Photobucket has nailed us users

[wouter]

Now that's a huge blow.

The dirtballs at PB have changed something to their user agreements which will set up many people including me.
Last year the service wasn't that super (very slow site, a gazillion ads) and this morning I noticed none of my photos in all my threads are visible anymore.

Apparantly, from one day to another - they decided that the free users aren't allowed to share their photos on other sites anymore. I'm quite annoyed to say the least!

Cheers

[thug626]

Yeah I just discovered that bit myself. Any other sites out there that are not going the "highway robbery" route?

[DirkE]

Happened to me as well :-(

[wouter]

They even suggested me to take an account which costs 400 USD a year. I think not. Not really userfriendly to suddenly make changes like that.

Don't know much about other sites but I recently discovered Imgur Dave, maybe that's a possibility?

Cheers

[dierk]

That's just grand
Well, for a while now I've been using the 'add image to post function'. Got a big enough hard drive, so I'll download my pics from PB, and as my previously PB linked pics now don't work anymore delete them from their site. Gonna go old-school and back them up on CDs.
Got a similar situation with the VPN service I use: version 5 was fully functional for 15€ per annum, version 6 now makes out there's a queue and you have to wait before a connection is available, and when it does all you can do is surf anonymously - if you want more that'll be 54€.
Proboards now keeps wanting me to switch off adblock - why would I want US-centric ads cluttering up my screen?
I really am getting fed up being milked until my udders squeak...

[wouter]

True that. Ad banners on PB were growing like mushrooms as well lately.
Actually I never used PB as back up for my photos, just for all my fora (except MilMod, there I upload the photos on the forum website itself) it was handy. Now this means all my threads are suddenly obsolete.
I think they will be losing a lot of angry users.

btw Dierk, never realised you had udders

Cheers

[dierk]

Hmm, just checked my PARM-1 threads and the pics are still visible to me. Can somebody check if they can still see them too?

[wouter]

yup, still visible. It got probably to do something with bandwith used or something. If you don't have too many linked to different fora you can be alright I guess.

Cheers

[Leon]

Pics still there Dierk!

You may want to look into Flickr account!

[TRM]

Photobucket has always been a bit of a sh*t site to begin with. Between the craptastic ad-flow and bandwidth issues to forcing follow back to the ad-filled dump to copy and paste an image. They are not the only game in town. They are not the on;y game in town to screw with users. Google did this not too long ago with the 10 mile long URL's for pics making it basically only possible to post to a blog and not forums. This was so bad that only the poster would see the pictures in the forums but no one else. Changing free providers does not help our situation with previously posted images but we have to start somewhere.

...and yes, my sh*t is effected as well. I searched back to 2011 on several sites and stuff is just gone now.

A few suggestions....

1 - Check into the wide range of other free image sites. Flickr, Imgur, Picasa (old google)and the list goes on and on.

2 - Go to one of the free blog site like WordPress and open a free account. These blog accounts come with space to store pictures. A long as you make a conscious effort to keep the pictures at a standard size for online viewing, 800x600 or 1028x720, the storage should be enough for many, many years of posting.

3 - Fakebook...sorry, Facebook! If you have an account or private page, you can upload you pictures to folders there and copy the links there and paste them in posts anywhere.

Again, this will not solve the loss of everything that has been posted in the past...but it will ensure unhinged viewing for years to come....hopefully!

[dierk]

testing, testing 1, 2, 3


Seems PB's still working for me for the time being - I'll let them keep my pics for now.

[TRM]

That's great Dierk! But I would consider looking for a more permanent storage for the future.

[dierk]

Jun 30, 2017 5:14:41 GMT -5 TRM said:

That's great Dierk! But I would consider looking for a more permanent storage for the future.

Like I said 'for now' after that it'll be hard drive and CDs - I fully expect other free sites to eventually start demanding money, seems to be the way of the world. I'm simply not prepared to spend hours migrating all my pics from PB to somewhere else only for that site to suddenly discover their inner money-grabber

[TRM]

I suppose I am fortunate enough that I have all of my pictures back to maybe 2005 on external hard drives already...so they can have the Sh*t they think they are holding hostage. Just stopped by one of the 13 accounts I currently have (LOL...yes, 13)...and it was worse that the click-bait crap articles on FB. 8 ads opened when I opened the account, terms and agreement and the constant ad-rolling of Adspace viralware.

If anyone is not fortunate enough to have saved pictures other than in PB, you can download your albums in their entirety to at least make an effort to save them. As for the lost links....well, from the point of view who runs a couple of forums...this will leave holes in the system...living ghost threads if you will. Threads with all of the written content but no pictures. This will cause frustration for not only staff but the members as well. I for one will not go back 8 years and upload new pictures to counter this. I may indulge some if asked with a picture or two, but it is just not worth the time and aggravation.

Another option is to grab a personal forum. Keep it semi-private and you can upload your pictures direct to there under similar threads you will post lets say here. You can hot-link the pics or even better...type up your posts there, copy and paste here. If nothing else, you will have your stuff and not be held hostage by Photobucket.

[Tojo72]

So far no changes for me yet.For the last few years I have paid $12 a year to be ad free,hopefully that doesn't change

[dupes]

Jun 30, 2017 1:05:10 GMT -5 wouter said:

Last year the service wasn't that super (very slow site, a gazillion ads) and this morning I noticed none of my photos in all my threads are visible anymore.

Same. And I totally agree the service has been mediocre at best! Clicked on the upgrade link thinking it might be 10 or 20 dollars a year...I was pretty surprised to see the 400 dollar annual option pop up!!!

Really sucks for the historical aspect of the forum(s), as I read/reread old threads constantly. Bummer.

[dupes]

Shoot, apparently I don't even have a face anymore - everyone just seeing the "upgrade photobucket" logo as my avatar?

[dupes]

Jun 30, 2017 5:06:58 GMT -5 TRM said:

3 - Fakebook...sorry, Facebook! If you have an account or private page, you can upload you pictures to folders there and copy the links there and paste them in posts anywhere.

Is this true? FB is about the last place I would expect to see charging money for service...maybe that's the way to go. Have never tried forum-linking a pic from there.

[k1w1]

Jun 30, 2017 6:19:28 GMT -5 dupes said:

Shoot, apparently I don't even have a face anymore - everyone just seeing the "upgrade photobucket" logo as my avatar?

I believe yours may have been taken down due to complaints about nudity !

[k1w1]

I used to load on to photobucket then upload to here but have not done so for a long time since I discovered - add image. Now I just click on that and load directly from my computer. So much easier now.

[TRM]

Jun 30, 2017 7:01:01 GMT -5 k1w1 said:

I used to load on to photobucket then upload to here but have not done so for a long time since I discovered - add image. Now I just click on that and load directly from my computer. So much easier now.

This does work here...but that is another grey area. There is only so much allotted to a "free forum" At some point that number will exceed it's capabilities and no longer allow the uploading of pictures. The unfortunate side effect to a free forum.

[k1w1]

Jun 30, 2017 7:13:33 GMT -5 TRM said:

Jun 30, 2017 7:01:01 GMT -5 k1w1 said:

I used to load on to photobucket then upload to here but have not done so for a long time since I discovered - add image. Now I just click on that and load directly from my computer. So much easier now.

This does work here...but that is another grey area. There is only so much allotted to a "free forum" At some point that number will exceed it's capabilities and no longer allow the uploading of pictures. The unfortunate side effect to a free forum.

Oh ... should I not do that ?. I don't want to spoil things for other people further down the track.

I also post on Australian Automotive Model Builders site sometimes. Have just visited there. What a mess. The forum is just covered in those fuel gauge images like Dupes avatar. Every post has a row across the top and the index is buried in them. This may be a big problem.

[TRM]

No my friend...do not worry about it. I was only mentioning that there is always the possibility of something like that happening. I think in 5 years, I have seen one notification that we were close to a limit. At the time, I had to go in an remove a thousand pictures or so that were from either non members or former members where they had uploaded massive Hi Res pictures full size...LOL This is why you might see the "maximum" limits when uploading form time to time. This keeps thing in perspective. This is why sizing images to a manageable 800x600 sizing helps. Besides, anything too big is extremely difficult yo view on phones and tablets...which many of us uses all of the time.

[afvfan]

Mine still seems to be working so far.

I wonder if it has something to do with the amount of storage space used on PB. It says I'm only using 4% of the space I'm allowed. Of course, they're still offering an extra 100 megs with no ads for $99/yr.

[TRM]

Bob, I honestly have no clue what is going on with PB.  While a number of my old stuff is gone, 2014 and up appear to still be there.   It could be a simple roll out and it needs to catch up to one of the many accounts I actually have?  LOL    I stopped using them maybe in 2015, so I know a lot of stuff will still be around.   

As for their "terms"

"Types of Accounts, Pricing and Limits

Visiting : There is no cost to visit the Site or to register as a Member.
Free account : Each individual Member gets one free account that provides 2 GB of free storage or space available for your original photo files, or videos under 10min. The free account does not allow any image linking or 3rd party image hosting. If a free account Member exceeds their Content Limit, their account will be immediately suspended and they will need to become a “Paying Member” (defined below) in order to continue accessing their account. You can upgrade to a Plus account at any time.
Ad-free Account : The Ad-free Account offers Members the ability to use the Site without seeing any third party banner advertisements when logged into your Ad-free Account (note, viewers of your images within Photobucket will see ads unless they, too, have Plus accounts and you will continue to see Photobucket offers and announcements). This account level is available for $2.49 / month, payable by the Member on a monthly recurring basis.
Plus Account : The Plus Account offers several paid options that may give the Paying Member more storage, bandwidth, 3rd party image hosting, image linking and/or other services as outlined below. Once and during such period of time in which you subscribe to and pay for a Plus Account, we will consider you a "Paying Member." Please note that all Plus Account subscriptions are billed annually at the commencement of the service. Photobucket may also offer a monthly billing option for its Plus Accounts (see terms and restrictions, below).

Available Plus Account Plans : Photobucket offers the following Plus Account Plans:

o Plus 50 Plan: 52 GB of Storage for $59.99 / Year. The Plus 50 Plan does not allow any image linking or 3rd party image hosting.

o Plus 100 Plan: 102 GB of Storage for $99.99 / Year. The Plus 100 Plan allows for unlimited image linking but does not allow 3rd party image hosting.

o Plus 500 Plan: 500 GB of Storage and unlimited bandwidth for $399.99 / Year. The Plus 500 Plan allows for unlimited image linking and unlimited 3rd party image hosting.

Read more: photobucket.com/terms#ixzz4lUgxWWTd "

[dupes]

So their only plan that allows 3rd party image hosting is the $400/year option? Yeah, no thanks. I need to figure out where to go.

[wouter]

Well found couple of options: Flickr, Imgur. I'll be deleting my photos and account and screw them. I hope they go the same way as Angelfire and couple of others in the past. If you handle your 'customers' like that you can't expect to last forever...

Cheers

[thug626]

Jun 30, 2017 12:31:10 GMT -5 wouter said:

Well found couple of options: Flickr, Imgur. I'll be deleting my photos and account and screw them. I hope they go the same way as Angelfire and couple of others in the past. If you handle your 'customers' like that you can't expect to last forever...

Cheers

I am figuring on going that route as well. Screw PB.

[dupes]

I'll have to check those two out.

[Leon]

I use Flickr and it is very user friendly!