Developing web sites for low bandwidth

Do you have a metered connection?

Are you connecting through dial-up? Through your mobile phone? A slow connection that makes you wonder who in the right mind came up with the internet?

If so, we have something in common. Earlier this year, I lived in a remote region and have resorted to my old CDMA mobile phone for Internet access. I used the phone as a modem connected by USB to my computer, as I, like most primates with some computer skills, prefer a keyboard, pointing device(trackpoint, mouse, touchpad) and a screen larger than my palm. Unfortunately, I have learnt that web developers are not that conscientious when comes to people who do not have access to VDSL2 connections.

Nevertheless, I strongly recommend that more websites are to be made friendly for people who do not have the bandwidth. Here are some of my suggestions :

• less images
• use a font or a limited number of icons for page navigation
• include "alt" image descriptions or captions

Quiet - Living up to the name

For the past month, I haven't posted much on this blog. Saying that "I've neglected my blog and my followers" is rather common on the web, but I don't think that I have any followers, and I don't think my blog has any feelings.

Regardless, I realise that the amount of time I spend in front of a computer is inversely proportional to my well being. I mainly use the internet for finding information on how to fix something, reading the news, communicating with people over e-mail and applying for jobs. The latter is rather depressing, so it may be the main reason that I do not like being in front of a computer.

Regardless, I have the recurring sentiment that the hubris that comes with modernity hurts us in many ways. Consumer society is certainly the most visible and tangible example : we create products which become waste, and have thus far failed to reincorporate the products into new products. I just heard my friend's automatic espresso machine. It is an impressive piece of equipment : it grinds, brews, and empties out the spent coffee puck in a waste bin. It has been working for the past couple years, which is great, but I cannot say that the coffee is terribly better than a regular stove top espresso or an ibrik used for Turkish coffee.

What are the differences between men and dogs?

	Men	Dogs
Loyal		X
Good sense of smell		X
Good listeners		X
Don't hold a grudge		X
Expendable	X