The Plight of the Poor Man

Jan 8, 2015
360
MacGregor 26S, Goman Express 30 Kerr Reservoir
OK, I stayed away from comments on another’s post when the discussion veered to posting full sized pics vs thumbnails.

When I first started posting on this forum, not understanding the issue, I was so proud of my picture taking ability that I wanted everyone to see the full effect of the pic so I posted it full sized. (then I viewed some of TomY’s work which quickly put me back in my place)

Soon after, I read comments some viewers had of trying to read posts with the extended download time cause by the large file size of larger pics.

Having recently felt distain with some websites I frequent with their changing to more graphic intensive web pages that resulted in excessive delays changing pages, I considerately switched to posting thumbnails allowing only those that chose to view the image full size to do so. I am too frugal so I refuse to by a new computer every month just to have the latest high speed processor to be able to view websites.


So the poll is: Post full size pics or thumbnails? Which would you prefer and why?
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,043
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
I don't seem to have a problem with picture size slowing anything down, so I usually post pictures full size and I also like to see them full size. I generally draw a line on the number of photos full size. If I'm posting more than 1 photo, I generally use the thumbnails.
I agree ... Tom can post anything full size!
 

walt

.
Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
My .02
Some threads I just dont post pictures and some I do. I am happy that Tom Y often posts a picture so that I dont have to click on the thumbnail and his pictures are always enjoyable. Tom Y, please keep posting just like you! In some threads, a picture is somewhat disruptive but since Im not paying to use this forum, I think its way better to just let both the poster decide and also let readers give feedback on picture size. In the end.. the forum owner is the one who gets to set the rules and maybe if someone knows where those are at, please post the link. Some member giving feedback.. great. Some member trying to set rules on content.. way more obnoxious than whatever that person is trying to control.

Also, some thumbnails pull up a many meg file and I think that large file gets hosted by SBO. My feedback for anyone who does post either pictures or thumbnails (and I dont make the rules..) is to spend time before you post to resize the picture so that you minimize the file size. Its very nice of SBO to host pictures, we should attempt to make this as easy on them as possible. Around 250K file size makes a nice viewing size. If you go over 300K.. you generally will get one of those popups that say click to see full size image (or something like that) - in which case (in my opinion) you submitted too large of a file size (this is not always the case but ballpark on file size). I am perfectly fine with someone posting pictures to make their own decision about when to post a thumbnail and when to post a picture. Often depends on the thread or content. If its a thread that says something about pictures in the title and you dont like pictures posted, a reader can easily just skip that thread as it likely will have posted pictures.

And.. I understand the issue some people have as for two years lived on just a cell phone based 5 Gig per month and you really have to be careful with what you look at. But even with that limit, SBO was never a problem compared to a lot of web sites that download all sorts of ad's in the background.
 
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May 12, 2004
1,502
Hunter Cherubini 30 New Port Richey
Well, I like the thumbnails. That way, I can view all the pics posted on the thread at one time.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
When I post pictures/images they are usually part of a point I am making. So I post them full size so you don't have to click to see what I'm talking about.
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,043
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
But even with that limit, SBO was never a problem compared to a lot of web sites that download all sorts of ad's in the background.
You got that right! SBO is a pleasure to visit. The only other forum I like to visit is MLB for the Chi Cubs, but with all the videos and ads, I get really frustrated with the trouble it causes on my computer. I often give up in frustration. I've NEVER had a problem visiting SBO and that is something I've not really taken notice to appreciate ... until now! :clap::clap:
 
Jan 8, 2015
360
MacGregor 26S, Goman Express 30 Kerr Reservoir
Walt,
How could I determine the file size before posting, and if it is too large, how could I reduce it?
 

walt

.
Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Im not an expert on this .. but what I think.
If Microsoft OS, Paint will do a fine job and I think is always installed. Just go to resize the file and if you set the pixel size so that the horizontal is less than maybe 900, it will show up full size on the screen and usually a file size under 300K. You can see the file size by left click on the picture file icon and looking at the image properties. Lots of other ways to do this.. just one possible way. If you are posting from a cell phone picture and from a cell phone.. I have no idea. My cheaper cell phone even takes pictures that are over 2.5 Meg.. so need to resize those also.
 
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Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country
Walt,
How could I determine the file size before posting, and if it is too large, how could I reduce it?
There are different programs out there that you can download. I use the free paint.net to edit and resize my photos to well under 100k. It is fast and easy and there are other programs that will do the same. I also pay hosting fees and host the pictures I post on my site so SBO owners doesn't have to pay for that. I just post the link to the picture here.

I'm obviously not a fan in most cases of the thumbnail pictures, either posting or viewing, but that is just my preference and I have no problem with others doing either,

Sumner
======================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
I usually link a URL to an external host rather than uploading and taking up SBO storage.
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
I try to use my photos as words, on this forum. And my words, I try to make as graphic as my photos.

MJ forming baguettes.jpg


When it comes out well, I enjoy the work.

MJ forming pulling baguettes.jpg


If it slowed too many screens down, I'd go thumbnails.

I size my photos for posting to 1600 wide. We talked about this and it seemed to be the best all around size to view on the average screen. My file sizes are still large but the SBO loader chooses it's own max file size(I believe).

This forum is the best of all, because of the SBO photo up-load tools.

Truth is, I sometimes don't even open thumbnails because of the inconvenience. I also rarely read a long post without some photos to break it up. I'm dyslexic, long posts give me headache.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
When I post photos, I upload the photo and then select show thumbnail. If someone is interested in seeing the larger photo, then they can click on the photo and see it, or they can ignore.

If there is no thumbnail and only a link, how do you know if you want to see the large photo or not?

Also sometimes posted images are too small to see detail. This can make it hard to offer good advice.

I'm sure the PTB at SBO appreciate our efforts to conserve storage space, however, cloud storage has become very cheap. I use Apple's iCloud and have 200 gigabytes of storage for $3 a month. Many hosting companies offer virtually unlimited storage for next to nothing.
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
If you open a photo in Microsoft Photo and resize as a document it reduces the size to Kb's but keeps the photo dimensions without to much loss. This is how I load photo's to the forum
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Post full size pics or thumbnails? Which would you prefer and why?
Thumbnails, or learn to edit the mega-sized photos down to manageable size that will load quicker.
If posting multiple photos of humongous size, definitely thumbnails. Especially slow to load is the "Wednesday is photo day" threads.

Thanks for asking!