Flickr: Should I stay or should I go?

Smug Mug acquired Flickr in April 2018. The question every long-term Flickr user is asking:

Should I renew my subscription?

I’ve been on Flickr for a very long time. And seen many ups and downs. Probably more downs. And it’s 2019 and I still use Flickr.

Con:

  • Subscription has doubled in price: 50$ for 1 year instead of 2 years.
  • There is an ongoing downturn in community activity. Group discussions are rare.

Pro:

  • Without VIPs, social media influencers and advertisers, Flickr has become a quieter place far from the crowd. Which isn’t so bad if you don’t need to promote and sell.
  • The mobile app works. Nothing flashy but ok.
  • Flickr supports the main functions I need. Easy, structured photo storage that is searchable and shareable.
  • Currently, no new features are tested on unsuspecting users on a weekly basis.
  • I have nearly 15 years of links and embedded photos that I would need to update on this blog.
  • Sentimental value: faves, comments, tags, memories, stats, links.
  • Smug Mug isn’t Facebook / Google / Microsoft / Amazon.

I have some time until my subscription expires. I have a local copy of all of my photos and I’ve started to pull a backup of my Flickr account.

#biketowork #3rdJan2019 #backtowork #frohes #neues

The question is: Should I stay or should I go? And if I go, where should I go? And does it matter?

the road ahead

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