What use is Flickr?

NSXTypeR

Pretty much any smart web surfing techniques applies to any site, including Flickr.

Depending on what Verizon wants to do with Yahoo, Flickr may not be around much longer, and Marissa Meyer is leaving anyway.

If anyone is still interested in Flickr, you can open up a new account without a Yahoo email.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2017/01/12/flickr-app-updated-option-sign-without-yahoo-account/

I was sort of hoping I could close my Yahoo email for this reason, but then I thought, maybe I should leave it, so that I can just close the account in case I get compromised.

Snowleopard

What exactly is Flicker? If it is owned by Yahoo I do not use it, infact I steer clear of it.

NSXTypeR

Snowleopard said:

What exactly is Flicker? If it is owned by Yahoo I do not use it, infact I steer clear of it.

Well if you didn't use it before, it's a good idea not to start. They're not owned by Yahoo anymore, they're owned by Verizon now.

There's a lot of doom and gloom articles out there about the supposed death of Flickr, but all of them never talk about how Verizon might use it. Who knows where it might actually go.

NSXTypeR

Well this is encouraging...

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/10/03/555016024/every-yahoo-account-that-existed-in-mid-2013-was-likely-hacked

tc88

Well I have got so many fake firefox updater malware from Flickr that I seldom visit people's flickr pages anymore. Flickr in the process of trying to make a few bucks, has sold ad space to anyone including people who try to propagate virus. It's on its last leg.

Msmoto

I guess I have no real issues with Flickr, occasionally it seems to be very slow, but I can never figure out if this is my internet connection or Flickr. As I have over 7,000 images posted, my primary use is so others can view the images and download as needed.

My browser is Safari, not Firefox, maybe his has something to do with my level of satisfaction.

Having said this, I may have jinxed my self.... LOL

WestEndFoto

Flickr was just purchased by Smugmug. Does anybody have an views on this development?

PB_PM

Expect new terms of service very soon, on free accounts, something to the effect that Samsung can use images freely for advertising as they see fit.

mhedges

PB_PM said:

Expect new terms of service very soon, on free accounts, something to the effect that Samsung can use images freely for advertising as they see fit.

No - that won’t happen. People wouldn’t stand for it. And anyway it wouldn’t be worth it for Samsung. Much cheaper to just pay for the images rather than pissing everyone off and risking lawsuits left and right.

If anything changes it will be more like what happened with Photobucket. Limits on 3rd party hosting, and/or storage space.

PB_PM

Okay that was a fail, it was Smugmug, not Samsung. With that being the case, I doubt much will change at all. Been using Smugmug for the last 8 years with few issues.

NSXTypeR

Is Smugmug any good? I've never used it.

PB_PM

Smugmug has proven to be very reliable for me over the last 8 years, since they use Amazon S2 servers to store data. The unlimited storage for all but entry level accounts has also proven useful. For a few years I had a business account and never had trouble getting paid. Don't use it anymore, since I'm not marketing anymore, so I cannot say if it's changed at all.

Killerbob

I have been using SmugMug for a few years now, both professionally and for some non-for-profit events. I even had SmugMug sponsor a site, and I most say I have always been impressed.

rmp

Good advice from Ironheart.

Don't click on anything in an email unless it is from me. (That was a sarcastic joke from me, in case it was not that obvious.)

NSXTypeR

Well... apparently there is a major change.

This email went to my spam folder...

"We think you are going to love Flickr under SmugMug ownership, but you can choose to not have your Flickr account and data transferred to SmugMug until May 25, 2018. If you want to keep your Flickr account and data from being transferred, you must go to your Flickr account to download the photos and videos you want to keep, then delete your account from your Account Settings by May 25, 2018.

If you do not delete your account by May 25, 2018, your Flickr account and data will transfer to SmugMug and will be governed by SmugMug’s Terms and Privacy Policy.

Read more detailed FAQs about this transition on the Flickr Blog."

Seems like they're forcing a transfer to SmugMug.

spraynpray

I don't use Smugmug, so is this going to be a problem for me?

WestEndFoto

spraynpray said:

I don't use Smugmug, so is this going to be a problem for me?

Doubt it. I suspect that you won't even notice, but behind the scenes, the data will be transferred to Smugmug. In fact, they won't transfer anything even. They will just start "administering" it under SmugMug's Terms of Service.

NSXTypeR

In case anyone wants to back up your Flickr account and close it, here's an article.

https://fstoppers.com/originals/act-now-your-flickr-account-transferred-249414

I definitely forgot about the 5/25/18 changeover and it looks like Flickr is still alive and kicking.

NSXTypeR

Another thought- is SmugMug allowed to use my photos under their new terms? I was never familiar with Flickr's terms of use, and I certainly don't know SmugMug's new terms.

PB_PM

Smugmug is not a stock photo agency, so they won't be selling your images, like 500px does.

NSXTypeR

I don't think Flickr will be around for much longer at this rate...

https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/19/21030795/flickr-pro-smugmug-don-macaskill-open-letter

PB_PM

It's inevitable, Flickr has being dying for a long time now, 5 years or so. A service simply cannot host that amount of data without imposing fees. As photography becomes less trendy, and users transition their photos more to personal cloud storage space, the need for places like Flickr become less relevant and ad revenue drops, making it even less affordable to host.

mhedges

That email did stink of desperation.

Flickr certainly has a big challenge in front of it, competing with all the other photo hosting options. Many of which are ran by companies that don't need to earn a profit on it.

Ton14

It is great that Flickr provide the possibility for all kinds of services, but I don't use advanced stats, unlimited uploads and worry-free photo backup, annual pro subscription perks, Smugmug, Blurb, Chatbooks, Peak Design, Phlearn, Priime, Pixsy and Adobe.

I only used Flickr for the Nikon Forum to place a photo sometimes.

That's why I stopped my pro account years ago.

FreezeAction

I'm dumping my pro account and using another pro service that has what I need. Flickr is stuck in a no mans land for services and I believe they will eventually go under like some before them taking images down in the dark of night.