2 months ago - 11 years 2 months ago #16126 by Mr.JA
Replied by Mr.JA on topic Re: Web site clean up
What I find strange is... ZCS loads much faster on my "smart" phone than on my computer. The biggest example for me are the homepage photos. If I select a photo to open to read the comments... the photo loads, but the rest of the page just hangs. On the phone, it loads smoothly. I'm using IE10 on my Toshiba laptop. The phone browser is some type of Android browser.

And, before anyone tells me to use a different browser... save your typing. I'm not interested in loading three different types of browsers on my computer when I must use IE for different work contracts.
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11 years 2 months ago #16127 by stonysmith
Replied by stonysmith on topic Re: Web site clean up

markm wrote: Does the IP address at the bottom of the page enhance anyone's appreciation of Z scale or this site?


In a word, yes. We can, and have, used that IP address to help identify problems that specific users have had trouble with. That also has helped us ward off several <ahem> nefarious visitors. Also.. it's automatic, no maintenance or labor involved. It's really there to let you know that WE know where you are <grin>.

If your browser is working properly then many of the images from the site should be cached, in other words, should only be downloaded when/if they have changed - that would not add extra bandwidth or cost.

Beyond that.. a single image can be up to two million bytes in size .. that IP address field is a whopping 15 bytes long :) - it's not contributing to any delays.

===
EVERYONE is welcome to make suggestions. It's just that JohnK (site owner) retains the right to ignore them. <grin> He's a benevolent despot. <grin> We DO care, and there are some tweaks that we are more than willing look at making. Everyone.. keep making your suggestions - we DO want to improve the site.

===
Personally, yes, I use the quick links more than I use the top bar menu items. Those also are a bit of a shortcut for some of the links.

===
If you don't like the fact that the calendar is usually empty, then chide your brethren to TELL US when an event is happening. Or even better yet.. SCHEDULE a new event and invite everyone over to your house for BBQ, DCC and chenile tree making.

===
Mark: thanks for the critique. Keep it up.
Garth: thanks for your support.
Alex: The gallery uses some javascript to do it's work and some browsers process that faster than other browsers do.
Fred: you actually READ this?
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11 years 2 months ago #16128 by ModelWarships
Replied by ModelWarships on topic Re: Web site clean up
Browser back function is ignored on Firefox 23.0.1 Win 7 64, 32 and XP. Quick reply vanished too.

Timothy Dike

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11 years 2 months ago #16129 by southernnscale
Replied by southernnscale on topic Re: Web site clean up
Mr. JA! I have a Toshiba Desktop all in one and I have the same problems and I'm using IE10 also but it doesn't do it all the time only when the site is busy! I think you all are doing a fine Job!!!!!!! :evil: :woohoo: Some time the pictures don't show up on the post but not on all but some. my video's the same some times they work and at other time it tell me I need to upgrade. I did that already!!!! :whistle:

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11 years 2 months ago - 11 years 2 months ago #16130 by Fred
Replied by Fred on topic Re: Web site clean up
Stony- Yup- I can wread--it's the schpellingz that's cornfeuzzen... :blink: :S

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11 years 2 months ago #16131 by Heavy-Equipment-Designer
Replied by Heavy-Equipment-Designer on topic Re: Web site clean up
I love this site and all the great stuff posted on it by its members. SO this is purely constructive criticism. My issue is not cleanup but inconsistency in posting photos and on forums while posting images. It seems like a total random act of violence.... I tried to post the announcement of my new CAT D8 on the new products forum last night. Wrote it all out, uploaded the images, and nothing ever posted, not even the text. Same thing happened last week. Posted one image with no problems. tried to post another one that was the exact same size, it uploaded and never posted. Tried it again, same result. I was using IE which I've lately had luck with (I normally use Firefox) and still no luck. Big images, small images, IE, Firefox, they've all worked and failed while trying to post images and images on forums in the past. I'm not computer illiterate. I have to constantly upload huge files on archaic interface corporate FTP sites that if you don't get everything just right, it does not work. But uploading onto this site, personally has been a crap shoot at best. What really needs to happen is a standard that assures anyone can upload at anytime with clearly posted instructions that insure it works every time. As someone who built and runs their own company website (but does not claim to be a webpage designer), I realize there is more then one operating system and internet browser and its almost impossible to make it work for everything. But you can set standards for one internet browser that should work every time.

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