I haven't been an active poster with 3rd party pictures on Photobucket for more then 2 years since I switched to Image Shack. Strangely, all my pictures are still there, still accessible, and I can still see them on my build blogs.
Just now I got an email from PB that they've had a change of heart, and for the next 7 days are offering 3rd party hosting for a really reduced rate. Here's their email to me.
Hello Joel,
We would like to offer a tailored plan for users just like you - our Premium plan for $99.99 / year.
The Premium plan will provide 3rd party hosting for non-commercial use on your forums, blogs, and personal websites. Additionally, you will be able to store up to 300,000 photos.
We are working on some exciting changes for 2018. This is our exclusive introductory price and this offer will expire in 7 days.
Joel
General Aircraft
This forum is for general aircraft modelling discussions.
This forum is for general aircraft modelling discussions.
Hosted by Jim Starkweather
Update at Photobucket
Joel_W
Associate Editor
Joined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
AeroScale: 7,410 posts
Posted: Friday, February 02, 2018 - 04:17 AM UTC
c4willy
#305
Joined: February 01, 2006
KitMaker: 1,673 posts
AeroScale: 1,517 posts
Posted: Friday, February 02, 2018 - 05:07 AM UTC
While that is a $200 dollar drop in price to what they asked of me initially it's still way more than I can pay and I'll not be taking up their offer. Thanks for the heads up Joel I appreciate the information.
And I must admit to still being mightily irked that PB resorted to such blatant extortion in the first place. I can only hope that their bottom line is so adversely affected that they see the error of their blackmailing ways.
And I must admit to still being mightily irked that PB resorted to such blatant extortion in the first place. I can only hope that their bottom line is so adversely affected that they see the error of their blackmailing ways.
Joel_W
Associate EditorJoined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
AeroScale: 7,410 posts
Posted: Friday, February 02, 2018 - 05:19 AM UTC
Quoted Text
While that is a $200 dollar drop in price to what they asked of me initially it's still way more than I can pay and I'll not be taking up their offer. Thanks for the heads up Joel I appreciate the information.
And I must admit to still being mightily irked that PB resorted to such blatant extortion in the first place. I can only hope that their bottom line is so adversely affected that they see the error of their blackmailing ways.
Chris,
Like I said, I dumped them and signed on with Image Shack 2 years ago when PB site became a nightmare. I pay $3.99/month for my plan which is just $48 for the year, and the site blows away PB in it's best days.
Joel
rdt1953
Joined: February 06, 2015
KitMaker: 1,098 posts
AeroScale: 900 posts
Posted: Friday, February 02, 2018 - 06:03 AM UTC
Photobucket keeps sending me come ons offering storage for up to 300 k images and unlimited 3rd party ( non - commercial) hosting for $ 99.99 /yr . Love to see them crawl and hope they scour their britches and bloody their knees while doing so- I'll supply the ground glass if someone will spread it in their path .
My ImageshackUS is $ 20./yr - hope it lasts . MUCH faster and easier than PB.
Still angry - Richard
My ImageshackUS is $ 20./yr - hope it lasts . MUCH faster and easier than PB.
Still angry - Richard
Joel_W
Associate EditorJoined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
AeroScale: 7,410 posts
Posted: Friday, February 02, 2018 - 07:01 AM UTC
Richard,
I'm volunteering to spread the glass out in a nice even pattern.
Joel
I'm volunteering to spread the glass out in a nice even pattern.
Joel
Scrodes
Joined: July 22, 2012
KitMaker: 771 posts
AeroScale: 763 posts
Posted: Friday, February 02, 2018 - 08:00 AM UTC
I use imgur - no account necessary, one click bbcode links and variable sized images. Best of all it allows for multiple image selection for uploading instead of clicking one photo at a time which becomes tedious when uploading a lot of images.
magnusf
Joined: May 02, 2006
KitMaker: 1,953 posts
AeroScale: 1,902 posts
Posted: Saturday, February 03, 2018 - 02:18 AM UTC
I'm constantly fascinated by businesses who fail to understand, no matter if they supply services or physical goods, that trust is incredibly important. Why on earth would anyone want to go back to PB and get even more involved with them on the basis of an "introductory offer" (that I think is far too expensive), there are no guarantees that when it's time for renewal in a year (and you have left your credit card details with them) you will be charged an outrageous amount.
As a rule of thumb, I'm prepared to pay 99 SEK per month (that's 10 Euros or 12 USD) for something that's useful. The bar for "useful" is set by Spotify (listen to as much music you want to per month, they've got the whole Blue Note catalogue for us Jazz geeks), Readly (magazines from all over the world read on my tablet or smart phone, MTB, road cycling, old tractors (shouldn't have told you about that), old trucks (possibly even worse than reading about old tractors...), railroad modelling (this one is definitely best kept in the closet)), even my kids' cellphone plans are 99 SEK/month (not the hottest plans but neither the skinniest!). So a photo hosting company asking for the same amount per month asks for too much, far too much I think! And then it is only an introductory offer!
I realise that business models are changing and it might not be that easy to offer anything "for free" (nothing is of course "for free" for real, the money has to come somewhere from and I suspect the ads have gone elsewhere): It doesn't have to be for free but it has to be reasonable!
We might see changes with the other free image hosing companies as well but I think the reaction to what PB did will probably put them off asking for that kind of money at least...
Magnus
As a rule of thumb, I'm prepared to pay 99 SEK per month (that's 10 Euros or 12 USD) for something that's useful. The bar for "useful" is set by Spotify (listen to as much music you want to per month, they've got the whole Blue Note catalogue for us Jazz geeks), Readly (magazines from all over the world read on my tablet or smart phone, MTB, road cycling, old tractors (shouldn't have told you about that), old trucks (possibly even worse than reading about old tractors...), railroad modelling (this one is definitely best kept in the closet)), even my kids' cellphone plans are 99 SEK/month (not the hottest plans but neither the skinniest!). So a photo hosting company asking for the same amount per month asks for too much, far too much I think! And then it is only an introductory offer!
I realise that business models are changing and it might not be that easy to offer anything "for free" (nothing is of course "for free" for real, the money has to come somewhere from and I suspect the ads have gone elsewhere): It doesn't have to be for free but it has to be reasonable!
We might see changes with the other free image hosing companies as well but I think the reaction to what PB did will probably put them off asking for that kind of money at least...
Magnus
Joel_W
Associate EditorJoined: December 04, 2010
KitMaker: 11,666 posts
AeroScale: 7,410 posts
Posted: Saturday, February 03, 2018 - 02:36 AM UTC
Quoted Text
I'm constantly fascinated by businesses who fail to understand, no matter if they supply services or physical goods, that trust is incredibly important. Why on earth would anyone want to go back to PB and get even more involved with them on the basis of an "introductory offer" (that I think is far too expensive), there are no guarantees that when it's time for renewal in a year (and you have left your credit card details with them) you will be charged an outrageous amount.
As a rule of thumb, I'm prepared to pay 99 SEK per month (that's 10 Euros or 12 USD) for something that's useful. The bar for "useful" is set by Spotify (listen to as much music you want to per month, they've got the whole Blue Note catalogue for us Jazz geeks), Readly (magazines from all over the world read on my tablet or smart phone, MTB, road cycling, old tractors (shouldn't have told you about that), old trucks (possibly even worse than reading about old tractors...), railroad modelling (this one is definitely best kept in the closet)), even my kids' cellphone plans are 99 SEK/month (not the hottest plans but neither the skinniest!). So a photo hosting company asking for the same amount per month asks for too much, far too much I think! And then it is only an introductory offer!
I realise that business models are changing and it might not be that easy to offer anything "for free" (nothing is of course "for free" for real, the money has to come somewhere from and I suspect the ads have gone elsewhere): It doesn't have to be for free but it has to be reasonable!
We might see changes with the other free image hosing companies as well but I think the reaction to what PB did will probably put them off asking for that kind of money at least...
Magnus
Magnus,
Well said my friend.
I left more then 2 years ago because they stopped updating their hosting services and concentrated on what they thought was their money making services. PB became so difficult to upload to or even link to that I switched to a slightly more expensive service: Image Shack. No free bees there, but the service has been 100% spot on.
Then the new owners wanted to rid themselves of the countless free 3rd party hosting accounts or charging so much that they knew no one would opt to stay.
Seems to me that they lost more business and or that the other divisions haven't increased their profits, so now they're forced to eat "Crow' and offer us a bone.
As you said, they've alienated way to many of us, and why pay for what we had for free or a lot less. Should be rather fascinating to see how all of this unfolds. Wouldn't surprise me if they eventually went belly up.
Joel
 |
WEB HOSTING BY
Copyright ©2021 AeroScale and Kitmaker Network, a subsidiary of Silver Star Enterprises
All Rights Reserved. Please read our Conditions of Use and Privacy Policy.
All Rights Reserved. Please read our Conditions of Use and Privacy Policy.