Ph0t0bucket Ransom Demand!

13

Comments

  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    [with the freebie account] One may still download one's own files and thenput 'em someplace else. :)

    see? Here's one :)
    I just downloaded it from PB & uploaded it here. :|


    l9d5slrmcwzi.png
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,307
    I was never a serious user, but I definitely never will be now, mostly out of principle for this preposterous move, and for annoying me for the past year with their ransom placeholders plastered all over the web forums.

    They should have offered the $20 plan when all this started. People would still have complained, but many probably would have subscribed after settling down.
    I disabled signatures.
  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,760
    F1nut wrote: »
    The ransom demand didn't work out well for Photobucket. They supposedly have a new management team and are now offering a yearly subscription for $19.99.

    I recall some predictions that they would either go out of business within a year or come back a year later with reasonable rates. I was thinking the former would happen.
    F1nut wrote: »
    I think they will have a very hard time getting folks to come back.

    Agreed. There is really no reason for casual user to come back due to many other alternatives. On the other hand...there are quite a few "power users" that have been waiting them out.
    msg wrote: »
    They should have offered the $20 plan when all this started. People would still have complained, but many probably would have subscribed after settling down.

    The ransom demand was aimed at business people and bloggers who make money off their photo content...people they thought would reason that it was more economical to cough up the cash rather than have their blog sites and business websites vandalized. To Photobucket management's dismay and bitter disappointment, even most of those users abandoned ship. So now, here we are back to common sense.

    I just paid the $20 subscription fee to release close to two decades of tutorial pictures in threads on multiple forums. I have to wonder, though, if they have more tricks up their boxers.

    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
  • mdaudioguy
    mdaudioguy Posts: 5,165
    I just paid the $20 subscription fee to release close to two decades of tutorial pictures in threads on multiple forums. I have to wonder, though, if they have more tricks up their boxers.
    Thanks for that!! I just went back and looked at one of your old dreadnaught threads, and it was nice to see the detailed pics again!
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    Just got an email from them....

    dxbfsodrrgse.jpg
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,760
    It was very nice of them to admit what we all knew: The previous management team DID NOT want to do the right thing.

    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
  • msg
    msg Posts: 9,307
    I feel a little bad for the management team that inherited this problem, though it looks like they're off to a good start.

    I'd love to hear the previous management's accounting for this fiasco. Truly a "What the $#% were you thinking?" situation.
    I disabled signatures.
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,124
    It was truly extortion IMHO
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
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    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,124
    ^^^that's the scary part

    Is this a scam? Or a true reconciliation? IMHO, I would market under a different name, and privately email their old customers.

    I honestly think this is beyond repair
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,042
    Imgur is still free.
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited May 2018
    -- as is Flikr, with far less malware and ad junk than Photobucket.
    Adblock always finds high double-digit levels of junk to block on the latter on those rare opportunities when I go there to rescue something held hostage by those morons.

    My own feeling is that the sheer guileless stupidity shown by Photobucket with their antics of a year ago are full stop unforgivable and should result in the extinction of the commercial entity. I feel no sympathy for them, and I wish them nothing but the worst for having willfully committed such an egregious misstep. Sorry. :|

    That said, I am not sure that Flikr's recent merger with SmugMug augurs well for Flikr's durability as a cheapskate-friendly platform.
  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    "For a limited time."

    At the end of the year, your $19.99 will go up 10% and do the same every year thereafter.

    Get your photos back, go elsewhere and tell Photobucket to shove it!
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,760
    cfrizz wrote: »
    "For a limited time."

    At the end of the year, your $19.99 will go up 10% and do the same every year thereafter.

    Get your photos back, go elsewhere and tell Photobucket to shove it!

    If they do anything financially abusive in the future, people will just use other alternatives, just as they have done during the 11 months of photo hostage.

    Going forward, I think the Photobucket brand is tarnished forever and I don't see them regaining trust again. I think the best outcome for them would be rebranding by getting acquired by a reputable company with a good customer service record.

    Over the next few months I will be archiving PDF copies of my review and tutorial threads and looking for a central repository. I should have been archiving those threads all along anyway, regardless of where the pictures were hosted. After my archiving project is completed, I really don't care if Photobucket lives, dies, or is bought out.

    The archiving project will also offer some protection against the misadventure that occurs when forums and blogs change hosting services and all the prior photo links are broken.





    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,760
    edited October 2018
    BlueFox wrote: »
    SCompRacer wrote: »
    Just got an email from them....

    dxbfsodrrgse.jpg

    I wonder what will happen when the “limited time” is up?
    cfrizz wrote: »
    "For a limited time."

    At the end of the year, your $19.99 will go up 10% and do the same every year thereafter.

    Get your photos back, go elsewhere and tell Photobucket to shove it!

    I had forgotten about Photosuckit until I received this email on 10/01/18:

    "Starting October 10th, you will see a discrete "Hosted for free on Photobucket: watermark on any images you display on sites other than Photobucket.com
    photobucket

    This change will allow us to continue offering our image hosting service to you as a free user. If you don't mind the watermark and wish to continue as a free user, you won't need to do anything. If you prefer no watermarking, simply upgrade to one of our affordable premium plans starting at $4.03 per month and enjoy all of the benefits of membership."


    Rather than the 10% increase that Cathy guessed last year, the lowest plan went up over 100% from the "introductory" $19.99 annual subscription rate. The new annual subscription plans are:

    $48.36 for 2 GB
    $69.96 for 20 GB
    $123.96 for 2TB

    I would have continued to pay in the neighborhood of $20 annually for a subscription. Double that, or greater, is not worth it to me.

    I never went back to using their service after subscribing. I took the subscription only to release a decade of past forum photos that were being held hostage.

    By the way, my photos are now showing the watermark even though it is not October 10th. Seems they couldn't wait.
    Post edited by DarqueKnight on
    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    Someone set me straight here....why would anyone use a 3rd party service for photos, when external HD's are so cheap these days ?
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  • polrbehr
    polrbehr Posts: 2,825
    Just because they told the world that there was "New Management" doesn't mean for one second that actually happened; I always have my doubts when I read that.
    That they've already gone back to their old ways makes it obvious.
    So, are you willing to put forth a little effort or are you happy sitting in your skeptical poo pile?


    http://audiomilitia.proboards.com/
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    edited October 2018
    tonyb wrote: »
    Someone set me straight here....why would anyone use a 3rd party service for photos, when external HD's are so cheap these days ?

    If you don't have a personal hosting server/site, for linking pics into threads. Some sites set a limit for uploading pics.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,952
    tonyb wrote: »
    Someone set me straight here....why would anyone use a 3rd party service for photos, when external HD's are so cheap these days ?

    DK noted that When a forum like this changes software or servers, your photos might be lost. And if you have a small business website (like photography) it might be essential.

    But I agree tony that for most of us it doesn’t seem necessary, but it is awfully convenient.
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    Yup, in principle, it's a nice, portable way to 'share' content with a site like this or even with the world, as one sees fit.

    I am -- so far -- perfectly happy with Flikr.

    I'd share my thoughts about Photobucket -- but Vanilla would leave naught but asteriks ;)

    Oh, and I hope our resident grammarian/syntactician ;)@Viking64 has seen Photobucket's latest stab at world domination.

    yb427hpmjrug.png

    Now, it's possible that they did in fact mean that the 'watermark' was discrete, but I reckon they were just being indiscreet bats#!t stoopit.

  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    Ok then, so tell me this.....would it not make sense then to back up your photos on a personal HD BEFORE using a 3rd party service ? So when stuff like this happens you can just flip them the middle finger ?
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    I totally agree Tony, I keep NOTHING on any outside server.

    When I buy books the first thing I do is download them to my pc and back up on multiple sources including a Iomega HD. That way when the site I bought them at shuts down, I still have my books.

    I also make sure to strip the DRM so that I can't lose them that way and I can load them on all my devices.

    Same goes for music, though I tend to buy cds if I want them that bad.
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  • sucks2beme
    sucks2beme Posts: 5,556
    Bottom line, anything online can go pfffft at any time.
    Nook went belly up as a format.
    APPLE music could change things up and render your
    Downloaded music null and void.
    In the long run, nothing is free and prices go up.
    Business is all about making more money.
    If you don't have a physical copy
    You don't really own it.
    "The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    sucks2beme wrote: »
    If you don't have a physical copy
    You don't really own it.

    ^^^^^This 100000000000%^^^^^

  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    tonyb wrote: »
    Ok then, so tell me this.....would it not make sense then to back up your photos on a personal HD BEFORE using a 3rd party service ? So when stuff like this happens you can just flip them the middle finger ?

    I cannot imagine why anyone would not keep local backups of at least his/her own photos. I keep two backups on portable HDDs of my own photos.

    I am more cavalier with scans and whatnot, though. Only single local backups of those.
    The web-hosted stuff is strictly for convenience, not for archival purposes.

    14431883336_686a0060ef_b.jpgRSamps by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    tonyb wrote: »
    Ok then, so tell me this.....would it not make sense then to back up your photos on a personal HD BEFORE using a 3rd party service ? So when stuff like this happens you can just flip them the middle finger ?

    Yup. If folks haven't learned to backup data by now, it's their own fault.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,163
    I guess I shouldn't have gone ballistic on my account. When this originally happened, I deleted all my photos and cancelled my account. I never kept photos on photobucket that I didn't have stored on my PC.

    If I had just ignored things, my photo tutorials, etc would still be up, but with a watermark. Oh well.
    For rig details, see my profile. Nothing here anymore...
  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,760
    mhardy6647 wrote: »

    yb427hpmjrug.png

    Now, it's possible that they did in fact mean that the 'watermark' was discrete, but I reckon they were just being indiscreet bats#!t stoopit.

    I just noticed that the watermark is gone from my Photobuggit pics...and I haven't sent them any money.
    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    they are flailing -- and I am manifesting a bad case (or a good case, depending on one's perspective) of Schadenfreude. :)
  • DarqueKnight
    DarqueKnight Posts: 6,760
    I just noticed that the watermark is gone from my Photobuggit pics...and I haven't sent them any money.

    Heyyyyyyy....waitaminnit...

    My pictures never should have had the watermark in the first place because I paid for a $19.99 annual subscription in May 2018. Obviously they made an error when they watermarked my pictures and just recently corrected the error. It didn't "click" in my mind because Photoscammit is way out there in the far reaches of my imagination.
    So, in May 2019 when my subscription expires, my pics will rightfully have the big, ugly watermark.

    Let's recap:

    1. I used Photosmuggit for free for over 10 years to host my forum pics.

    2. In June 2017 they held my, and billions of other peoples', pics hostage in hopes of extorting a $400 annual subscription fee. I, and most others, didn't bite.

    3. Eleven months later, in May 2018 Photosluggit offered to release my pics for a reasonable annual subscription fee of $19.99. I signed up. It was nice to have my tutorial and review pictures on multiple forums released from captivity.

    4. In October of 2018, Photosuggit announced that everyone's pics would be released from captivity for free, but they would have a big, ugly "Hosted By Photomuddit" watermark on them. The only way to remove the watermark was to subscribe to one of their "plans", the lowest of which cost $48.36 annually. Strangely, my pictures were watermarked, even though my subscription was only 5 months old. Their lawyers probably advised them that they couldn't raise the rent before my lease expired.

    Such good business.
    Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!