HTTP Compression

[MarcT]

I have successfully set up an Apache web server that compresses content on the fly, using mod_gzip available from Remote Communications (http://www.remotecommunications.com/apache/mod_gzip/).

I my experience it will compress HTML files to approx 10% of their original size.

See section 3.5 of the HTTP/1.1 RFC available from W3C (http://www.w3.org/Protocols/). (Direct link (ftp://ftp.isi.edu/in-notes/rfc2616.txt))

If it isn't possible to use this, because you are not using Apache, or you can't modify the configuration of the web server, most other web servers can serve gziped versions of static content - it won't be of any help on the forum, but would be fine for the main site.

A useful read:HTTP Compression Speeds up the Web (http://webreference.com/internet/software/servers/http/compression/)

I hope this helps...

Keep up the good work :)

MarcT

[b0b0b0b]

.PNG might compress better than .GIF

I have no idea if it's lossy or not.

I noticed that one of the servers is using apache; maybe they'll want to install mod_gzip. If you do, make sure all your tags are lowercase so the html compresses better.

It might be worth doing anyway so modems can get a little more compression.

You might also want to consider adding meta http-equiv content-expires tags that make content expire way in the future (for guides and archives and things that don't change). This way browsers might rely on their caches instead of re-hitting the webservers.

[b0b0b0b]

if your hosters are in the mood for reconfiguring their servers, you should ask them to make it so no file downloads can have a non-local referrer. Thus the problem of direct linking would be solved.

[MxxCon]

.png is lossy

[MarcT]

Sorry, but PNG is NOT lossy. Take a look here (http://www.w3.org/Graphics/PNG/).

MarcT

[MarcT]

Enabling HTTP Compression on IIS5 (http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/en/server/iis/default.asp?url=/WINDOWS2000/en/server/iis/htm/core/iihttpc.htm)

[Doom9]

thanks.. I already submitted it to the admin, and in fact he already knew about it.. the referrer checking on IIS from the server side is still unresolved.. we're working on a php referrer checking for once