[GaryML]

The site performance has taken a nose-dive in recent days. My browser reports that it is waiting for data from "www.google-analytics.com ..." during the pauses (which can exceed 30 seconds). Is this a new "feature" recently added? If so, it is slowing things down. And why is every page loading or sending data to Google?

[Peter Zack]

Gotta be an issue at your end. No changes in speed here and I just tested it on 2 other computers as well. Maybe you need to run Spybot or some other similar program.

Adam always posts changes and upgrades for us to know and there hasn't been any posts recently.

[Adam]

Hi Gary,

Your browser Javascript settings may be misconfigured if pages are not loading due to Google Analyitics. I have not made any changes with respect to global backend code for quite a while.

Google Analytics is a hit counter offered by Google that was recommended to me by the vBSEO team. I've found a better counter since that time, so I will be removing Google Analytics from the site in the near future, but some of the statistics that Google's tracker offers, however, are useful in optimizing our site for search engines.

Even if some of Google's services may be temorarily down in your area, our site speed shouldn't be affected! Please let me know if you resolve your issue, and if not, I'll try to speed up removal of the Google counter.

[little laker]

Adam, if you like the new counter can you tell us what your using?

Thanks

[Adam]

The other counter is called StatCounter- it's excellent for overall traffic sums, but it can't provide as much detailed information as Google Analytics can due to logsize restrictions.

[GaryML]

Your browser Javascript settings may be misconfigured if pages are not loading due to Google Analyitics. I have not made any changes with respect to global backend code for quite a while.

Google Analytics is a hit counter offered by Google that was recommended to me by the vBSEO team. I've found a better counter since that time, so I will be removing Google Analytics from the site in the near future, but some of the statistics that Google's tracker offers, however, are useful in optimizing our site for search engines.

Even if some of Google's services may be temorarily down in your area, our site speed shouldn't be affected! Please let me know if you resolve your issue, and if not, I'll try to speed up removal of the Google counter.

I'm using Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.6 with the default Javascript settings and pretty much box-stock settings in most regards (just Flashblock and Anidisable extensions so I don't see animated ads). The pages load and look complete, but I sometimes get a delay in the page completion message as it waits for "google-analytics." I doubt that it is a script error (unless some proprietary MS IE feature is being used), but rather slow response from Google or some sort of routing error or delay by my ISP.

It's not a big deal and I found that I can navigate and post without bothering to wait for the Google server to respond. I only brought it up because it is disconcerting that data is being sent to Google every time a page is loaded from PentaxForums.

Update: No delays this evening. I guess Google (or whoever) got their server/router issues sorted out.

[Adam]

Update: No delays this evening. I guess Google (or whoever) got their server/router issues sorted out.

Glad to hear that! Unfortately, rare surprises like these can pop up when using 3rd-party counters

Adam
PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide | Site Help | My Photography)



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[stewart_photo]

I'm seeing some sluggish performance here as well, Mo. The site overall (navigating, posting messages, etc) seems to have slowed down noticeably. Further, the site has simply stopped responding on several occasions, requiring me to backtrack and click on links a second or third time to see results.

Finally, I've been automatically logged out three or four times (once tonight while navigating between one page and the next) in spite of having "remember me" selected during logon. Even backtracking to pages previously viewed shows me as logged off and refreshing does nothing to change that. I have to physically logon again.

stewart

[Adam]

Hi Stewart,

I ran a few tests, and it doesn't look like there are any problems with the server. Additionally, the site runs smoothly for me on every computer I use to access it. If too many users find a problem with google in their area, I will have to remove the stat code permanently, however.

As for the login problem- make sure you always include the "www." in the site address. Each login cookie only works for a single domain. To permanently eliminate any confusion in that matter, I'm working on forcing the "www." into all site URLs via an .htaccess file as well.

[stewart_photo]

I ran a few tests, and it doesn't look like there are any problems with the server. Additionally, the site runs smoothly for me on every computer I use to access it. If too many users find a problem with google in their area, I will have to remove the stat code permanently, however.

Okay. Don't worry about it. It may be that I've just become hypersensitive to the whole thing, half expecting (with a fast computer and fast internet connection) a near instant response that's obviously not always possible given the distances and complexities involved. Indeed, some of this may be caused elsewhere. Deutsche Telekom (T-Online), for example, likes to query the network hardware occasionally for ID and passwords, causing slight, but perceptible, delays during the negotiations. Given that, some of the other small pauses may be associated with them as well.

As for the login problem- make sure you always include the "www." in the site address. Each login cookie only works for a single domain. To permanently eliminate any confusion in that matter, I'm working on forcing the "www." into all site URLs via an .htaccess file as well.

Again, not a big problem. It's only happened a few times over the last month or so, and it may indeed be something I'm doing. Or, again, something going on between here and there (pointing to Deutsche Telekom again). T-Online just loves to reset their servers at odd times, requiring my computer to reconnect afterwards. Even though I haven't noticed the two together, something like that may be related to oddball behavior like this.

Regardless, the site is running well overall and you've definately got it all together in a very nice manner.

stewart

Disclaimer: Before anyone thinks I'm trashing Deutsche Telekom/T-Online here, let me add that they provide excellent internet service, faster and more reliable than anything experienced previously in the USA or elsewhere.

[blwnhr]

I've noticed on several occasions over teh last few days that the site has timed-out on me, not loaded etc. I've tried accessing from 4 different machines with 4 different configs from 4 different connections and the results have been the same. Normally every one of these machines can access the site no problems.

This isn't related to the Google Analytics software, to the best of my knowledge, as is comes up "looking up www.pentaxforums.com" and that's where it stays until it times out.