"Photobucket back on?" Topic

It looks like it, anyways. My blog has all my old pics back again, so they might have dropped their nonsensical policy of making you pay for 3rd party hosting. We'll see if this lasts, especially since I suppose many people have, like me, turned to ither solutions.

Photobucket links in my old posts are now active again. Having switched over to Flickr and learned its quirks I have no motivation to switch back. Unless a lot of people have some compelling attraction for PB they have well and truly screwed themselves.

Duncan

Apparently, their management team got canned. New management is also cutting down ads on site and introducing several levels of subscription plans, instead of the stupid "one size fits all."

Really, the "roll out" was a big part of the disaster. Just implementing it suddenly, with no opportunity for customers to give feedback, was foolish. Patreon's recent billing change was equally poorly thought out, but they gave some notice, listened to the people who were supporting projects, and rescinded the change quickly. Charging supporters for the privilege of supporting projects was … dumb. They have every right to make money, but in the Internet economy, you need to interact with your customers.

It may well be too little, too late. Most people I know who had been using PB jumped ship when the company announced those charges. I doubt many will now go back.

Serves them right. Did they really think that casual users were going to pay that much money, and with little or no warning?

What it comes down to is PB thought that if they said "We're holding your pics to ransom. Pay up if you want to use them again", then everybody would rush to give them the money. Didn't happen.

I moved to Flickr. Have no intention of moving back.

Thanks for the heads up. I would be classified as a "late adopter". I only started posting pic's on my minis a couple of years ago. I haven't found another site to use since I stopped using photobucket so I guess it's safe to go back (having never really left). As usually, I'll wait and see.

So photo-bucket kicked the bucket?

It does appear they have a "new" offer.

Instead of $400 USD a year for 3rd party hosting they now offer $20 USD a year.

I guess those finance people just missed a decimal on the initial release. :)

That that level it seems more reasonable for the service, especially considering that it came ad free.

Prior to this debacle the very heavy ad content was the hardest thing about using Photobucket.

I wanted to share want I am seeing.

And for those using Flickr, got an email two days ago……

As we announced on April 20th, Flickr has agreed to be acquired by SmugMug, the photography platform dedicated to visual storytellers. SmugMug has a long history of empowering people who love photography and who want to improve their craft, making them a perfect fit for Flickr and our creative community.

Nothing will change immediately with regard to your Flickr account. The Flickr product and brand will live on under SmugMug ownership. You will still access the same Flickr you know and love at flickr.com and via our mobile apps. SmugMug and Flickr will remain separate brands and you will continue to have options for free and Pro Flickr accounts. Until we notify you otherwise, you will continue to use your current login credentials.

As a result of the acquisition, Flickr accounts will be governed by SmugMug's Terms of Service for Flickr and Privacy Policy for Flickr. The Terms of Service and Privacy Policy of Flickr's current owner, Oath (formerly Yahoo), will not apply to the use of Flickr after the acquisition. You have until May 25, 2018 to review SmugMug's Terms and Privacy Policy. If you do nothing in that time, your account will simply transition to SmugMug's Terms of Service for Flickr and Privacy Policy for Flickr after the acquisition.

If you do not consent to SmugMug's Terms and Privacy Policy, you will need to delete your Flickr account through your Account Settings. If you want to preserve a copy of your photos, be sure to download them from your Camera Roll first.

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

We're happy that Flickr is your home for photography and we look forward to the next chapter in our adventure together as we join the SmugMug family.

Thanks,
The Flickr Team