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 The final definitive truly-completed browser test
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candyPunk
Full Member


USA
856 Posts		 Posted - 14 Apr 2003 :  09:23:53
Some of you may remember my plan to test about 8 browsers on 2 or 3 different systems to find the best choice give one's capabilities. I knew that it would be a huge task and wasn't sure I could finish. So I didn't do it.

But now, I have finished a similar test. It only included my 840av running 8.0 and only tested 5 browsers, but it gives a good picture to those of us with higher-end macs who don't care about Mosaic 1.0.

I tested IE 3 and 4, Netscape 3 and 4 and iCab 2.9.1 (current version). I tested apple.com, ebay.com, adobe.com, the MLA forums, everymac.com, cnn.com, nytimes.com, and a google search for "the beatles."

I have load times for each page, plus an account of how accurately it was rendered, with a list of any asthetic and functional errors.

I will post the complete results soon. I'll give the raw scores, then maybe I'll curve them to get an easy comparison. Each browser does have distinctive features, so I'll provide a rundown of those and evaluate the feature-speed balance.

For now, suffice to say this: if you have an 840av, you would be a complete fool to use version 3 IE/NS. After that, your options vary, and I'll get more data posted soon.

{ candyPunk }
{ Captain of Observation, 68k MLA }
{ 68k Macs liberated: 4}
{ My baby: Q660av }
candyPunk
Full Member


USA
856 Posts		 Posted - 14 Apr 2003 :  09:26:13
OK, so it isn't definitive, because I only tested an 840av. Maybe not too many people need this info. But it's good to know for most 33 mhz 040 macs, I would think. After this experience, I do plan to run the experiment again on my 660av. At that point, I will use another browser or two that would be out of the question for something as powerful as the 840av

{ candyPunk }
{ Captain of Observation, 68k MLA }
{ 68k Macs liberated: 4}
{ My baby: Q660av }Go to Top of Page
FireWire is fast
General, 4 star


USA
1559 Posts		 Posted - 14 Apr 2003 :  09:41:03
What would be nice would be a suit of all of those browser tests on a Centris 610 (20 MHz 'LC040) to put those 840av numbers in context...

--------------------
master of the Quadra/Centris Stick of Justice™ and figure-head of the Peoples' PDS Republic
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Jobf
Junior Member


United Kingdom
162 Posts		 Posted - 14 Apr 2003 :  09:53:23
Mmm I'm looking forward to these results.

What speed is your Internet connection? I presume ADSL? Then any wait is down to browser rendering and not down to waiting for data?

What about number of colours onscreen? Amount of VRAM in machine? I would expect to see a diff in display time between 256 & thousands of colours.

I have a (chipped) 33mhz 660av I offer out for testing if necessary. Be interesting to see difference between 33 & 40mhz. And someone must have a stock 25mhz version too.

Just for the record, I switch between iCab & Netscape 4.08 for my use. Depending on the site, each can take an age to render a page (try NS4 on www.radiotimes.com for example). For example I always use iCab when browsing Ebay as it seems much quicker when redrawing & rendering compared to NS. On other sites, NS is much better..

I also have MacLynx, which is handy - (for the BBC News light-graphics site for example). Its also possible to read the 68kmla forums, though its not really a pleasant experience.

Jobf

http://jobf.kicks-ass.orgGo to Top of Page
candyPunk
Full Member


USA
856 Posts		 Posted - 15 Apr 2003 :  09:31:18
I don't have a 20 mhz LC040 mac available, but I think that my stock 660av will be just slow enough to give another view on the browsers. What is best for a 25 mhz 040 should be be best for a 20 mhz LC040. I'll get the final numbers posted and the next test started as soon as I can

{ candyPunk }
{ Captain of Observation, 68k MLA }
{ 68k Macs liberated: 4}
{ My baby: Q660av }Go to Top of Page
shaktiman
Senior Member


United Kingdom
1226 Posts		 Posted - 15 Apr 2003 :  13:22:02
Sorry not to have noticed this thread yet, I think Candypunk & I browse at different times.

This is a really usefull thing you are doing candypunk, though I don't think a definitive answer will be found, but it will give us all a good idea of what is available & how each browser works with our machine.

Do you load pics on ebay jobf? ebay is a nightmare on both my 840av & on my 7600/132, I have noticed an improvement with alot of websites on my 7600/132, but ebay just keeps slow.

I would also say this, I played about with memory allocation for NS4.0.8 & found these results;

20MB` fair performance
40MB` good performance
60MB` fair performance

It seemed as though there was a problem allocating too much memory to NS, perhaps it was arguing with os 8.1 over which would use the memory.

shaktiman

Quadra 840av, prettymuchmaxedout8xcd drive
os 8.1
128 meg ram, 500 meg hard drive
PPC7600/132, 4.23Gig & 500 Meg drives, 8X cd
os 8.6
Performa400(deadintheattick)
3 monitors 15" & 14" & 14"Go to Top of Page
Jobf
Junior Member


United Kingdom
162 Posts		 Posted - 16 Apr 2003 :  02:14:59
quote:
Do you load pics on ebay jobf? ebay is a nightmare on both my 840av & on my 7600/132, I have noticed an improvement with alot of websites on my 7600/132, but ebay just keeps slow.

Yes I do load pics. It takes time, but it does do it. I assume you are using a 56k modem? Thats not going to help matters at all. I wouldn't even try browsing Ebay on a 68k Mac with a modem. I think I'd go insane!

quote:
I would also say this, I played about with memory allocation for NS4.0.8 & found these results;

20MB` fair performance
40MB` good performance
60MB` fair performance

How much memory have you got? Do you use virtual memory/ramdoubler?
Do you have any figures? Whats the difference in rendering speed between using 20 & 40mb??

Jobf


http://jobf.kicks-ass.orgGo to Top of Page
candyPunk
Full Member


USA
856 Posts		 Posted - 16 Apr 2003 :  09:08:31
This question of RAM is a good point. I used the standard allocation that each browser asked for. I suppose that most 840av owners have a bit more RAM, though, so perhaps I should have done it differently. I'll do a couple trials with the slowest sites to see if more RAM makes any appreciable difference.

I think an excel (or appleworks, if you like) spreadsheet would be the easiest way to see all of this data. I guess an html table would be ok too, but not as quick to make. Either way, I'll need a website to post on. Is the 68kmla site available for this?

{ candyPunk }
{ Captain of Observation, 68k MLA }
{ 68k Macs liberated: 4}
{ My baby: Q660av }

Edited by - candyPunk on 16 Apr 2003 09:09:39Go to Top of Page
Jobf
Junior Member


United Kingdom
162 Posts		 Posted - 16 Apr 2003 :  09:37:57
quote:
I think an excel (or appleworks, if you like) spreadsheet would be the easiest way to see all of this data. I guess an html table would be ok too, but not as quick to make. Either way, I'll need a website to post on. Is the 68kmla site available for this?

A good bet might be to save it as a CSV (Comma Separated Values) file. If you do it in Excel, then it can save as this type, and lots of progs will be able to open the file.

If the 68kmla site isn't available, you can stick it on my web server.

Jobf.

http://jobf.kicks-ass.orgGo to Top of Page
shaktiman
Senior Member


United Kingdom
1226 Posts		 Posted - 16 Apr 2003 :  11:21:26
Here's what my set-up was

Quadra 840av
128MB ram
2MB vram
os 8.1

The settings for memory I use are thus:

no virtual memory
maximum allowed on disk cache, I think it was 7680
15000k ram disk

In NS4.0.8 I used 1000k for the disk cache which I used on my ram disk volume.

I did also use serial speed, which at times felt as much of a demon as a saviour, with serial speed, some, Indeed I think most downloads were quicker & I would readily get 8.6kbps & have had 11kbps, the downside to serial speed is that it seems to interfere with the everyday loading of web pages, the program NS being overloaded perhaps.

NO RAMDOUBLER & thank heavens NO VRAM

I did use millions of colours quite a bit.


shaktiman

Quadra 840av, prettymuchmaxedout8xcd drive
os 8.1
128 meg ram, 500 meg hard drive
PPC7600/132, 4.23Gig & 500 Meg drives, 8X cd
os 8.6
Performa400(deadintheattick)
3 monitors 15" & 14" & 14"Go to Top of Page
candyPunk
Full Member


USA
856 Posts		 Posted - 17 Apr 2003 :  19:58:12
OK, I have compiled the results into an excel spreadsheet and a webpage with bar charts like you are used to seeing for MA/MW speed tests. Who can host these for me? Should I email ~Coxy?

{ candyPunk }
{ Captain of Observation, 68k MLA }
{ 68k Macs liberated: 4}
{ My baby: Q660av }Go to Top of Page
cory5412
68KMLA Comrade-in-Arms


USA
4679 Posts		 Posted - 18 Apr 2003 :  01:42:52
yeah... I'd say to email or IM Coxy... I'd love to see the results...

I usually used IE4 on my quadra...

Official 68k videographer
Official MLA TourGuideGo to Top of Page
Citon X600
Junior Member


Canada
206 Posts		 Posted - 18 Apr 2003 :  05:50:39
Interesting that for me, on my 840Av, the Netscape Gold 3.08 was the fastest browser and the most compatible, since Ie 4 took ages to load, and many forums like phpBB2 typically require Ie 4+, but NS Gold 3.08 chugged through very happily.

:)

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candyPunk
Full Member


USA
856 Posts		 Posted - 20 Apr 2003 :  13:51:06
Yeah, NS 3.04 Gold was the fastest, but crashed too much -- it couldn't handle the javascripts and various other advanced things at many of the modern sites I visited.

Alright guys, I sent all the files to ~Coxy. Everything should be up on the 68K MLA site soon. Happy browsing!

{ candyPunk }
{ Captain of Observation, 68k MLA }
{ 68k Macs liberated: 4}
{ My baby: Q660av }Go to Top of Page
candyPunk
Full Member


USA
856 Posts		 Posted - 23 Apr 2003 :  20:21:17
OK, it's uploaded! See the website forum for the links. Enjoy!

{ candyPunk }
{ Captain of Observation, 68k MLA }
{ 68k Macs liberated: 4}
{ My baby: Q660av }Go to Top of Page
   

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