Website is too CPU intensive

RedScion · August 14, 2011, 9:16am

The whole SRK website is very hard on netbooks. Even when not loading anything and not watching videos or anything, it keeps the CPU bouncing between 90% and 30% utilization. What the heck is it doing?

Putting SRK as a “restricted website” in IE’s security options clears up the problem, but obviously this disables a lot of other site functionality, or by enabling ActiveX controls (so youtube videos will run, even if the front page won’t usually load), IE will constantly scream about security risk.

And don’t even get me started on trying to view SRK through the PS3’s browser. YOu can make a sandwich with tijme to spare just waiting on the front page to load. (Granted, the PS3 browser is crap, so that’s an extreme case.) But netbooks are common.

Opening SRK in about 5 tabs will basically bring a netbook to a complete halt for 5 minutes.

Embedded youtube videos cannot be viewed on SRK on a netbook – it’s just a slideshow, if that. (Watching them on Youtube.com is OK at 360 resolution.) Trying to load the “video thread” in any random SF4 character forum is hell. So’s trying to type this while a few SRK windows are open.

Can the SRK webgoblins please please look into what is constantly eating CPU cycles and nerf it? Or give users a “slow computer” option in their account settings?

Sleazoid · August 14, 2011, 9:46am

I’ve seen maybe one netbook in the last 3 months (and one that looked like one, but turned out to be an Alienware). It’s amazing what phones are capable of nowadays.

But anyway, there are plenty of steps you can take to make browsing websites like SRK easier on your netbook…

Most netbooks have pokey processors and limited RAM. Consequently, Windows XP and especially Vista tend to run like molasses. If you can upgrade the RAM, by all means do so. Beyond that, consider switching from the usual bloatware to smaller, nimbler applications. Some examples:
In place of Adobe Reader, use Foxit Reader to view PDFs.
In place of Internet Explorer, use Firefox or, better yet, Google Chrome. Lifehacker found the latter to be the fastest of the browsers.
In place of a Norton or McAfee security suite, use nothing. Seriously. Windows Defender does a reliable job of stopping most malware. Firefox will scan your downloads for viruses. And Windows’ firewall will thwart most outside intrusions. Most users go way overboard when it comes to system-choking security software.
Use Thunderbird in place of Outlook, or skip an e-mail client altogether and check your mail on the Web when traveling.
Using apps like these won’t make your netbook faster, per se, but they may make it seem less slow.

I have doubts that SRK will change to become less CPU intensive (we just have to have those fancy bells and whistles), I would suggest trying to resolve the problem through actions on your end instead.

There is a plug-in for FF and Chrome that is… a little controversial (I won’t even say the name). Still, if the above doesn’t help, it might be useful to someone in your situation. You can find discussion on it in this forum if you look around a bit.