Buffering
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- Killer
I hate it and it's used in 99.99% of Flash web sites. Honestly, something has to be done about it because it truly does ruin the experience for the user.
Any Flash site i design, i don't structure the site in that i need to pre-load (or buffer) between sections. All of that is done at the start before any content is shown on screen, after that you don't see a pre-load screen for the rest of the site/s.
Designers should do all their pre-loading at the start of a site i.e. before any content is shown. Its a better experience for the user and their navigation throughout the site, plus the content of the site is better presented.
I'm going to start my pre-loading structuring of my flash web sites that are larger in file size around a concept that's being used in videogames. i.e. the data loads on the fly, thus the user doesn't know it's happen, it doesn't ruin the navigational experience, plus the content is always there for viewing.
With the whole "buffering" concept it's clunky, slow, boring for the user, and it test's one's patience.
Buffering: it's fucking old hat and i'm one designer/coder/whatever that's going to starting doing something about it.
Are you?
- kalkal0
I don't mind it. If it takes too long then I simply don't view the page. That usually means any longer than 10 seconds for some kind of content other than a loader to appear...
- AndyRoss0
Hey Killer,
How about an example?
- loading overkill and terrible user experience. .http://www.volkswag...jamble
- http://www.volkswage…jamble
- utopian0
The harboursound website example took about 15 seconds to preload the entire main page/intro. Is this a better user experience?
- Killer0
The site took 7 sec tested on a dial up connection.
15 secs? What connection are you on?
- ismith0
Took me 14 seconds before I could click anything. The time it actually said "loading" was about 9 seconds. I'm on an 8mbit connection...
- Killer0
I'm only on a 2mb connection and it loads in seconds.
My point is though, having a whole site loading in 14 sec, etc is better (IMO) than having the whole site buffering when you go to each section. I don't know what you guys think?
- I think breaking the waiting up into small bits is better. Like, would you want to load a huge couch onto a truck? Or break it up into sectionals?AndyRoss
- ismith0
I prefer buffering section by section usually, but it depends on how big each one is. For example on Burton's site, I like the fact that if I don't want to look at t-shirts, I'm not gonna have to wait ages for t-shirts load while I want to look at jackets. obviously for much smaller sites it's fine, but I think loading at least the first page should be very snappy.
- amullins0
I definitely think it's better to loud each section individually. there's no reason to load everything - you're forcing the user to d/l everything, regardless of whether they actually want to view it.
- a_iver0
About a year ago I built a javascript loading bar with percentages. It's not perfect, but I still kinda like it.
- mimeartist0
I think you'll find a lot of web developers have been getting around it for a while now, the 'bufferer' tends to be the big agency, who has a team who do visuals and then a team who build it, and have to put a buffer in to load up all the designer teams massive images or big chunk of video (which is apparently the future) in the middle of it.
- creative-0
I hate loading full stop. The less there is in a site, the better, whether it's at the beginning or throughout the site.
- 1pxsolid0
Be nice to the buffer... he's doing his best!
- former20
For things like slideshows I think connections are fast enough to load images individually, giving the user something to see without waiting for all to load.
For complete sections, I think loading them all before viewing is good. I would typically prefer to wait a few seconds in the beginning but the Burton point was good.
All depends on the content.
- maximillion_0
load on demand....that way you only load what you want to see. plus alot of users will bugger off if waiting for the whole thing to load