Depending on how much time you’ve spent around technology, you’ve probably heard the term cache before. Most likely, you’ve heard it as it’s related to your internet browser. When you visit a web page, a copy of that page is stored on your computer, so the next time you return to that page it can pull the files from your computer instead of transferring it again over the internet. This saves a lot of time.

But your browser isn’t the only thing that uses cache. It’s used in the domain name system (DNS), address resolution protocol (ARP), various database architectures and content management systems; including WordPress. Well… not on its own, but caching can be implemented very simply with the help of freely available plugins.

Preparation

To best illustrate the value of caching in WordPress, I decided to do some simple page load time analysis of a typical WordPress installation (i.e. How long it takes to download an entire page). I setup a test WordPress site without any additional third-party plugins or custom themes. I made a few slight changes to the content, and the link structure, but mostly left everything how it comes out-of-the-box.

Load Time Analysis

I wrote a program that measured the amount of time it took to download the entire content of a page 1,000 times in a row, excluding external resources such as images, Javascript, Stylesheets, etc… I ran this program from another server within the same network as the WordPress site. Had I ran this test over the internet instead of just a local network, the numbers would be much higher and closer to typical network load times, but my goal was to illustrate the effect caching had on the server, not the entire network connection time.

Without using any sort of caching I averaged 0.276 seconds per page load. This means for every 1,000 hits to the website, the server would spend 276 seconds (4.6 minutes) trying to load everything. If your site only gets a few hits a day, then this is probably no big deal. But for sites that average 10,000 hits an hour, users will collectively spend 2,760 of the 3,600 seconds (or 46 of the 60 minutes) each hour, just waiting for the code to be processed. Depending on how many simultaneous connections your web hosting company allows and the amount of available system resources on the web server, this could become a bottleneck, causing your entire site to run slowly or not at all.

Plugin Search

Fortunately, if you do a simple search for “WordPress Cache Plugin” on Google, you will find a plethora of plugins. Three of the most commonly used caching plugins are:

• WP Super Cache
• Quick Cache
• W3 Total Cache

The way all three of these plugins work, is the first time a page is loaded, it is loaded normally. After the page finishes loading, it stores a copy of that page’s contents in a separate file on the server. If the cache hasn’t expired by the next time the page is loaded, instead of trying to run every single database query all over again to generate the page content, it just pulls the data from the cached copy on the server.

• Total Time Elapsed: Total amount of time in seconds it took to download the page 1,000 times.
• Average Load Time: The average amount of time in seconds it took to load the page at any given time.
• Performance Improvement: How many times faster the pages loaded when using caching -vs- when not using caching.

These numbers are all based on 1,000 hits prior to cache expiring and local network connection speeds. Actual performance boosts will vary based on how often cache expires, speed of network connection, and how many external resources still have to load.

Load times for the first 10 times a page was downloaded in WordPress when using:
No caching, WP Super Cache, Quick Cache and W3 Total Cache

As you can see W3 Total Cache is clearly the winner in this scenario, but it may not be right for you. Each of the plugins have their own additional features that may help sway you towards one or the other. Do your research. No matter which caching solution you choose, it’s still better for you to choose one of them, rather than none at all.

Security is the Problem

Consider a situation where you are sending sensitive information through the U.S. Postal Service. When you send a letter through the mail, it doesn’t just magically end up in the other person’s mailbox. You send it to a post office, that sends it to another post office, that sends it to another post office, and so on, until your letter arrives at its destination. Now let’s say somewhere between you and the recipient, someone else intercepts that message. They open it, copy all the information, and then send it to the original destination. No one noticed that the information was stolen, but it was.

You may not know this, but the web is inherently insecure. When you connect to a website, you don’t usually connect directly to that website. You are connected via a network, which is connected to another network, which is connected to another network, and so on, until you “arrive” at your destination.

So, if I’m logging into Facebook, anybody connected to any of the networks between me and Facebook, could potentially read the information I send to and retrieve from Facebook… including username, password, messages, pictures, etc.

Now consider a time when you’re at an event or conference with public WiFi. Everybody connected to that WiFi network shares a single resource. This means that any unencrypted data transferred through that single resource can be read by anybody else at the event if they know how to read that data. This can be a huge problem.

SSL as a Solution

Consider the example of sending a letter through the postal service again. Imagine that there is some secret code that only you and the recipient know; your own personal language if you will. So you send the letter to the person, but you write it in your own secret code. This way, if anyone were to intercept it, it wouldn’t make any sense to them.

If you’ve ever bought anything online you’ve probably seen “https://” in the address bar instead of “http://” and depending on the browser, some sort of lock symbol indicating the page is secure.

This allows data be to be encrypted on one end of the connection and decrypted on the other. This is essentially a “secret code” that both your browser and the web server agree on. None of the other machines in between can read this data. To them, it’s just a jumbled mess. This is done through something called Secure Socket Layers (SSL).

Both Facebook and Twitter support SSL. To use it, instead of just typing “www.facebook.com” or “www.twitter.com” into your address bar, type https://www.facebook.com or https://www.twitter.com into your address bar. Now, when you enter your username and password, that data is encrypted. This means only you and Facebook/Twitter know the password you have entered. You should update any bookmarks you have for Facebook/Twitter to use “https://” instead of “http://”.

Just logging in with SSL doesn’t always guarantee your connection will remain encrypted. There are times browsing Facebook/Twitter, you may get directed back to the “http://” version instead. If you’re not paying attention when this happens, your information may continue to be at risk. Facebook added an option to maintain SSL back in January, and Twitter just added one yesterday.

Persistent SSL in Facebook

• Click “Account” -> “Account Settings”.
  
• Click “change” next to the “Account Security” section.
  
• Check the “Browse Facebook on a secure connection (https) whenever possible” and click “Save”.
  

Persistent SSL in Twitter

• Click on the drop down menu in the top right hand corner, and select “settings”.
  
• Check the “Always use HTTPS” box and click “Save”.
  

What about Third-Party Tools?

If you use TweetDeck, Pluggio, or some other third-party tool to interact with Twitter/Facebook, then you may not be guaranteed this same level of security. A good way to test it is by logging in to the third party tool using “https://” instead “http://”. If you are able to login that way, at least your username and password is secure. This does not guarantee though that these third party tools use SSL when talking to Facebook/Twitter. If there’s a third-party tool you use on a regular basis, then look on their websites to see if they mention any sort of SSL or HTTPS policy. If you can’t find out, contact them directly, to ask if they use SSL to connect to Facebook/Twitter. If they don’t, let them know SSL is important to you and request they make that change.

If you have any additional comments or questions, leave them below or feel free to contact us for more information.

]]> http://www.idworld.net/blog/social-media/securing-facebook-twitter-ssl/feed/ http://www.idworld.net/blog/technology/should-you-upgrade-to-the-ipad-2/ http://www.idworld.net/blog/technology/should-you-upgrade-to-the-ipad-2/#comments Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:18:53 +0000 Michael Harmon http://www.idworld.net/blog/?p=178 Read More]]>




I was finally able to play with the iPad 2 this weekend, and a funny thing happened . . . I wasn’t as impressed as I thought I would be.

The weight difference between the iPad 2 and last year’s model is amazing and instantly noticeable. Even though the difference is only two ounces, it literally feels like half the weight and thickness of the original iPad. The new Smart Covers come in a variety of colors and function as a stand, but fail to offer any scratch protection to the back of the unit. Apple should have released a version of last year’s official case as a second option.

Safari seems to still have the checkerboarding effect on long pages, and when multiple tabs are open, switching to another one still forces a reload in many cases. The Mail app seemed to be quicker when deleting a list of messages, but not by much. The App Store was faster to load and populate with icons and the internal speaker sounded about the same. The cameras are also a big downgrade from my iPhone 4. It almost feels as if Apple hasn’t rewritten everything to take full advantage of the dual-core A5 chip. This might be the case, since iOS 4.3 has to remain compatible with the 20 million iPads out there already.

All in all, it’s not as big a jump as when Apple went from the iPhone 3G to the 3GS, and then to the 4. App load time differences of 5+ seconds were the norm, web pages loaded twice as fast, etc.

I’m definitely not in a hurry to upgrade now, even though I’m sure I eventually will, if only because apps will start coming out that will only work on the iPad 2. I would have no problem waiting until next year for the iPad 3, since I already have better FaceTime hardware on my phone.

For those wanting to sell your iPad to upgrade to an iPad 2, Gazelle is currently offering $300 (16GB), $340 (32GB), $405 (64GB), $340 (16GB+3G), $380 (32GB+3G), and $530 (64GB+3G).

]]> http://www.idworld.net/blog/technology/should-you-upgrade-to-the-ipad-2/feed/ http://www.idworld.net/blog/seo-marketing/effective-marketing-or-just-annoying/ http://www.idworld.net/blog/seo-marketing/effective-marketing-or-just-annoying/#comments Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:21:45 +0000 Michael Harmon http://www.idworld.net/blog/?p=153 Is this effective marketing -- or is it just annoying? Read More]]>




There’s a common scene at the corner of E. Basse and Jones Maltsberger in Alamo Heights. If you have driven by this area, you’ve probably noticed a man holding an advertising sign, who is gesturing wildly to cars as they pass by. You can’t help but look, but that also opens up this question: Is this effective marketing — or is it just annoying?

I personally believe that it is both. I can remember all of the clients that I have seen him advertise — Sugarbaker’s Café & Bakery, Tycoon Flats, etc., but I’ve never actually had the urge to visit one of these restaurants because of noticing them on his signs. Some might even say that the companies are devaluing their brand by using this sort of marketing. Whichever side of the fence you fall on, we can all agree on this: We’re talking about it — so it’s working.

What kind of search engine marketing is your company doing? Are you screaming how great you are, or do you let your company’s reputation speak for itself? Sitting idly by, without the proper plan in place, won’t help your overall goal — increasing your organic traffic.

We’d love to help.

]]> http://www.idworld.net/blog/seo-marketing/effective-marketing-or-just-annoying/feed/ http://www.idworld.net/blog/content-management-systems/five-ws/ http://www.idworld.net/blog/content-management-systems/five-ws/#comments Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:00:15 +0000 David Stinemetze http://www.idworld.net/blog/?p=82 The Five W's (sometimes called The Five W's and One H). When researching a story, journalists often start by asking these 6 basic questions:
• Who is it about?
• What happened (what's the story)?
• When did it take place?
• Where did it take place?
• Why did it happen?
• How did it happen?
I have modified these questions (and slightly reordered them), into something that is useful for potential clients, web developers and people who are just interested in learning more about Content Management Systems (CMS):
• What is a CMS?
• Who should use a CMS?
• Why should a CMS be used on my site?
• When should a CMS be implemented?
• Where can I find out more about different CMSs?
• How do I choose which CMS to use?
Read More]]>




In journalism, there is a principle known as The Five W’s (sometimes called The Five W’s and One H). When researching a story, journalists often start by asking these 6 basic questions:

• Who is it about?
• What happened (what’s the story)?
• When did it take place?
• Where did it take place?
• Why did it happen?
• How did it happen?

I have modified these questions (and slightly reordered them), into something that is useful for potential clients, web developers and people who are just interested in learning more about Content Management Systems (CMS):

• What is a CMS?
• Who should use a CMS?
• Why should a CMS be used on my site?
• When should a CMS be implemented?
• Where can I find out more about different CMSs?
• How do I choose which CMS to use?

What is a CMS?

A content management system is a tool that allows the average person to easily update a website’s content. If you have a Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn account, you are already using a CMS and probably didn’t realize it. When you post something on your Facebook wall, tweet a friend or update your job status, you are providing content to these websites. This automatically updates content for other people within your network. In some cases, such as Twitter, you can provide a color scheme and a background image, but you’re not responsible for actually laying out the page, updating HTML or making sure the code validates properly. Even if you use third-party tools to tweet, such as TweetDeck, Pluggio or even an app on your phone,  these third-party tools now act as the CMS.

With systems similar to how Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn work, you can update content on your company’s website, without having to call up your web designer. This can save you time and money.

[ Back to Top ]

Who should use a CMS?

A CMS is not for everybody.

• If your website’s content rarely (or never) changes, then you probably don’t need a CMS.
• If you need to be able to regularly update one or two portions of your website, you probably don’t need a full scale CMS. In this case you’re probably better off having a developer build an administration panel that will allow you to edit the contents for just that portion of your site.  It’s usually quicker and cheaper to implement that way.
• If you want to blog, or want full control over the contents of your entire site, you probably should consider using a full scale CMS.
[ Back to Top ]

Why should a CMS be used on my site?

If you meet the criteria for “Who should use a CMS?” then the two main answers for why you should use a CMS are time and money.

Time

Every time you send a content change/addition/deletion request to your webmaster, you have to wait.  Optimally the amount of time you have to wait, is only a few hours, but it could end up being days or even weeks before your changes get made.

This also assumes the webmaster understands what changes you want made the first time around. If something wasn’t clear, it may take several back-and-forth emails to clarify what is actually wanted.

With a content management system, your content is in your hands. For instance, if your lawyers advise you to update your company’s privacy statement, you can login, update the content, and be on your way in a matter of minutes. No emails, no phone calls, no waiting.

Money

Every time you send changes to your webmaster or design firm, chances are you are paying for it. Maybe you won’t get charged for small changes, but any content that takes longer than 5 minutes to update, will probably result in you getting billed for it.  If your content is changing regularly, then eventually you will cross the point where it becomes more expensive to pay a webmaster to make updates than it would be for you to do it yourself by implementing a CMS.

[ Back to Top ]

When should a CMS be implemented on my site?

You can implement a CMS at any point, but if you are planning on a new design anyway, it may be best to implement a CMS during the design stages. 

Converting an existing site into a CMS-compatible theme or template can be done, but it has additional overhead. The entire website has to be rewritten to play nice with the CMS and then each page has to be manually copied into the CMS. This results in you paying twice for some of the work. There is also extra time you will have to spend, copying content from your old site, into your CMS.

[ Back to Top ]

Where can I find out more about different CMSs?

TopTenReviews has a good comparison of the top ten content management systems.  That’s a good place to start. In future blog posts we will go into more depth about specific CMSs.

[ Back to Top ]

How do I choose which CMS to use?

There are several factors that determine which CMS should be used. It’s not always clear cut. If you want a lot of custom functionality built into your website, you may need a fully customized CMS built specifically for your site. Other factors to consider include: ease of use, cost, security, platform, databases, plugins, support community, etc…

A good starting point is to find out the specific purpose each CMS was designed for. For instance, WordPress was originally designed as a blogging platform, Joomla was designed for newspapers/ezines and Drupal was designed for website management. This doesn’t mean a CMS can’t or hasn’t shifted roles since. WordPress has turned into a solid website CMS. Drupal can be used for newspaper websites. Joomla works great now for blogging. It all comes down to your specific needs.

If you are stuck at this question, or any of the previous questions, we’re more than happy to talk through some solutions with you, whether you choose us to setup your system or not. Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have, or leave a comment below.

[ Back to Top ]
]]> http://www.idworld.net/blog/content-management-systems/five-ws/feed/ http://www.idworld.net/blog/web-design/sublimevideo-beta-invitation/ http://www.idworld.net/blog/web-design/sublimevideo-beta-invitation/#comments Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:23:11 +0000 Michael Harmon http://www.idworld.net/blog/?p=1 Read More]]>




We were very excited yesterday to receive our beta invitation to help SublimeVideo test their new HTML5 video player. SublimeVideo maximizes the use of HTML5 Video in the latest browsers while providing full support for legacy browsers thanks to its integrated fallback to Flash.

One of our newest clients – Kym’s Kids – will offer our first opportunity to see it in action. How well will it work? How easy is it to deploy? We will share and document our initial thoughts after we have had the chance to thoroughly test it.

In the meantime, SublimeVideo’s beta registration is still open. Give it a try.

]]> http://www.idworld.net/blog/web-design/sublimevideo-beta-invitation/feed/