Technofriends

Though, you as a web application developer might be on a very high bandwidth leased line internet connection, but am sure, some of those ( not so lucky as you) visitors to your website are still on the 56kbps modems. If you are someone who develops, designs, architects web application, its important that you take care of the needs of such users as well. 

In order to service the needs of visitors from low and high bandwidth,web applications can have different landing pages for visitors based on their bandwidth. Once the bandwidth of the user is detected, the server can redirect the user to go to a different webpage, which is more appropriate for his speed. For example, visitors coming to your website from high speed networks, can afford to see all those jazzy videos, images, fading slideshows etc… But, for those on the slower network, this all is just way beyond imagination.

If you have dedicated landing pages, based on the bandwidth of end user, you really need to ensure that you have tested well. Else, your low bandwidth users might keep going to the high bandwidth page. 

Sloppy is a free to use Proxy which deliberately slows the transfer of data between client and server.Sloppy doesn’t work as a real HTTP proxy so don’t configure your browser to use it.

In order to use Sloppy, you must have Java installed on your system. You can start using Sloppy by clicking here. This will download a .jnlp file which if you double click will initiate with Java. 

When the application runs for the first time, it asks for “unrestricted access” to your local machine. Sloppy needs this because normally Web Start applications are not allowed to access the network. Of course Sloppy needs network access in order to get at the web sites you want to see slowed down. Click “Start”.

1.) Enter the address of the site you wish to view.

2.) From the drop down, select the connection speed you wish to Simulate.

3.) Press Go. 

If by any chance, the configured port is already in use, you can change the port settings by traversing to Options and enter the new port.

Try out Sloppy.

 

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