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ShackCompression Test
by Maarten Goldstein, Nov 25, 2000 11:34am PSTGot a new feature for all the dialup users to play with this afternoon (although people on fast connections are welcome to test too), ShackCompression. Using the zlib function of PHP 4.0.1 and a feature of HTTP 1.1, we should soon be able to offer the frontpage compressed. No, you don't have to do anything yourself, it should all be transparent. HTTP 1.1 should be supported by all new IE versions, from last year and up, on Windows at least. I heard HTTP 1.1 is not supported on the Mac. Netscape 4.7 doesn't appear to work, however Netscape 6 does. Both Windows again. I'm interested to know about Linux support. To test, go to this page and at the bottom it should say something like this
Not compress length: 58101You might say, woah that's a good difference, why won't it help us cable/dsl/t1/etc guys? Most likely the response time is a little higher because the server has to zip up the page. So it could be that instead of you already getting it instantly, it might actually be a little slower. There is one other group for whom it might not work any better, the people using slow computers. While most people probably have pimped out machines, people checking from college or something might only have access to slow PCs. Since the browser has to render the page on the fly, while it is decompressing, it might take longer to render. When the testing is positive and we start using it for the frontpage, there will be an option to disable it for these groups. Try it out, I'm very interested in the results. update: Well, the test was successful and so the frontpage is now using this feature. If there are any problems email us.
Compressed length: 13532
Comments
Try, for example, downloading a single 2000kb html or txt file. You'll see you get speeds much heighter than your bandwidth can theorically support. This is because txt and html files are highly compressable by the protocol.
I'm not saying that using this php-enabled compression is not good. Yes, it is; but it isn't the same than getting a 60kb text file compressed to a 15kb text file. The point is, this 15kb will obviously be a much more compressed file, and won't be compressed by the protocol as much as the vanilla html/text file would. It will still be good, and very much welcome if the server doesn't explode while constantly compressing the output data, but it's not as good as it sounds. Not a 60kb-to-15kb speed gain for sure.
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Compressed length: 14611
Uncompressed length: 60090
Compressed length: 14919
It's a secret tracking number, isn't it? Now the g-men can tell every unique shack view.
Heh, j/k. But what is it? Is it like the bluesnews.com mystery number?
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I had read about this, but I was hesitant to enable it because MS makes it sound like a terrible thing for dynamic output due to additional CPU usage. But I guess they were thinking in terms of old Pentium Pro 200 servers or something..
And best of all, pages load so fast you feel like you have a T3. ;) CPU usage is a small price to pay for that kind of speed increase and bandwidth reduction. Hell, you can get a 1ghz CPU and PC133 memory so cheap now anyone can build a damn nice server!
Anyways, when connecting to the HTTP server, doesn't it automagically detect what the client is capable of? Just go with the compression, and those that can't seem to get an http 1.1 compatible browser can still live happy.
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I honestly don't think I've EVER seen Fingershack. Every few weeks I click it and it goes no where.
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Ideal situations to enable HTTP Compression:
Narrow network bandwidth: Clients accessing your Web server primarily by modem are using narrow network bandwidth. This means that the amount of data that can be transferred per time interval is minimal compared to a local area network. If a client requests compressed data, then less bytes are transferred across the network, resulting in reduced download times.
Mostly static content is hosted: If your Web server is serving mostly static files, then the processor overhead is minimal because static files are cached to a temporary folder. Static files are only re-compressed when the original file changes, reducing the processor time spent compressing and re-compressing files.
Adequate disk space: If you enable HTTP Compression, make sure that you have adequate disk space to store the un-compressed as well as the compressed versions of your static files
Not ideal situations to enable HTTP Compression:
High % Processor Time counter: If the % Processor Time counter is already 80 percent or higher, HTTP Compression is not recommended unless you can upgrade the server's CPU.
Dynamic content: If a large volume of dynamic content is generated on your server, enabling HTTP Compression for application files results in higher processor usage. Because dynamic content is not cached, it must be re-compressed each time it is requested by a client.
Inadequate disk space: If the server does not have available disk space to store the compressed files, then don't enable HTTP Compression until more hard-drive space can be added to your server.
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I don't want to load NS 6 but will if I have to.
Maarten kicks ass
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Compressed length: 14587
woah - is there anything you guys WONT do for us? keep up the good work!
Is there a real need? The header and first three articles load within 5-6 seconds anyway.
What REALLY needs compressed is the comments. They take forever to load. And I want more than friggin 50 posts per screen! Putting only 50 per screen makes it take LONGER not SHORTER to look through posts on a piss poor connect like my 28.8. And nested! Nested, nested, nested, nested!
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Sincerely,
Marcus Allen
CBS Sports
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Uncompressed length: 60450
Compressed length: 14567
Loaded damn fast. Netscape Navigator 4.08, Win98SE,
26,400kbs
Robert
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Not compress length: 60586
Compressed length: 14617
But the page still loads way noticably faster, even with broadband.
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Anyhow... I am still too dumb and I hope someone would help an idiot like me to become a little more mature. I have read all the posts and I still don't understand anything!
What the hell is php and zlib first?
Why are you guys talking about the protocol HTTP 1.1? It is not like you can control an HTTP protocol, or maybe I am wrong.
How can you do it using IIS and ASP? I don't even know how to setup an ASP server since my bosss did it... so if you can even tell the entire process, that's great!
How does Steve does it? What software/server is he using?
Can I say I love you if you try to help me?
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Compressed length: 13971
Seems to load just a bootyhair faster, I'm using nutscrape 4.7, sTeve's favorite browser
It says I have 7 messages :(
Not compress length: 60481
Compressed length: 14569
I'm using Netscape Navigator 4.08 and everything was ok.
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Compressed length: 14546
Load time uncompressed: ~2 secs
Load time compressed: ~2 secs
1Ghz TBird, 256MB, Cable
Thanks!
-Lex
Maybe everyone is going to a different shack then me. If the page was all tricked out and heavy with graphics and such then this "feature" would be great. Main page is 90 some odd % text!
If a page gets a lot of hits like the shack does then any new features should be supported on all formats. You are possibly creating more problems for yourself. It's like excluding people from a certain page cause they run at a certain resolution.
* NEW LOOK OVERDUE *
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runing a P3EB 800MHz, 256mbs SDRAM, lame 56k connection:
Not compress length: 60486
Compressed length: 14601
...very noticable difference
we had a Swedish exchange student at my highschool years ago.... We turned her into a fucking whore... she left for home with MAJOR humping desire.
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Load time compressed: ~9 secs
+ - 2 secs probably. On a pIII 1ghz on a 64k ISDN connection.
It felt as much 2-3 times faster the first time i tested tho, hrm?Thumbs up, if there are no downsides. Although I can surely live without it..
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You sure it's not supposed to work with Netscape? Cuz well, um... it's working for me. :-P
I'm on 144k DSL here with my own caching proxy set up on another PC on my local net, with a whole *ton* of various apps going, (currently installing Linux on a VMware process, winamp blasting, and doing a bunch of misc other things) and it still seemed much zippier on the compressed page. (but hey, it's a 1ghz athlon.... still can't seem to induce cpu lag on it)
I'd use the compressed page if it was finalized and there wern't any side-effects, such as an outdated page or anything.
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#58389, SHACKTAGGED
Compressed length: 14628