3 ms·

Too much javascript. And they are probably optimizing for First meaningful paint (FMP) over Time to interactive (TTI). Strange for a company that is putting t

Too much javascript. And they are probably optimizing for First meaningful paint (FMP) over Time to interactive (TTI). Strange for a company that is putting this out: https://developers.google.com/web/fundamentals/performance/user-centric-performance-metrics https://developers.google.com/web/fundamentals/performance/u...

emerongi 7y ago
I'm not running anything abnormal, have a 2018 Thinkpad with a decent connection (20Mbps). GMail loads like I'm on Win95, which is the first OS I've ever used. It's 2019, the app is built by one of the leading tech companies, I have a modern device with good connection (not the absolute best I could get, but still OK). Why does it take like 5 seconds to load GMail? I would expect it to be ~1s, considering it's built by freaking Google. I'd expect some mega-optimizations going into this thing and to be amazed that they managed to squeeze everything out of a simple mail app. I'd like to imagine myself thinking I'd never be able to build THAT thing, yet it's not the case. And it's not just the loading part - interactions even after first load feel sluggish. If you try the HTML version, it feels more responsive even just navigating the inbox. It could be psychological, but even in that case it would suggest that they need to improve the first load to make me feel like the app is fast in general.
- asark 7y ago
  I'm on Google Fiber, of all things, and it's slow as hell. I use basic HTML instead, much faster. As you note, even interactions are faster which, you know, was the whole point of AJAX back in the day but I guess by the time you mediate that through a bunch of bloated serialization formats and bullshit abstraction atop the DOM it's not fast anymore. Basic HTML's very snappy. I (at least internally) swear any time I open Google Maps, either by accident or when I can't avoid using it. Same for Google office suite webapps, which I avoid as much as possible.
- type0 7y ago
  I had to observe this during the meeting, someone was giving a presentation: oh yeah just remember to mention this thing, let me open my mail quick, ... Gmail loading... and the whole room fills with malaise.
- aquaticsunset 7y ago
  Why aren’t they making it mega lightning fast? Not because they can’t, but because the market is willing to put up with the sluggishness. I treat it just like how I treat the massive phone screen sizes and lack of stick shift cars in the US auto market. Consumers just don’t care about the same things I do.

emerongi 7y ago

I'm not running anything abnormal, have a 2018 Thinkpad with a decent connection (20Mbps). GMail loads like I'm on Win95, which is the first OS I've ever used. It's 2019, the app is built by one of the leading tech companies, I have a modern device with good connection (not the absolute best I could get, but still OK). Why does it take like 5 seconds to load GMail? I would expect it to be ~1s, considering it's built by freaking Google. I'd expect some mega-optimizations going into this thing and to be amazed that they managed to squeeze everything out of a simple mail app. I'd like to imagine myself thinking I'd never be able to build THAT thing, yet it's not the case. And it's not just the loading part - interactions even after first load feel sluggish. If you try the HTML version, it feels more responsive even just navigating the inbox. It could be psychological, but even in that case it would suggest that they need to improve the first load to make me feel like the app is fast in general.

asark 7y ago
I'm on Google Fiber, of all things, and it's slow as hell. I use basic HTML instead, much faster. As you note, even interactions are faster which, you know, was the whole point of AJAX back in the day but I guess by the time you mediate that through a bunch of bloated serialization formats and bullshit abstraction atop the DOM it's not fast anymore. Basic HTML's very snappy. I (at least internally) swear any time I open Google Maps, either by accident or when I can't avoid using it. Same for Google office suite webapps, which I avoid as much as possible.
type0 7y ago
I had to observe this during the meeting, someone was giving a presentation: oh yeah just remember to mention this thing, let me open my mail quick, ... Gmail loading... and the whole room fills with malaise.
aquaticsunset 7y ago
Why aren’t they making it mega lightning fast? Not because they can’t, but because the market is willing to put up with the sluggishness. I treat it just like how I treat the massive phone screen sizes and lack of stick shift cars in the US auto market. Consumers just don’t care about the same things I do.