[Clipart] Searching and download graphics

[Jon Phillips]

On Tue, 2007-05-15 at 16:14 -0700, Greg Bulmash wrote:
> Then again, there's also the option of merely re-evaluating what has to 
> be live and what can be almost live.
> 
> Since I add new batches of clipart to my library every 2-3 weeks, I 
> wrote a script that generates HTML indexes on demand.  My master index 
> page...
> 
> http://www.fundraw.com/clipart/
> 
> ... and category index pages...
> 
> http://www.fundraw.com/clipart/categories/Princess_Clip_Art/00000181
> 
> ... are all HTML flat files that I generate after a batch update to the 
> clipart database.  Same with the XML indices used by the clipart menu 
> within the FunDraw Art Studio application (the Flash-based design app 
> that all this clipart can be used in).
> 
> The server can deliver the straight HTML/XML with a simple disk read (or 
> memory read) instead of a larger database call.  That means lower memory 
> usage, lower disk usage, and fewer CPU cycles consumed.
> 
> For an example on the OCL site, the tag cloud is eminently cacheable as 
> a flat file.  Have a cron job update it every 6 hours as a flat file and 
> deliver that.  If you're getting 3,000 hits a day on it, you're saving 
> 2,996 database operations daily (along with their associated increased 
> memory and CPU demands).
> 
> With a good analysis of traffic patterns and user preferences, you could 
> determine the best pages to set up as pre-generated on a periodic basis 
> vs. being on-demand, and cut overall server load by double-digit 
> percentages.
> 
> Get a good DBA to optimize the queries that remain on-demand and 
> optimize the caching of the query results and you might knock that down 
> by another double-digit percentage.
> 
> - Greg

Yah, we are using phptal as well, which helps...yes, yet again, would
you like to help us optimize? I can get you started.

jon

> 
> Jon Phillips wrote:
> > On Thu, 2007-05-10 at 11:02 -0600, Alan wrote:
> >> I've been thinking.
> >>
> >> Your server is going to get hammered everytime people do searches on it
> >> for particular graphics.   I like the idea of setting up a thumbnail
> >> database and a search function to find particular photos, or you could
> >> organize by type as well.
> >>
> >> Would it be possible to create a utility which downloads to a users
> >> computer the thumbnail database and other search criteria?  This would
> >> allow searches to take place locally.  When a user has decided what they
> >> want, the utility will connect to the server and download what they
> >> want.  The local utility could be set up to link to a complete download
> >> or a multiple set of chosen graphics or a single picture at a time.
> >>
> >> This will reduce the workload on the server and allow users to browse
> >> through the thumbnail photo collection at their leisure on their own
> >> computer.
> > 
> > This is a great idea. Would you like to help realize this?
> > 
> > Bryce Harrington (on the list) has been working on Inkscape + Open Clip
> > Art Library integration, and this is definitely something we have talked
> > about.
> > 
> > Jon!
> > 
-- 
Jon Phillips

San Francisco, CA
USA PH 510.499.0894
jon at rejon.org
http://www.rejon.org

MSN, AIM, Yahoo Chat: kidproto
Jabber Chat: rejon at gristle.org
IRC: rejon at irc.freenode.net