Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Compressed Images (Read 3458 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Compressed Images

First, I noticed that the images (avatar) supplied with ElkArte 1.0 are not compressed. (I am not so sure with 1.1 though). May be it should be supplied already compressed?

Second, I started this in here because I also want to ask whether it is possible that all uploaded images be compressed automatically in ElkArte?

Re: Compressed Images

Reply #1 –

IIRC... @Frenzie (but I may be confusing with someone else, so don't take it too seriously) could have something against.
I remember a somewhat lengthy discussion about how images should not be automatically compressed not to change them, resulting in worse performances (i.e. quality/size).
Anyway an addon could start ironing out the feature and then later on could be included. ;)
Bugs creator.
Features destroyer.
Template killer.

Re: Compressed Images

Reply #2 –

Quote from: ahrasis – Second, I started this in here because I also want to ask whether it is possible that all uploaded images be compressed automatically in ElkArte?

if attachment then there is an addon for that: http://addons.elkarte.net/utility/Smushit.html i'm using it on my forum.

Re: Compressed Images

Reply #3 –

I think if images are automatically compressed but save as another (compressed version) and admin is given option to display original or compressed images should useful. While viewing in full, the original images could be called instead.

Re: Compressed Images

Reply #4 –

@emanuele Yup, that was me. There are several different scenarios though. For example, if you allow BMP uploads they should probably be compressed to PNG no matter what.

But yeah, besides reduced quality concerns, automatic recompression without any checks will result in increased filesizes for carefully optimized images.

Re: Compressed Images

Reply #5 –

Quote from: ahrasis – I think if images are automatically compressed but save as another (compressed version) and admin is given option to display original or compressed images should useful. While viewing in full, the original images could be called instead.
but that will keep 2 versions of the same file, which is translated into more webspace. Don't know if this is really useful for a forum, probably for a forum dedicated to photography it has sense... I see that most forums have the option to resize attachments and is mostly used to reduce the size of images. It's also true that nowadays hosting is not so expensive as 10 years ago...
On my forum I have  8300 images and only 1.3 GB for the attachments folders, but I resize all images to 1024 x 1024 and also use the Smush.it addon

p.s. now that I checked my settings I raised a little the resolution of attached images to 1200px
sorry for my bad english

Re: Compressed Images

Reply #6 –

That's is why at the first place the request is for a compression option and let the admin decide for it. A good quality image, however, can always be kept by its owner "elsewhere" (OneDrive, GoogleDrive etc) and can be shown via image links, or something. I don't believe a forum is a place to keep all the quality images, unless, that is what forum is meant for.

Re: Compressed Images

Reply #7 –

Just a few thoughts to throw in the mix:

Of course not all forums will be like mine, so bear in mind the intended result and use of the "average" site.  However, two of my sites are motorsport related.  Therefore they are tech heavy, leading to lots of pix.  Hundreds of thousands, literally.  Another couple of sites are travel related, also pic heavy.  That's the perspective from here. 

Storage space is a huge issue to consider.  I could not have even considered Elkarte as a possibility without knowing an attachment resize mod existed.  To a lesser degree bandwidth is a consideration.  Not due to hosting.  Rather, most users are on mobiles, so load speeds rule.  That is, smaller files.

Sure, users can, and do, post pix hosted elsewhere.  In all honesty that is not beneficial to other users.  In fact it is detrimental to them. 

Why?  Those pix have a habit of disappearing.  The user's other account gets full so they replace old files with new.  Now the forum has broken images.  Then someone else uncovers an old thread containing the tech they need.  But now it's next to useless for them.  It's a regular complaint.

Anyway, you must do what is best for the greater good.  I simply wanted to offer a perspective that could easily be overlooked or unaccounted for if not mentioned. 

Re: Compressed Images

Reply #8 –

I think that image resizing is a default feature but its compression is not. If the image is to be kept with the forum and option to resize it is considered good, isn't an option to compress it is similarly good, if it is not  better?

By the way, all of these are just another thought and discussion. No offence is intended.

Re: Compressed Images

Reply #9 –

Quote from: ahrasis – If the image is to be kept with the forum and option to resize it is considered good, isn't an option to compress it is similarly good, if it is not  better?

By the way, all of these are just another thought and discussion. No offence is intended.

Absolutely!  The ability to configure as needed is always good. 

Someone who has a photography forum may want images untouched for download.  It's all in the intended use.

Sorry if my response sounded dry or displeasing.  I was typing a long post on a phone.  Losing direction is almost guaranteed.  Lol.  It isn't meant in an unfriendly way at all.