preloading, xml, musings...

[invisible7]

OKAY, I've been doing a lot of portfolio work (ie lots of photos) and just started incorperating xml databases. So this is new, but am very happy with the results so far.

MY general question is, how does http://www.group94.com (who does a lot of sites for photographers, and are really good designers) get such efficient load times on images. Go to pretty much any one of their sites and there is like, no delay for some very high quality jpg files of substantial size. At first I thought they somehow preloaded everything, or a lot, but well, things happen fast.

Also, looking for any external musings on the subjects of 1. PRELOADING 2. XML databases


THAT's it...

[jbum]

My take is that they are being clever about preloading. They're not preloading everything, but they're also not using a naive preloader that sits and makes you watch a status-bar while they load an entire movie. They're getting you to the menu as quickly as possible, and then continuing to load stuff in the background.

While you're navigating the site, looking at menus and such, they are continually loading stuff in the background (i can see it happening in the browser status bar), and pictures which you might click on are being loaded.

- Jim

[mindfriction]

I'd have to agree with Jbum, I think group94 have done some clever preloading, no doubt the developers took key note of the streaming of their site in the testing area (ctrl enter). The preloder itself is nice.. and the little computer mouse animation before the preloader seems to be a 'preloader for the preloader' if you know what i mean ;) ...I dont believe it would be quite as smooth over a 56k modem -deffintly a broadband hungry site...

From a users point of view, (oh and as a designer) I much prefer a html splash page which gives prior warning of what is to come, flash sites as we all know can sometimes be a bit of an assualt on the senses..some of the sites out there give me a headache with all the pulsing colours, easing, tweens and funk rollovers etc

[mindfriction]

Oh yeah, and Invisible7 there 1000's of threads about preloaders here on Kirupa.com, over on Actionscript.org and Flashkit.com just have a search mate :)..Good starting point is the tutorials on Kirupa

[invisible7]

thanks for the responses.

I know there are a lot of threads on preloaders as in % and bites based preloaders, but do you mean there are a lot of threads on invisibily preloading data? This seems to be the thrust of the analysis in regards to the grou94 stuff.

Couldn't agree more about the "assault on the senses". A lot of flash developers really throw in the kitchen sink for no apparent reason, and forget that the point is to communicate...something.