Comparing “user side” and “server side” factors which can influence a website’s performance... D3
Who is affected by what...
There are more factors which can affect the user from opening and being functional with a website in comparison to the server side that limits the website from performing or functioning. In comparison to that if the server side fails the users will not have a website to go. If the server fails the whole website stops functioning where as if the user’s side fails only they will not be able to interact with the website, yet other users will still be able to use the website. Where as the user point of view is how quickly a website loads, the web designers point of view is how quickly the surver can deliver multiple pages to multiple nodes all around the world.
Average user ...
Hardware
User and their computers vary through, some users have powerful machines which use multi core processors with high RAM cards inserted to allow speed and multifunction with high speed broadband where as some users may find it reasonably time consuming where as other users with single core processors with dial-up internet may find it too long for it to download and leave the website. The designer will have to find a mid point where they have enough quality to ensure that high end users stay satisfied but quick enough for users which have less than average speeds. This will ensure that both parties stay online and are interested in the product on the website without being to cautious and annoyed with the speed/quality that leave. All the users will be effected by the bandwidth of the server is not big enough then it may suffer from overcrowding and downloading data between lots of clients become very slow. No matter how fast their computer or internet connection is.
3G/Mobile phones
When designing webpage the designer will also have to consider the mobile phone users, they use 3G signalling which tends to be slower but also more expensive for the user as their data is measured by byte sent or seconds on the internet. As they also tend to be in a hurry when using the internet on the phone waiting for a big webpage to deliver all it graphics/animation/videos nothing can be more annoying for them but to wait, they still expect performance. New websites tend to have a mobile phone versions of them self’s which are made so the coding recognises them when a phone is used and switches the webpage in to mobile phone format where the website is made smaller by having fewer or smaller in size pictures, animation or videos. Web developers have a different teams working on different parts of the website for the computer and a team working for the mobile phone website.
Software – Users Browser:
Web developers are always looking in new ways to advance their website so it has something new and special about a website. This has created problems old type user and not being able to open the content. AJAX is a new form of sending data through the server, this allows them to send a large amount of data at one time without holding back the speed and the time is received in. This has bough in the plug in world of Flash, Silverlight, ActiveX, Java and Javascript. But also creating problem for the out of data users which don’t have these plug-ins , as they will not be able to open the site which they require. Requiring a update of browser or adding on extra plug –ins. As some old fashioned customers go they may not bother updating but simply leaving the site.
Location of server:
This will determine how quickly the user gets their information, if the server is based in a far away location the information will take longer to reach it’s distinction causing a delay to the users. Others may get theirs quicker as they may be closer based to the server location.[i]
