Forum Suck for Dialups

[2cb]

the forum really sucks for dialup users (33% of USA internet access). it seems like it is only for those with high-speed connections and multi-GHz multi-processer CPU's. so i won't be posting much, if at all. but i do read it from time-to-time in my Lynx text browser.

 

[RandomMusing]

Honestly I didn't know people still used dialup

 

[NCC]

I'm surprised it is 33%.

But, there are a few things you can do in your browser and your ECF user control panel to help out.

In your browser, uncheck the 'load images automatically'. Note: this will affect all web pages, not just ECF.

In your ECF 'Settings', uncheck the boxes for 'Show Signatures', 'Show Avatars', and 'Show Images'. Also, limit the number of posts displayed per page to the minimum (5). You could also opt for the 'Basic Editor' for messages.

There may be other things you can do. I hope these help.

 

[Jimi Hendrix]

Honestly I didn't know people still used dialup

Certain areas don't have the infrastructure to support high speed cable/dsl. Not here, thankfully, but I had a friend who lived a few blocks outside of the cable companies high speed "zone"

 

[br0kn]

Accually. The number is: 35% of americans DON'T HAVE high speed. This is VERY different than the % of americans who have ACCESS to high speed and choose/can't afford high speed.

Its not that 1/3rd of all america CAN'T get it.

 

[NCC]

Nevertheless, the OP is asking for assistance. Any other recommendations beyond what I made in post #3?

Y'all are on a tangent.

 

[dormouse]

Save direct links to the sections of the forum you use. The front page takes the longest to load by far. You can skip the front if you save links to individual subforums.

 

[br0kn]

Nevertheless, the OP is asking for assistance. Any other recommendations beyond what I made in post #3?

Y'all are on a tangent.

Really? Can you point me to the question that has anything to do with Smoking... let alone VPs...

If you want help: your still using a linux box... that .... was cute like 10 years ago... turns out that microsoft and apple won the war.

 

[toddos]

You could try running a local caching proxy. If you were on Linux or other *nix variants, I'd suggest Squid. However I assume you're on Windows, and I don't have any good suggestion there other than google for "windows caching proxy" (the standard go-to proxy for Windows is usually Privoxy, but that's for filtering out ads and stuff and is not a caching proxy). By using a caching proxy, any images, scripts, stylesheets, etc that have not changed since the last time you visited will already be available locally and you'll avoid having to download them all over again. You won't notice an immediate speed improvement as you have to prime the cache, but once you've browsed a few threads and gone through your normal browsing routine, future browsing will be much, much faster.

I'd also suggest using Firefox and running the AdBlock Plus extension. Only Firefox allows plugins the ability to block downloads before they start (recent updates to Chrome allow this as well, but there's no adblocker yet for Chrome that uses this ability). This means that you won't spend precious bandwidth pulling down ads because ABP will catch and block them before they're downloaded.

 

[NCC]

Really? Can you point me to the question that has anything to do with Smoking... let alone VPs...

If you want help: your still using a linux box... that .... was cute like 10 years ago... turns out that microsoft and apple won the war.

I feel sad for you. Now, go away. If you have nothing constructive to offer, why do you persist?

What is a VP? Vice President?

 

[Noe]

If you want help: your still using a linux box... that .... was cute like 10 years ago... turns out that microsoft and apple won the war.

Actually Microsoft won the war because they OWN Apple now, which is why Windows can be run easily on Apple machines.

Now to help the OP., images on web pages( of any kind but esp. flash or gif files that change) are what consume the most time to load. Text only forums are rare nowadays but like NCC suggested, if you set your browser to not load images automaticly, then you will basicly have a text only forum to use here & all other web pages you visit will load more quickly too.
This doesn't stop you seeing images, you just have to tell the browser to load images for any page you want to see them on each time you visit it.
Hope this helps & we see you around more.

 

[Grifter]

Hi hi, instead of using lynx you could try to use links2 ( Twibright Labs: Links ), it has better support for javascript and tables, aswell as support for graphics (if you're using a pure console without X) using fb, directfb, or svgalib. If you're running X it has an x11 driver aswell for graphics too.

 

[Tol]

the forum really sucks for dialup users (33% of USA internet access). it seems like it is only for those with high-speed connections and multi-GHz multi-processer CPU's. so i won't be posting much, if at all. but i do read it from time-to-time in my Lynx text browser.

Really? Can you point me to the question that has anything to do with Smoking... let alone VPs...

If you want help: your still using a linux box... that .... was cute like 10 years ago... turns out that microsoft and apple won the war.

Actually they mentioned LYNX browser, which is a text only browser that can run on Linux, Windows, or MAC, and didn't mention linux specifically, Coming from someone who works in IT, Linux is a hell of a fast OS, Windows & Mac are just more user friendly and mainstream. Getting back on topic...

Is there possibly a mobile version of the site that the OP could use? I run a online community, we used to have vbulletin, which is what ECF is running on, it is possible to set up a mobile version of the site. We had done this to allow people to use smartphones to access the site a lot quicker.

 

[AngusATAT]

Is there possibly a mobile version of the site that the OP could use? I run a online community, we used to have vbulletin, which is what ECF is running on, it is possible to set up a mobile version of the site. We had done this to allow people to use smartphones to access the site a lot quicker.

We're actually working on a mobile version now. It shouldn't be too much longer.

As far as the OP is concerned... "I feel ya, dawg". I don't have any access to high speed internet where I am, except for satellite. While better than dialup (except for online gaming), it still sucks.

I suggest setting the forum to not load images, as someone has explained above. It'll help out a bit.

 

[Mudflap]

At work we have the business account data transfer speeds and fiber connections and all the other jargon I don't really understand.

At home we have cable.

EFC loads almost instantly at work and lags a little at home.

My wife has been working for our ISP for over 10 years. You'd think she could get us "the hookup" at home.

Still, the employee discount on home internet & cable TV is nice.

 

[sweetblackkitten]

i have high speed cable modem and this forum loads slow for me too. just sayin.

 

[TheHeape]

I don't have issues unless the page is spammed with photos linked from various sources.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

i have high speed cable modem and this forum loads slow for me too. just sayin.

Clearing your cache might take care of that problem. We have high speed and sometimes have to reset our router, too. I have a love/hate relationship with our ISP.

 

[FDiskCuresAll]

In a pinch, an FDisk DOES cure all. Jes' sayin

 

[WomanOfHeart]

In a pinch, an FDisk DOES cure all. Jes' sayin

You. Are. Evil. Just sayin' but don't really mean it. Well...maybe just a little...in a friendly way.