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from the we're-on-the-leading-edge-of-1997 dept.
Submitted via IRC for Bytram
A few days before Hurricane Irma hit South Florida, I received a query on Twitter from a graphic designer named Eric Bailey.
"Has anyone researched news sites capability to provide low-bandwidth communication of critical info during crisis situations?" he asked.
The question was timely — two days later, CNN announced that they created a text-only version of their site with no ads or videos.
The same week, NPR began promoting its text-only site, text.npr.org on social media as a way for people with limited Internet connectivity during Hurricane Irma to receive updated information.
These text-only sites — which used to be more popular in the early days of the Internet, when networks were slower and bandwidth was at a premium – are incredibly useful, and not just during natural disasters. They load much faster, don't contain any pop-ups or ads or autoplay videos, and help people with low bandwidth or limited Internet access. They're also beneficial for people with visual impairments who use screen readers to navigate the Internet. (Related: Designing Journalism Products for Accessibility.)
Source: https://www.poynter.org/news/text-only-news-sites-are-slowly-making-comeback-heres-why
(Score: 5, Interesting) by optotronic on Tuesday December 26 2017, @02:51AM (3 children)
I checked out both the links, and I think they're great. I would expect a large percentage of Soylent News readers to agree.
It's as if a feature of the internet that I thought was lost forever has been reborn. Some marketers must be having fits.
Am I feeling some respect for CNN again??
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 26 2017, @03:24AM (1 child)
Not that impressed.
The html is so small, the analytics script is now 98% of the site. Imagine if it didn't load 250 kB of useless crap.
(Score: 4, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 26 2017, @06:09AM
Wow! There's someone who still allows scripts by default.
Yeah, CNN still wants to load a script and a stylesheet.
Neither is necessary.
NPR's is actually readable-text-only.
.
...and El Reg went the other direction a short while back.
Apparently, they won't serve a mobile page any more if your user agent isn't that of a mobile OS.
So, stuff that you usetacould get with 1 pageload now includes the text "Next page" and requires multiple pageloads. 8-(
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by stretch611 on Tuesday December 26 2017, @06:10AM
I disagree...
Based on the overzealous use of flash, animations, hi-res images, and heavy javascript in use on the bandwidth-intensive Soylent News site, I can't understand why anyone here would ever be willing to visit a text only site. /s
Now with 5 covid vaccine shots/boosters altering my DNA :P