Tom, I support whatever it takes to preserve the speed, functionality and longevity of one of flight simulators most valuable resources, AVSIM.

First, a great contributor to the AVSIM processor load is resizing and display of hosted images

 

My suggestion would be to disable this feature, and exploit HTML in the user's browser for this.

 

e.g. if I posted an image 1000x1000 px, you can easily make it tiny in the browser like this:

<a href="./whatever.jpg" target="_new"><img src="./whatever.jpg" width="20%" height="20%" /></a>

This requires zero effort on the part of the AVSIM servers. You can then make this thumbnail a link to another window with the full image. Again, zero processing by the AVSIM servers.

 

Basically, your design is fundamentally broken at the moment.

 

This way, people can post what they want, and not make the page 300 miles long.

 

Regarding the uploading of images directly to AVSIM - as that requires server space on your servers, then you'll have to decide what you can accept. Maybe have a policy of pruning images posted more than 60 days ago to save space.

 

Best regards,

Robin.

 

 

Basically, your design is fundamentally broken at the moment.
 
This way, people can post what they want, and not make the page 300 miles long.
 
Regarding the uploading of images directly to AVSIM - as that requires server space on your servers, then you'll have to decide what you can accept. Maybe have a policy of pruning images posted more than 60 days ago to save space.

 

Broken? No, it is operating just has we have selected it to operate.

The system resizes images hosted elsewhere to meet our size limitations.

We already prune images hosted our servers.

So, I am not sure what you are telling us other than our system is "broken" (which it isn't)?

I am for it.  I have recently discovered Imgur after Google messed up the way Picassa works and I would encourage everyone to give it a try, nothing could be easier.

I think the decision should be made by Avsim. You will never get everyone to agree on the same method. You run the site, whichever is easier and more practical for you to maintain this excellent website will be accepted by the users.

I think the decision should be made by Avsim. You will never get everyone to agree on the same method. You run the site, whichever is easier and more practical for you to maintain this excellent website will be accepted by the users.

 

Yes, but we do try to get the community involved and provide input to us. After all, you folk live here too...  :Big Grin:

External linking +1, release cap on images in a single post +1

 

=+2

No please leave it as it is.

 

For viewing its informative to see what other simmers are doing and their screen shots. If one has to post pics on a-n-other site it will mean people will more than likly not post.

 

If it is a storage issue i would pay a nominal annual $5 fee if it helps Avsim.

 

Our hobby is enjoyed by only a small number of people, restricting the postage of images will damage our hobby and in turn may affect Avsim.

 

Please dont.

 

Regards

 

Rich

I vote yes.  It's easier on AVSIM resources and more flexible for the user.

Count me in, too. Among other things, the service interruptions are really going to impact Team AVSIM's performance in the RTWR, which starts in 15 days. If linking images helps free up AVSIM's servers, then so much the better.

 

Linking images isn't very hard to do, and these days there are a number of choices out there for photo hosting sites.

 

I'm for keeping the SS limits per post, too. In fact, I'd make it 10 screenies per post, across the board. Really now... do you need more than 20 screen shots per post to tell a story?

 

Alan 

The one concern I have always had with external hosting is security. It's fine when well known image sites like photobucket or imageshack are used, but there is a risk when  other more obscure sites are used, which could contain and inject  adware, or other forms of malware.

BTW I think Imageshack is going subscription on 1 Feb.  I like external sites for screenshots, but for other stuff it is convenient to attach.

 

scott s.

.

Don't think I have ever done anything but external linking. I don't even know how to upload to the site! :-)

Fine with me, much better to have a quick and responsive site.

I vote an emphatic no.  You have to assume that eventually, the images will expire or disappear.  There can be many reasons......but none of which AVSIM can control.  Dropbox account gets closed, an image link expires,  Image company disappears (eg Megaupload).  It would be sad to go into a somewhat old post and read comments about a picture no one can see anymore.

 

Tom, is the impact of the image resizing on the servers quantifiable?