Brian,
I think the concern stems from the fact that the rotating graphics on the site are typically implemented with Flash, which is usually pretty bandwidth-intensive.  I was concerned about that, too, so I asked Brent and Katie about it at Dayton, and Brent assured me that the load is more like what you suggest--the size of the images plus a tiny bit of ActiveX or Java code to make them scroll across the screen.

The people who were advising Dick about this were also probably assuming the older, more bandwidth-intensive implementation.  That does not appear to be relevant to the new ARRL.org site as implemented by Fathom.
--
73,
        Greg, KØGW
        Director, Dakota Division


----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Mileshosky" <n5zgt@swcp.com>
To: "arrl-odv" <arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org>
Cc: "arrl-odv" <arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org>, "Katie Glass" <kglass@arrl.org>
Sent: Saturday, June 5, 2010 6:52:45 PM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: [arrl-odv:19040]  Re:  Web Update June 04

Dick and Harold --

Dick -- I agree with your thoughts on providing the full dataset on member
information that was available under the old site.

On your point about animation...how much bandwidth is the rotating
graphics you cite consuming?

I did a check, using the rotating graphics on the homepage...each of the 4
graphics are about 65-kB large.  That's a total of 240-kB for all the
images, and then some code that causes the browser to rotate through them.
Seems like very little overhead on bandwidth and memory for that
particular function.

Or is there something else in particular that you've found on a particular
page that's being a bandwidth/memory hog?

Harold -- here's something interesting I'd like to know.  It was mentioned
that the site has been set up with Google Analytics for tracking site
usage.  We on the Board certainly DON'T need access to that data, but I
would be interested in you or Katie providing stats on how many people use
dialup these days.  Google Analytics provides that information under their
"Connection speeds" section, and you can vary the timeline in which data
is provided (i.e. from website launch until the present).  My personal ham
site (not my Division website) which serves as a resource for hams across
New Mexico had 10,528 visits over the past year (Jun 09-Jun 10) according
to Google Analytics.  Of that total, 2.6% used dialup.  Based only on my
data for only my site, I can't be overly concerned to the point of
making functionality *just* for 2.6% (or removing a feature that the other
97.4% enjoy just because the mere 2.6% can't) when technology continues
its furious march forward and bandwidth continues to get cheaper and
easier to obtain by the day.

It would be interesting to see ARRL's stats to measure the true
significance (or lack thereof) of those who use dialup in 2010.

73,
Brian N5ZGT



On Fri, 4 Jun 2010, dick@pobox.com wrote:

> 4 JUN 2010 - 1702 CDT
>
> Hello Harold...
>
> I'm glad to see some progress being made on the problems with volunteer
> (unpaid) leadership access to database information and other support
> services via our new web site.
>
> I don't know if anybody else has complained about the reduction of the
> content of the ARRL membership database that is accessible via the
> new web site.  However, I specifically want all of the membership
> information that
> was available via the old web site restored.  It is much easier to help
> a member fix a problem with his membership data, if one can see the data
> and how its access is configured.
>
> NEW ITEM:
>
> This is a different, but very important, item that affects anybody trying
> to access the new web site via a slow-speed Internet connection.  I want
> a button installed on at least the ARRL web site home page that allows the
> user to shut down (and restore) all animation for that
> connection.  Animation is a bandwidth expense for both our web site
> and the user at the other end of the circuit.  With a slow connect
> speed, the bandwidth "overhead" can make the connection worthless.
>
> If it is not practical to provide individual control of connection animation,
> it should be eliminated.  Appearance and video animation are nice.  But it
> should not be allowed to get in the way of content delivery.  Our new web
> site appears to ignore the KISS principle and this is a growing
> source of disappointment, disgust, and even anger for a significant
> percentage of ARRL members.
>
> - Dick Isely, W9GIG
>
>
>
>

ARRL Director, Rocky Mountain Division
On the web at www.RockyMountainDivision.org