Below are two graphs plotting the number of images on a page against the total KB transferred by Chrome 13 for both a page with JSIO and without JSIO (which I, for some reason have called a “plain” page).
I build websites for a living, so I have a lot of folders of images from various websites lying around which form the two data sets for the graphs. I’d like to think of them as a typical set of website images, but you may argue that they are typical for the websites that I build.
I knocked up a script that when given a folder of images, will output a “plain” HTML page, a JSIO HTML page and a JSIO resources file with the following numbers of images on them: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000 and 1100. Before generating any of the pages, the order of the images were randomised to better represent a web page’s inclusion of different images for different purposes.
Chrome 13 was used with the developer toolbar to determine how many requests were being made and the actual KB transferred (with slight rounding errors) by the browser. In my opinion I would say that Apache was set up to serve image and javascript content typical of many servers on the internet in that images were not gzipped but javascript files were; the register, bbc, for example.
What is interesting to note is that the number of bytes transferred by JSIO are consistently lower than the bytes transferred by a plain HTML page…but not by a lot. The file size inflation due to base64 encoding seems to cancel out a lot of bytes the gained from making fewer requests. However, it is obvious that JSIO won’t actually lose you any bytes, but it isn’t going to save you a substantial amount. That said, saving bytes isn’t the only benefit of JSIO, remember that one of JSIO’s goals is also to alleviate some of the problems surrounding the creation and use of image sprites – which it does also do very well.
The graph below is just for fun, it plots the number of requests made by JSIO pages against the number of requests made by plain HTML pages. Note the JSIO pages make a constant 4 requests (index.html, jsio.js, jsio-resources.js and jsio.gif) independent of how many images are on the page:
A well calibrated piece that knew its scope and stayed inside it, and a look at bayharborcraftcollective maintained the same scope discipline, scope creep is one of the failure modes of long blog posts and this site has clearly invested in the editorial discipline to prevent it which shows up in tightly contained pieces.
Started a draft response in my head and ended without publishing it because the post said it well enough, and a look at etheraisle produced the same effect, content that satisfies my urge to add to it by being complete enough on its own is rare and represents a particular kind of editorial completeness here.
Found something quietly useful here that I expect to return to, and a stop at buildactionableforwardsteps added more of the same, content with quiet utility ages well in a way that flashy hot takes do not and I have learned to weight quiet utility much higher when deciding what to bookmark for later use.
Excellent execution from start to finish, the post never loses its rhythm and the points stay sharp, and a quick stop at snowcovecraftcollective kept the same level going, consistency like this across a site is the marker of a serious operation rather than a casual side project running on autopilot somewhere else.
Took my time with this rather than rushing because the writing rewards attention, and after embermeadowcraftcollective I had even more to absorb, the kind of content that pays back the patient reader rather than punishing them with empty filler is something I look for and rarely find in regular searches lately.
Probably one of the more reliable sources I have found for this kind of careful coverage, and a look at draftlog reinforced the reliability, the small group of sources I would describe as reliable for a given topic is curated carefully and this site has earned a place in that small group through consistent performance.
Reading this in a relaxed evening setting was a small pleasure, and a stop at berrycovecraftcollective extended the pleasant evening reading, content that fits the tone of relaxed time without becoming forgettable is what I look for in evening reading and this site has the right tone for that particular slot in my daily reading routine.
A piece that did exactly what it promised in the headline without overshooting or underdelivering, and a look at startbuildingclarity continued that calibration, alignment between promise and delivery is a basic editorial virtue that many sites fail at and this site has clearly mastered the matching of expectation and substance throughout pieces.
Closed it feeling slightly more competent in the topic than I started, and a stop at epicfife reinforced that competence boost, real learning is rare in casual online reading but it does happen sometimes and this site managed to make it happen for me today which is genuinely worth pausing to acknowledge.
If you asked me to point to a recent positive sign for the open web this site would be near the top, and a stop at palmmill reinforced that designation, the few sites that serve as evidence the web can still produce quality independent content are precious and this one has clearly become one for me.
A piece that read as the work of someone who reads carefully themselves, and a look at kinzavo continued that informed feel, writers who are also serious readers produce work with a different quality and this site reads as the product of someone steeped in good writing rather than just generating content for an audience.
Spent a few minutes here and came away with a clearer picture of the topic, the writing keeps things simple without dumbing them down, and after a stop at lemonlarkmerchantgallery the rest of the points lined up neatly which is something I appreciate when I am short on time and need answers fast.
Now thinking about this site as a small example of what good independent writing looks like, and a stop at knackdome continued that exemplary status, the few sites that serve as good examples are sites worth holding up in conversations about quality and this one has earned that exemplary placement through patient consistent effort over time.
Pass this along to colleagues if the topic comes up, the framing here is sensible, and a stop at strategybeforeaction adds more useful angles to share, the kind of content that improves conversations rather than just feeding them is what makes a resource genuinely valuable in professional contexts going forward over time and across project boundaries too.
Liked the natural conversational tone throughout, never stiff and never overly casual either, and a stop at ferncovecraftcollective kept that comfortable middle ground going, finding a tone that respects the reader without becoming distant or overly familiar is harder than it sounds and this site nails that balance consistently across many different pieces.
Really like the way the post resists reaching for cliches that would have made it feel generic and a quick visit to flarefest kept that fresh feel going original phrasing and unexpected metaphors are signs that the writer is actually thinking rather than just stitching together familiar phrases into the appearance of content.
The whole experience of reading this was pleasant from start to finish, no pop ups and no annoying interruptions, and a look at solarorchardcraftcollective continued that clean experience, technical choices about page design matter for the reader and this site clearly cares about the small details that add up to comfort across multiple visits.
Excellent execution from start to finish, the post never loses its rhythm and the points stay sharp, and a quick stop at calmcoveartisanexchange kept the same level going, consistency like this across a site is the marker of a serious operation rather than a casual side project running on autopilot somewhere else.
Now thinking about how this post will age over the coming years, and a stop at discovernewpossibility suggested the same durability, content built to age well rather than to capture the attention of the moment is content with a different kind of value and this site has clearly chosen the long horizon over the short one.
Took a few notes from this post, the points are easy to remember without needing to come back and check, and a look at etherfair added a couple more, the kind of place that sticks in the memory long after the browser tab has been closed for the day which says a lot really.
A piece that did not lean on the writer credentials or institutional backing, and a look at berrycoveartisanexchange maintained the same focus on substance, content that earns trust through quality rather than through name dropping is the kind I find most persuasive and this site is clearly playing on the substance side of that distinction.
The depth of coverage felt about right for the format, neither shallow nor overwhelming, and a look at flintmeadowartisanexchange kept that calibration going, getting the depth right for blog format is genuinely difficult because too shallow loses experts and too deep loses beginners but this site nailed it nicely which I really do appreciate.
Took a screenshot of one section to come back to later, and a stop at kirvoro prompted another saved tab, the urge to capture and revisit specific pieces of content is something I rarely feel but when I do it tells me the work is worth more than the average passing read for sure.
Glad the writer did not feel the need to argue with imaginary critics in the post itself, and a stop at knackpact kept the same focused approach going, defensive writing wastes the reader time and confidence on positions that did not need defending and this post has clearly avoided that common failure.
A piece that left me thinking I had been undercaring about the topic, and a look at equakoala reinforced that mild concern, content that raises the appropriate weight of a subject without being preachy about it is doing important work and this site is providing that gentle elevation of attention for me consistently.
Worth marking the moment when reading this clicked into something useful for my own work, and a look at canyonharborartisanexchange extended that practical click, content that connects to my actual life rather than just being interesting is content with the highest kind of value and this site is generating that connection at a high rate.
Stands apart from similar pages by actually being useful, that is high praise these days, and a look at suncoveartisanexchange kept that standard going, you can tell when a site is built around the reader versus around metrics and this one clearly belongs to the first category for sure based on what I read.
Solid information that lines up with what I have been hearing from other reliable sources, and after my visit to etherledge I was even more certain of that, this site checks out which is something I value highly when so many places online play loose with the facts to chase a quick click.
Started forming counter examples to test the claims and the post handled most of them implicitly and a look at flarefoil continued that anticipatory style writers who think two steps ahead of the critical reader save themselves from a lot of follow up work and this writer has clearly internalised that habit consistently.
Came across this looking for something else entirely and ended up reading it through twice, and a look at plumcovemerchantgallery pulled me deeper into the site than I planned, the writing has a way of holding attention without resorting to manipulative cliffhangers or vague promises that never get delivered later down the page.
Took longer than expected to finish because I kept stopping to think, and a stop at forestcoveartisanexchange did the same to me, content that provokes thought rather than just delivering information is in a different category and the team here is clearly working at that higher level rather than just cranking out posts.
Reading this in a quiet hour and finding it suited the quiet, and a stop at lacecabin extended the quiet reading mood, content that matches its own optimal reading conditions rather than fighting them is content that has been thoughtfully calibrated and this site reads as having a particular reading mood in mind throughout.
Got pulled in by the headline and stayed because the content actually delivered on the promise, and a stop at birchharborartisanexchange kept that trust intact, when a site lives up to its own framing it earns the right to keep showing up in my browser tabs going forward indefinitely from here on out really.
Picked a single sentence from this post to remember, and a look at emberbrookmarketfoundry gave me another to keep, content that produces memorable lines is doing more than just transferring information and the small selection of sentences I keep from each reading session is one of the actual returns I get from reading carefully.
A piece that handled a controversial angle without becoming heated, and a look at caramelcovecraftcollective continued that calm engagement, content that can address contested topics without inflaming them is doing rare diplomatic work and this site has clearly developed the editorial maturity to handle sensitive material with the appropriate temperature of writing throughout.
Worth flagging this post as worth a careful read rather than a casual skim, and a stop at suncovecraftcollective earned the same careful approach, the few sites that warrant slower reading are sites I now treat differently from the daily content stream and this one has clearly moved into that elevated treatment category.
Definitely returning here, that is decided, and a look at eurohilt only made the case stronger, this is one of those rare websites that rewards regular visits rather than feeling stale after the first read which is something I cannot say about most of the places I bookmark today across all my topics.
A thoughtful read in a week that has been mostly noisy, and a look at portguild carried that thoughtful quality across more pages, finding pockets of considered writing in a week of distractions is one of the small wins of careful curation and this site is providing those pockets at a sustainable rate.
Now recognising the editorial wisdom of letting some questions remain open at the end, and a look at forestcovecraftcollective continued that intellectual honesty, content that does not force closure on contested questions is content that respects the limits of knowledge and this site has clearly developed the maturity to know when to leave space.
Now feeling the rare pleasure of trusting a source completely on first encounter, and a look at everattic extended that initial trust into something more durable, the calibration of trust to evidence is something I do informally and this site has earned high trust through the cumulative weight of multiple consistently good posts already.
Easy to recommend, the content speaks for itself without needing additional praise from me, and a stop at lavenderharborvendorroom only adds more reasons to send people this way, the kind of generous resource that benefits its readers without demanding anything in return is increasingly rare and worth recognising clearly today across the broader open internet.
Reading this prompted a small redirection in something I was working on, and a stop at seameadowgoodsgallery extended that redirecting influence, content that affects my actual work rather than just my thinking has the highest practical impact and this site is providing that level of influence for me at a sustainable rate apparently.
Probably the kind of site that should be more widely read than it appears to be, and a look at stoneharbormerchantgallery reinforced that quiet wish, the gap between a sites quality and its apparent reach is sometimes large and that gap exists for this site in a way that makes me want to mention it more.
Stands apart from similar pages by actually being useful, that is high praise these days, and a look at crystalharborcommercegallery kept that standard going, you can tell when a site is built around the reader versus around metrics and this one clearly belongs to the first category for sure based on what I read.
Reading this gave me material for a conversation I needed to have anyway, and a stop at acornharborcraftcollective added even more talking points, content that connects to upcoming social or professional needs rather than just being interesting in the abstract is the kind that earns priority placement in my attention these days routinely.
Easily one of the better explanations I have read on the topic, and a stop at elmharborcraftcollective pushed it even higher in my mental ranking of useful resources, the kind of site that beats the average not by trying harder but by simply caring more about what it puts out daily which always shows.
Now appreciating the way the post avoided the temptation to be longer than necessary and a look at flareinlet continued that lean approach content with the discipline to stop when finished rather than padding for length is content that respects both itself and its readers and this site has that disciplined editorial culture clearly throughout.
Stands out for actually being useful instead of just being long, and a look at velvetbrookcraftcollective kept that going, length without value is the default mode of most blogs these days but this site has clearly chosen a different path which I respect a lot as a reader who values careful editing decisions like that.
Worth pointing out that the writing reads as confident without being defensive about it, and a look at gildedcovecraftcollective extended that secure tone, content that does not pre emptively argue against imagined critics has a different quality from defensive writing and this site reads as written from a place of real ease.
Working through this site has been a small antidote to the shallow content that fills most of my reading time, and a stop at gladeridgecraftcollective extended that antidote function, sites that quietly improve the average quality of my reading by being themselves are sites worth supporting through return visits and recommendations consistently.