Members of the No Video on Flickr group have posted hundreds of images protesting the photo-sharing site's inclusion of video.
(Credit: Flickr)Shortly after Flickr added videos to its photo-sharing site, a number of users are up in arms.
The No Video on Flickr group amassed more than 4,000 members just a few hours after the new feature launched.
"I love Flickr, and I think it should stay the same way it has always been," the group description said. "We don't need another YouTube! I have nothing against YouTube, I just don't want to see all the $*#% that's on there to wind up on here!"
Personally, I find the concerns overblown, though it might have been judicious of Flickr to add an opt-out option for those who don't want video. A lot of people react unfavorably to change--think film buffs who don't care for digital cameras, for one example.
And I suspect video is likely to dilute the great photography that's available on Flickr much less than the vast oceans of mediocre snapshots on the site. The days of Flickr being a haven solely for refined, high-grade photography are long gone if indeed they ever existed. Also, who knows? Maybe the addition of video will help improve Flickr's business so it can be overhauled with a better user interface.
Flickr member Haeretik posted a petition, so far signed by hundreds of members, that states, "We all joined Flickr because of its dedication to photography and photographers, and we want Flickr to remain true to this dedication. It is our request that this feature and addition to Flickr be removed."
Some discussion on the gripe group has been constructive. For those who don't want videos to play, there is a Flickr configuration setting that lets users reverse the default behavior that the video will play automatically when its page is opened, and Firefox users can add extensions that block Flash videos.
(Via Thomas Hawk)
This "Blue-Pink Screen of Death" image protests Microsoft's attempted acquisition of Yahoo, which operates Flickr.
(Credit: Flickr user michaeluyttersp)This is what happens when Microsoft tries to take over not just a company but also a community: a number of Flickr users have launched a group opposing the attempted acquisition.
The Microsoft: Keep Your Evil Grubby Hands Off Our Flickr group has 1,804 members and counting. The photo-sharing site has no shortage of opinionated members, and who knows how many shares they'll be able to vote in a proxy fight, but it is an interesting development.
"I'm not a Microsoft hater," said Flickr user Christopher Bosum. "I just don't like the fact that there might be just another Internet monopolist."
Several of the photos in the pool are amusing, but I particularly liked the Blue-Pink Screen of Death that merges Flickr's color scheme with Microsoft's notorious error fatal-crash message.
Microsoft made an unsolicited $44.6 billion offer for Yahoo last week. Yahoo has said its board is studying the offer.
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