Amusingly, in the Yahoo/Tumblr acquisition thread, I complained about how little Yahoo has improved on Flickr...but otherwise, I was a happy paying customer.
Currently, I pay $25 for a year's worth of unlimited photo storage and being ad-free. With this new plan, I have to pay twice as much for what I have now...because even as a 3+ year (almost 4 now) member, I haven't uploaded enough to fill a terabyte. Kind of a bummer, though allowing more than 200 photos (which was the Free offering until now) is absolutely critical for Flickr to be a success.
edit: one of the things I complained about was how the horizontal-masonry that was implemented months (if not a year) ago had been limited to just parts of the site...and how the default logged in userpage was dull and photoless...with the new redesign, both of these complaints are wiped out. Nicely done Yahoo, I will complain more on HN in the future.
edit2: Unless I'm missing something obvious, I don't see a "let me see the old version for now" button...Which I think underscores my opinion of how outdated the old site design was.
(Also looks like there's a missing </ul> on that limits page, there.)
Edit: Looks like the page is being edited right this moment - the page used to list the 300MB/month limit but was also mentioning the new account types, at the same time. Guess they forgot to review all the text
I think this a well-thought idea to -- get more social.
Also with this move, it might push Google users to consider syncing and sharing their photos to Flickr now. Google gives 5GB for high-resolution, i.e original quality photos, Yahoo is giving 1TB, but think yahoo ads.
Any such kind of service is a lock-in ( platform level, so more control) and maybe they integrate tumblr strongly with photos? ( again a deeper lock-in to yahoo only core-products).
All this means -- they are back into Internet business.
From the past 2 days, there were enormous analysis around Yahoo, its principles were questioned, so did this all reach the board and the top management? :)
"So we’re also giving our Flickr users one terabyte of space — for free."
This is incredible. I remember being blown away with the 1 GB of storage I got with my gmail account back in 2005. I couldn't even fathom needing a terabyte back then. What a fun time to be alive.
This is pretty interesting to me as I've been spending the last month preparing my soon-to-be startup; (hopefully) a competitor to Flickr/500px: https://photographer.io
Obviously I can't compete with that free space which they're giving out. Instead I'm going to stick to a lesser free plan and a sensible subscription price, and hope that people realise that I actually aim to make a profitable business out of it and stick around for a good long while.
If anyone's interested I'd be grateful for any/all feedback, or any questions about what Photographer.io can offer over Flickr. Obviously it's still in beta, but I figure I should probably let people know that it exists.
EDIT: If you tried to sign up, I apologise if it was broken. I pushed a fix for something else a few hours ago and managed to break the sign up form (clearly it needs better testing). The patch is going up now, and you should be able to sign up again shortly.
Artistic images need space, especially images that aren't meant to be place together. Otherwise their color would collide with each other and ruin the visual experience for them.
If flickr wants to become a social network that features family photos maybe that's the right layout, but I think most of the pro users weren't paying $25 a year for that purpose.
Flickr is no longer a valid place to share pictures for photographers who care about their visual quality. That made me really sad today.
I think the 300 MB upload limit from before was removed. I can only find that in references to Free vs. Pro documentation.
Also, it looks like Pro accounts will still be available to existing Pro subscribers... for the time being, at least.
From the FAQ:
> I’ve heard that Flickr Pro is no longer being offered. How does that affect me?
> Starting on 5/20/2013, we will no longer be offering new Flickr Pro subscriptions.
After that point, the following things will happen:
> Recurring Pro users currently have the ability to renew.
> Eligible Pro members have the option to switch to a Free account until 8/20/2013.
> The “Gift of Pro” will no longer be available for purchase.
> Pro users will no longer appear with a “Pro” badge beside their name or buddy icon.
So what happens after 8/20/2013?
Anyway, then there's this:
> What happens if my Pro Account expires?
> If your Pro account expires, don't panic! None of your photos or videos have been deleted!
> This means instead of enjoying the super-duper capacity of your Pro account, you're now subject to the limits of a free account. If you upgrade again, all of your photos will be waiting for you.
> Any of your sets that disappeared will magically reappear when you renew or upgrade.
OK, so it sounds like they'll give existing Pro subscribers the opportunity to renew.
The stock price is up, I'll give you that, but in terms of actual user/profit/revenue growth what are the numbers to suggest that she is turning the company around?
Flashy product acquisitions and page redesigns a turnaround o not make. I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just interested in seeing the hard numbers.
What’s the difference between a Free, Ad Free, and Doublr account?
There are three kinds of accounts to choose from at Flickr, and all of them are awesome in their own way.
Free:
1 Terabyte of photo and video storage
Upload photos of up to 200MB per photo
Upload 1080p HD videos of up to 1GB each
Video playback of up to 3 minutes each
Upload and download in full original quality
Ad Free:
$49.99 per year
All the benefits of a free account
No ads in your browsing experience
Doublr:
$499.99 per year
2 Terabytes of photo and video space
All the benefits of a free account
I'm down right angry. I loved the old flickr interface. It was simple and usable. Now it looks like a less functional google+. Flickr's job is NOT to be a fancy photo viewer, it's supposed to be a photo organizer.
Looks like yahoo just screwed up the last good thing they had. This will be my last year with this service (I've been a member since 2004 and have had a pro account for several years now).
Give it time. That is the archetypical reaction of a user being confronted by change (angry is else hard to explain).
Flickr's job isn't that easy to be defined. It serves many purposes: Being able to upload and store images there, to organize them, but also to view them of course. Having a new UI putting the images first seems quite reasonable given that definition of flickr.
Besides, the old interface was neither simple nor useable if one wasn't used to it. No one outside of Flickr had time yet to find out whether the new Interface works.
More general remark: We had a good impression what it was likde for the Flickr-Team inside Yahoo. No ressources, no ability to change or improve the service, blocked by bureaucracy and unwilling management. That they are able now to deliver such an upgrade is downright impressive. 1 TB alone is massive and would never have been possible with the old situation, given the description. There really is change in that place.
Personally, I'd like Flickr to be both a photo viewer and organizer. I don't feel like the new interface is any worse for organizing photos, and I'm much more likely to point people to a flickr set with the new layout.
Your opinion seems very much in-line with the hugely negative reaction thread on flickr[1]. I'd be interested in the specific functionality you lost in the update that you miss.
Getting Marissa Mayer is the best thing that happened to Yahoo. Regardless of some of the mistakes that may have been made (thinking of one acquisition in particular), she surely is putting the company back on the map. Personally I still rarely use Yahoo; I only visit Yahoo finance once in a while, but I'm liking what I see.
Naturally the 1 TB storage is a trick. I can't imagine more than a handful of hardcore users filling up that space, but the feeling of not having to worry about deleting old files significantly contributes to a great user experience.
"As a Pro Member, your subscription remains the same. You'll enjoy unlimited space for your photos and videos, detailed stats and an ad-free experience. However, you can switch to a Free account before August 20, 2013."
I can't understand what this is supposed to mean. But it sounds like the pro account, which provided unlimited storage for $25/yr, is going away. I wonder what they do about pro members who already have more than 1 or 2 TB of usage now?
Pro accounts appear to be grandfathered in - you keep the unlimited space, you can continue to renew at $25/yr, but with the 'Free' account, you can upload larger individual files - 200mb photos in 'Free' vs 50mb photos in 'Pro', 1gb videos in 'Free' vs 500mb in 'Pro' - there are more details at http://www.flickr.com/help/limits/
Ok, great. The iPad experience has gone from mediocre to terrible. Hit targets are too small, figuring out how to click through to detail pages is non obvious, and it just feels slow as molasses on my 3rd gen iPad.
Interesting design choices - the photos are highlighted front and center but all the social aspects of Flickr have been shoved downward into have-to-scroll territory. Contrast this to Facebook and Instagram, which both use a right sidebar layout for profile and comments, which ensures everything's easily visible above the fold.
If you've been using Flickr as a social tool, making and getting lots of comments, I could see you being a bit upset with the decreased emphasis on social features in the new layout. I wonder what effect these changes will have on the level of social interaction on the site. I also wonder if it was a planned deemphasis, or just an inadvertent consequence of expanding the space given over to the picture.
Good insights - I agree with you. As a past social flickr user, I checked out my old account. It took me quite a while to find old comments and new activity, which is much different than the past of it being up front.
I remember a lot of people noting that facebook's UI evolution toward a focus on images rather than text is theoretically nice. That is, it's presented very well whenever the images are nice, but on facebook that's rarely the case--a quick look through my homefeed, it's either blurry party shots/selfies or obnoxiously filtered Instagram pictures. Flickr seems to have made the same evolution, and in that respect its UI changes are hardly original ideas. Yet it's almost a perfect fit -- where else on the Internet will you find more professionally-taken pictures?
> where else on the Internet will you find more professionally-taken pictures?
The main venue which comes to mind is 500px. However, with its leanings toward a more professional level comes a lack of the fun, informal atmosphere of Flickr. I maintain a presence on both, for now, and thoroughly enjoy Flickr - but, I'll have to keep an eye on what happens there hereon. As they say, the headlines giveth, the fine print taketh away. =:/
I used to be a flickr pro user, and then I left over a year ago. I do like the storage and overall design change, but there are other reasons I'm not really interested in going back.
#1 being
Don’t use Flickr to sell.
If we find you engaging in commercial activity, we will warn you or delete your account. Some examples include selling products, services, or yourself through your photostream or in a group, using your account solely as a product catalog, or linking to commercial sites in your photostream. If you engage in commercial activity elsewhere on the internets or in the real world, you’re still welcome on Flickr—in fact, we’ve even set up some best practices especially for you.
...which definitely takes some steam out of the previous "pro" account.
I've been pursuing photography as a serious hobby for just over 7 years. I'm not expecting to make tons of money in on-line sales; I just hate displaying most of my things with those handcuffs on.
I used to upload all over the place and just crave the attention of the favorites and likes, etc. Now I am more selective of what photos I publish and where. I'm much more interested in a gallery type offering. Most of my casual photos that I would think about posting back to flickr are already on Facebook or G+ where my friends and family can see them.
[+] [-] danso|12 years ago|reply
Currently, I pay $25 for a year's worth of unlimited photo storage and being ad-free. With this new plan, I have to pay twice as much for what I have now...because even as a 3+ year (almost 4 now) member, I haven't uploaded enough to fill a terabyte. Kind of a bummer, though allowing more than 200 photos (which was the Free offering until now) is absolutely critical for Flickr to be a success.
edit: one of the things I complained about was how the horizontal-masonry that was implemented months (if not a year) ago had been limited to just parts of the site...and how the default logged in userpage was dull and photoless...with the new redesign, both of these complaints are wiped out. Nicely done Yahoo, I will complain more on HN in the future.
edit2: Unless I'm missing something obvious, I don't see a "let me see the old version for now" button...Which I think underscores my opinion of how outdated the old site design was.
[+] [-] adventured|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] notdrunkatall|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] 0x0|12 years ago|reply
It'd take 291 years to fill up the 1TB allowance: https://www.google.com/search?q=1TB+%2F+(300+MB%2Fmonth)
(Also looks like there's a missing </ul> on that limits page, there.)
Edit: Looks like the page is being edited right this moment - the page used to list the 300MB/month limit but was also mentioning the new account types, at the same time. Guess they forgot to review all the text
[+] [-] pajju|12 years ago|reply
Here are their newer plans --
Free-Accounts:
+ 1 Terabyte of photo and video storage
+ Upload photos of up to 200MB per photo
+ Upload 1080p HD videos of up to 1GB each
+ Video playback of up to 3 minutes each
+ Upload and download in full original quality
Ad-Free accounts: (older pro-accounts are gone!)
+ $49.99 per year
+ All the benefits of a free account
+ No ads in your browsing experience
Doublr-Plan(extra 1 TB space):
+ $499.99 per year
+ 2 Terabytes of photo and video space
+ You get all the benefits of the free account
[+] [-] ch0wn|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] manacit|12 years ago|reply
This makes the entire 1 TB craze seem like a giant farce.
Edit: It appears they have removed the limit, disregard.
[+] [-] cscheid|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] superchink|12 years ago|reply
I only see: "Upload photos of up to 200MB per photo"
[+] [-] paulmiwatson|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nathangibbs|12 years ago|reply
http://www.flickr.com/help/forum/en-us/72157633531669359/pag...
[+] [-] oz|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|12 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] victortrac|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ivix|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] brown9-2|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] potatolicious|12 years ago|reply
Ugh.
[+] [-] corresation|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] unknown|12 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] pajju|12 years ago|reply
I think this a well-thought idea to -- get more social.
Also with this move, it might push Google users to consider syncing and sharing their photos to Flickr now. Google gives 5GB for high-resolution, i.e original quality photos, Yahoo is giving 1TB, but think yahoo ads.
Any such kind of service is a lock-in ( platform level, so more control) and maybe they integrate tumblr strongly with photos? ( again a deeper lock-in to yahoo only core-products).
All this means -- they are back into Internet business.
From the past 2 days, there were enormous analysis around Yahoo, its principles were questioned, so did this all reach the board and the top management? :)
[+] [-] MikeKusold|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Eduardo3rd|12 years ago|reply
This is incredible. I remember being blown away with the 1 GB of storage I got with my gmail account back in 2005. I couldn't even fathom needing a terabyte back then. What a fun time to be alive.
[+] [-] vidarh|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] manacit|12 years ago|reply
277 years (or 7,242 fortnights) later, and you can finally use all of your space.
Edit: It appears they have removed the limit, disregard.
[+] [-] robotmay|12 years ago|reply
Obviously I can't compete with that free space which they're giving out. Instead I'm going to stick to a lesser free plan and a sensible subscription price, and hope that people realise that I actually aim to make a profitable business out of it and stick around for a good long while.
If anyone's interested I'd be grateful for any/all feedback, or any questions about what Photographer.io can offer over Flickr. Obviously it's still in beta, but I figure I should probably let people know that it exists.
EDIT: If you tried to sign up, I apologise if it was broken. I pushed a fix for something else a few hours ago and managed to break the sign up form (clearly it needs better testing). The patch is going up now, and you should be able to sign up again shortly.
[+] [-] kailuowang|12 years ago|reply
Artistic images need space, especially images that aren't meant to be place together. Otherwise their color would collide with each other and ruin the visual experience for them.
If flickr wants to become a social network that features family photos maybe that's the right layout, but I think most of the pro users weren't paying $25 a year for that purpose.
Flickr is no longer a valid place to share pictures for photographers who care about their visual quality. That made me really sad today.
[+] [-] mratzloff|12 years ago|reply
Also, it looks like Pro accounts will still be available to existing Pro subscribers... for the time being, at least.
From the FAQ:
> I’ve heard that Flickr Pro is no longer being offered. How does that affect me?
> Starting on 5/20/2013, we will no longer be offering new Flickr Pro subscriptions. After that point, the following things will happen:
> Recurring Pro users currently have the ability to renew.
> Eligible Pro members have the option to switch to a Free account until 8/20/2013.
> The “Gift of Pro” will no longer be available for purchase.
> Pro users will no longer appear with a “Pro” badge beside their name or buddy icon.
So what happens after 8/20/2013?
Anyway, then there's this:
> What happens if my Pro Account expires?
> If your Pro account expires, don't panic! None of your photos or videos have been deleted!
> This means instead of enjoying the super-duper capacity of your Pro account, you're now subject to the limits of a free account. If you upgrade again, all of your photos will be waiting for you.
> Any of your sets that disappeared will magically reappear when you renew or upgrade.
OK, so it sounds like they'll give existing Pro subscribers the opportunity to renew.
[+] [-] tnuc|12 years ago|reply
When I signed up : "You will never lose access to your high res photos".
A few years ago : "Sign up for pro if you want access to high res photos".
Is this a sign that Yahoo isn't going to keep fucking things up?
[+] [-] sbashyal|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dkrich|12 years ago|reply
Flashy product acquisitions and page redesigns a turnaround o not make. I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm just interested in seeing the hard numbers.
[+] [-] calinet6|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dhawalhs|12 years ago|reply
What’s the difference between a Free, Ad Free, and Doublr account?
There are three kinds of accounts to choose from at Flickr, and all of them are awesome in their own way.
Free: 1 Terabyte of photo and video storage Upload photos of up to 200MB per photo Upload 1080p HD videos of up to 1GB each Video playback of up to 3 minutes each Upload and download in full original quality
Ad Free: $49.99 per year All the benefits of a free account No ads in your browsing experience Doublr:
$499.99 per year 2 Terabytes of photo and video space All the benefits of a free account
Links: [1] http://www.flickr.com/help/limits/#150470666
[+] [-] film42|12 years ago|reply
Looks like yahoo just screwed up the last good thing they had. This will be my last year with this service (I've been a member since 2004 and have had a pro account for several years now).
[+] [-] onli|12 years ago|reply
Flickr's job isn't that easy to be defined. It serves many purposes: Being able to upload and store images there, to organize them, but also to view them of course. Having a new UI putting the images first seems quite reasonable given that definition of flickr.
Besides, the old interface was neither simple nor useable if one wasn't used to it. No one outside of Flickr had time yet to find out whether the new Interface works.
More general remark: We had a good impression what it was likde for the Flickr-Team inside Yahoo. No ressources, no ability to change or improve the service, blocked by bureaucracy and unwilling management. That they are able now to deliver such an upgrade is downright impressive. 1 TB alone is massive and would never have been possible with the old situation, given the description. There really is change in that place.
[+] [-] Pyrodogg|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] aeturnum|12 years ago|reply
Your opinion seems very much in-line with the hugely negative reaction thread on flickr[1]. I'd be interested in the specific functionality you lost in the update that you miss.
[1]http://www.flickr.com/help/forum/en-us/72157633547442506
[+] [-] rhizome|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] marcamillion|12 years ago|reply
Marissa Mayer is doing a fabulous job.
Putting products first, like she should.
Wow....just wow!
[+] [-] noloqy|12 years ago|reply
Naturally the 1 TB storage is a trick. I can't imagine more than a handful of hardcore users filling up that space, but the feeling of not having to worry about deleting old files significantly contributes to a great user experience.
[+] [-] bigiain|12 years ago|reply
Or perhaps a little more practically, a WordPress/Joomla/Drupal/whatever plugin to use Flickr as a CDN?
[+] [-] leephillips|12 years ago|reply
"As a Pro Member, your subscription remains the same. You'll enjoy unlimited space for your photos and videos, detailed stats and an ad-free experience. However, you can switch to a Free account before August 20, 2013."
I can't understand what this is supposed to mean. But it sounds like the pro account, which provided unlimited storage for $25/yr, is going away. I wonder what they do about pro members who already have more than 1 or 2 TB of usage now?
[+] [-] leviathant|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] teraflop|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] waterlesscloud|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] aaronbrethorst|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] gyardley|12 years ago|reply
If you've been using Flickr as a social tool, making and getting lots of comments, I could see you being a bit upset with the decreased emphasis on social features in the new layout. I wonder what effect these changes will have on the level of social interaction on the site. I also wonder if it was a planned deemphasis, or just an inadvertent consequence of expanding the space given over to the picture.
[+] [-] epa|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jckt|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] porsupah|12 years ago|reply
The main venue which comes to mind is 500px. However, with its leanings toward a more professional level comes a lack of the fun, informal atmosphere of Flickr. I maintain a presence on both, for now, and thoroughly enjoy Flickr - but, I'll have to keep an eye on what happens there hereon. As they say, the headlines giveth, the fine print taketh away. =:/
[+] [-] Pyrodogg|12 years ago|reply
#1 being
Don’t use Flickr to sell. If we find you engaging in commercial activity, we will warn you or delete your account. Some examples include selling products, services, or yourself through your photostream or in a group, using your account solely as a product catalog, or linking to commercial sites in your photostream. If you engage in commercial activity elsewhere on the internets or in the real world, you’re still welcome on Flickr—in fact, we’ve even set up some best practices especially for you.
http://www.flickr.com/guidelines.gne
...which definitely takes some steam out of the previous "pro" account.
I've been pursuing photography as a serious hobby for just over 7 years. I'm not expecting to make tons of money in on-line sales; I just hate displaying most of my things with those handcuffs on.
I used to upload all over the place and just crave the attention of the favorites and likes, etc. Now I am more selective of what photos I publish and where. I'm much more interested in a gallery type offering. Most of my casual photos that I would think about posting back to flickr are already on Facebook or G+ where my friends and family can see them.