Report: Yahoo layoffs hit Flickr

The Guardian is reporting that George Oates, along with two others on the Flickr team have been let go as a part of this week's Yahoo layoffs. Oates was one of the first employees at Flickr before its acquisition by Yahoo in 2005, and more notably its former chief designer.

Flickr, along with its Yahoo sister site Delicious, are well known for having a minimal, and angular user interface. Oates was a big part of that. After her stint as Flickr's chief designer, Oates moved on to become a senior program manager where she headed up Flickr's Commons project.

Oates has made no confirmation of the move on her personal blog or Flickr profile page, however former Yahoo Personals product manager Susan Mernit is confirming the news.

[michaelf2]

I'm trying to reconcile "George" with "her". Can't manage it.

[Mr. Dee]

Not you alone. I swore this was a guy, her parents should have known better. Anyway, who can you let go critical people like this? I hope she gets a good job at Microsoft. Yes, I am assuming things.

[gsmiller88]

Yes they lost me after that too.

[humanssssss]

It's hard for me too ... I get a tickle sensation in my head.

[jumpjetta]

Oh, come on. Is it really so difficult to imagine a woman named George? I know two others.

Grow up.

[mikehill33]

When does Flickr get sold to Google?

[jumpjetta]

That should have happened a long time ago.

[max_killen]

When do we get to read about CBS laying off people at LastFM, Download.com, Versiontracker, etc?