The Portable Network Graphics (PNG) format is designed to be a more efficient, flexible, and patent-free replacement for GIFs. PNG is designed to store a single bitmapped image to display over computer networks (1). PNG was created in 1995 as a response to Unisys’ enforcement of their patent on the LZW compression algorithm used in GIFs. While Unisys’ patent has expired, the reasons for switching to PNGs from GIFs remain (2). By replacing your GIFs with PNGs you can speed up your web pages and save bandwidth.
Website Optimization
Book Preview: Information Foraging Theory – boost information scent and predict web navigation
Most books on human-computer interaction (HCI) and usability give recommendations based on empirical research, guidelines fit to observed user behavior, and cognitive models after the fact. Peter Pirolli, the father of information foraging theory, has written a new book that models and predicts what users will do before they navigate a website. Using mathematical models of human behavior, Pirolli lays out the foundation of information foraging theory, a relatively new field based in part on optimal foraging theory in animals (Stephens & Krebs 1986). The result is a seminal work in Oxford University Press’ series on Human-Computer Interaction. We were fortunate to review a proof of Pirolli’s new book Information Foraging Theory: Adaptive Interaction with Information, due out April 2007.
Automated Color Harmony Tools – color harmonization using automatic color theory tools to optimize color palettes
Harmonic colors are color combinations that have special internal relationships that are aesthetically pleasing to the human eye. Professional web designers experienced in color theory can create color palettes that evoke different moods, appropriate to the product or service being sold.
Don’t Let the Graphics Grinch Steal Your Christmas Bonus
By now most web developers, advertisers and executives know the mantra: slow web sites lose money. But what they may not know is how much of those losses are due to the single biggest common source of
site bloat: overweight graphics. So this season we have a little gift to help you remember how important it is to fix this problem on your site right away (unless you really want to send your business to your
competition). Herewith is this year’s mangling of Clement Moore’s “A Visit From St. Nicholas” (a proud tradition) and a sincere wish for a happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year to you and your loved ones.
With permission from our poetry mangler in residence, Bob Peyser….
The Interactive Effects of Website Delay, Breadth, and Familiarity – improve information scent in information foraging theory study
The negative effects of website delay are well known. Faster is better (Shneiderman 1984, Bouch, Kurchinsky, and Bhatti 2000, Galletta et al. 2004). The trade-off between breadth and depth in menu design has been studied extensively. Wider is better (Jacko et al. 1995, Zaphiris and Mtei 1997, Larson and Czerwinski 1998). User familiarity with terminology and structure in website design has also been studied. Familiar is better (Edwards and Hardman 1989). However, the interaction between all three factors has not been studied until recently. Dennis Galletta, Raymond Henry, Scott McCoy, and Peter Polak analyzed how familiarity and breadth dampen the ill effects of website delay by increasing the “scent” of the target page (Galletta et al. 2006). This article summarizes their results.
Use a Web Accelerator – reviews google web accelerator proxy server uses cache and gzip compression
Web acceleration software speeds up your web browsing experience. Web accelerators reduce latency and download times using various web performance techniques including caching and HTTP compression. We explore Google’s Web Accelerator to see how it works and the different options available to users and webmasters.
Optimize PDF Files – tips on pdf optimization to compress file size & optimizing pdf files – Acrobat 8 review
PDF optimization is often overlooked when creating PDF files for the Web. While PDFs have become quite popular on the Web, many PDFs used in web sites are designed for high quality print output and are not optimized for the Web. Even PDFs designed for Web use can have a wait problem, weighed down with excess fonts, change histories, and unoptimized images and forms. Optimizing PDF files for the Web can significantly shrink their size and boost display speed, saving bandwidth and user frustration.
Clickstream Study Reveals Dynamic Web – fast web navigation in browser study heatmaps
A recent clickstream study revealed new information about how we use and peruse the Web. University of Hamburg researchers found that the Web is moving from a static hypertext information system to dynamic interactive services with rapid interactivity between man and machine. The authors recommend that web developers create concise, fast loading web pages to keep pace with the speed of web navigation.
Highlight the Current Page with CSS: The Body ID/Class Method – css tutorial on auto-selection of current navigation
“Danger, Will Robinson!” For those that remember the TV show “Lost in Space,” these words often ring true in the sometimes confusing world of cyberspace. When users navigate through your site you can help avoid those fateful words with “you are here” waypoints. This article shows how to automatically highlight menu items that correspond to the current page using CSS and XHTML. Using CSS avoids the need for complex JavaScript or PHP/JSP scripting which simplifies maintenance and improves performance.
Combine Images to Save HTTP Requests – use imagemaps on combined images with ismap usemap tutorial
One byproduct of automated image-slicing software is the plethora of images now populating the Web. As early as 2002 (King 2003) the average web page had over 24 embedded objects, with over half the total page size consisting of images. Today when we analyze web pages we commonly see 50 to 60 images per web page. The more round trip server requests you require in your pages, the longer and more indeterminate your load time becomes. One way to reduce the number of HTTP requests is to combine adjacent images into one composite image and optionally imagemap the links to different areas. This tutorial shows both client and server side techniques you can use to save precious HTTP requests and speed up your site.