Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: Bob K on June 29, 2017, 08:04:00 pm

Title: Photobucket - our photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on June 29, 2017, 08:04:00 pm
Many of us use Photobucket to store the images we use to illustrate our postings on Mayhem.  There has previously not been a problem with this.  Their site is free for the purpose of storing images for sharing photos.

However, I have just received notification that they have changed their terms of service to disallow "3rd Party Hosting" unless you upgrade your previously free account to one costing $99.99 a year.

The new message on Photobucket states . . .

"We have noticed that you have been using Photobucket for 3rd Party Hosting.
Our Terms of Service does not allow 3rd party hosting * for your current account level.

*What is 3rd Party Hosting?

Alternatively referred to as inline linking, "hotlinking" is the action of linking to an image or object on another server. An example of hotlinking would be using an <img> tag to display a JPEG image that you uploaded to your Photobucket account so it will appear on a different website like Etsy, eBay auction listings, blogs, forum messages, etc. "



Does this mean that Photobucket will now pull the plug on any "member" that links their photos on Model Boat Mayhem unless they agree to pay almost a hundred US Dollars a year for the privilege?

Most of the photos on Mayhem could suddenly disappear ?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: ballastanksian on June 29, 2017, 08:28:17 pm
If 'customers' who use the service do not pay up then it is likely that images above a certain number will dissapear. I have been paying for my Imageshack account for about three years now and so far the price has not increased hugely, but obviously one keeps an eye out periodically. They said that you can store up to a certain number of images for free, but that naturally means you have to ration out your storage.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on June 29, 2017, 08:33:43 pm
It is not the quantity. I am only using one percent of my free hosting account.  It is that they appear to have decided to inflict a heavy surcharge on anyone using Photobucket for anything other than private use.

Many of us use Photobucket.  Even if I agree to this new "ransomware" charge a large number of postings on Mayhem could suddenly be devoid of photographic illustrations.

Once one major image hosting site is seen to be getting away with this all the others will follow suit.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on June 29, 2017, 09:17:54 pm
Well, that's it.  All the images I had previously posted on Mayhem have now been replaced by an illustration saying I have broken their new terms and conditions, and thus the image intended will not be displayed.

Damned Ransomware    <*<

There is no way I know to retrospectively edit every post with a new image hosted elsewhere.

What do we all this of this conduct ?

How many others are / will be affected ?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on June 29, 2017, 09:53:13 pm
Well, that's it.  All the images I had previously posted on Mayhem have now been replaced by an illustration saying I have broken their new terms and conditions, and thus the image intended will not be displayed.

Damned Ransomware    <*<

There is no way I know to retrospectively edit every post with a new image hosted elsewhere.

What do we all think of this conduct ?

How many others are / will be affected ?





Google: photobucket 3rd party hosting, their is pages of it !  Also Google photo bucket Alternatives.
 Photo bucket will have gone down the tubes in short time
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on June 29, 2017, 10:58:09 pm
Sorry guys, but what really bugs me is that out of just over 3,000 postings on Mayhem about a third have had photographs, hosted on Photobucket - now effectively destroyed by their greed.

The whole point of using Photobucket was to share photos with friends.  Mayhem is not a huge commercial web site.

If I switch to another site for new images, what is to stop them jumping on the same Ransomware stunt ?

According to some of the Googled sources about this new policy (new terms from 28th June) is that if you refuse to pay, after a certain time, your hosted images may be replaced by advertisements.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: derekwarner on June 29, 2017, 11:58:40 pm
 :-)).......Norton is OK and protects from the same Ransomware stunt ...........Derek
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on June 30, 2017, 03:17:51 am
Doubt if it will do much for the Photobucket version, my account still seems OK  but I have not upload for a while.Suppose soon as I do it will zap me as well.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: tigertiger on June 30, 2017, 04:53:11 am
There are forum discussions about this 'monetizing'of your images. Some think that Photobucket (PB) will take down your images if you don't pay the fees. The other thing to notice in the T&Cs is that if you make your photos public, then you lose all copyright, and say in how the images are used; in other words they are indeed no longer private.

Some forum posts recommended moving to flikr, but I am not sure of their T&Cs.


Some alternative photo sharing sites listed here https://www.techlicious.com/guide/best-sites-for-sharing-photos/

I am very suspicious of 'free storage' offers. I have seen free storage offers, but in the small print it is time limited, after that you pay. In the PB case, they just change their ToS.

Paid storage used to be US$70 per Tb. I can buy storage for that. Yes I know discs go down, but it is rarer than some people would have you believe. I have been storing photos and music files electronically for 12 years now, and apart from cheap thumb drives, and my own stupidity, no problems.
What is to stop any cloud storage solution from changing their 'free' status. If you have more than a few hundred Gb of data stored, that is a lot to download and transfer; if you have more than a Tb....
If you are storing copyrighted data, even digital copies of CDs, books, etc. that you have actually bought, you can be hit by that one. At least one cloud service was taken down for that reason, with a total loss of data stored. The company's answer to angry ex-customers was, 'you should have had a back up.'

With new advances in, and abuses of, the use of 'big data', I can only say I am cynical. I have been tempted to go 'off the grid', but the internet is too useful. However, I do try to minimize my 'footprint'. All my data, photos, and other files are stored locally.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on June 30, 2017, 07:19:17 am

This is ugly.


All my photos are posted as attachments directly to the site. It limits the size of the image but works just fine if you edit your photos to suit. My backup storage is all local and duplicated.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: grendel on June 30, 2017, 08:02:42 am
and they advertised the 'cloud' as the answer to keeping backups, the cloud was supposed to be your backup.
I have heard nothing from photobucket, yet I have images there hot linked to various forums, I only use it for forums where there is no local photo hosting though. then again I have not logged into photobucket for an age, and any hosted pictures will be well in the past of the forums I had them, so if they change they probably wont get noticed.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on June 30, 2017, 08:13:45 am
At least I still have all the photos I posted on Mayhem, all double-backed up.  I realise now that even if I had paid Photobucket a monthly fee they would still have done the same.  Any other photo sharing web site is very likely to do the same  at some point.  I have managed to avoid the "cloud" as Microsoft could pull the plug on that whenever they choose, and the actual destination remain hidden.

When you add a post to Mayhem you have a limited period of time in which to "modify" your post, but after that it cannot be edited.  I wish that there was some way that I could be allowed to "modify" my many now-corrupted postings to re-apply my images, but in practise all my carefully laid out build histories over almost seven years have gone forever.

For some reason images will not load directly into Mayhem using the "attachment" option on the post facility.  I have tried many times over the years.  All are under 100kb and 640 max physical size.  For some reason thumbnail Avatars seem not to be affected by this limitation, just the main posting routine.  Why? 

Moderators:  Should I try to create complete new versions of my complete build threads?  I still have the text available to copy, and I have the images.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Colin Bishop on June 30, 2017, 09:39:34 am
Photobucket certainly seem to have behaved badly over this but everything you store on the net must be regarded as ephemeral. Nothing is 'free'. All these so called free hosting companies have to make money one way or another and they will always have their best interests at heart - not yours.

Even Mayhem is vulnerable. Suppose Martin were to unfortunately fall under a bus (God forbid!). Mayhem could just disappear overnight and the vast amount of stored wisdom along with the corny jokes could disappear forever. Remember that Mayhem was set up to replace the old Model Boats forum when the then owners pulled the plug on it and all the data was lost.

New is not always better. Every single article published in the modelling magazines going back to 1950 and before is still readily available because the material was published and actually printed - some lessons there I think.

If you have a complex and interesting build log it is better to make make a bit more effort and have it published. That way it will actually reach more people and, more importantly, it will remain available for posterity far longer than anything posted on a model boating forum.

Forums certainly have their uses but not as substitutes for conventional publishing.

Colin
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on June 30, 2017, 09:49:26 am
Bob - do you know what conditions you "broke" - why this is happening to your account? -oops just read your first post - must be on a case by case basis as I have images linked from my account to several forums....




(http://i346.photobucket.com/albums/p438/C3POC3PO/IMG_02341_zpsh4wg5zwe.jpg)

(http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/Bob - do you know what conditions you "broke"  If an image appear of a cockpit below my photobucket is still working  http://i346.photobucket.com/albums/p438/C3POC3PO/IMG_02341_zpsh4wg5zwe.jpg)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on June 30, 2017, 09:53:25 am



and they advertised the 'cloud' as the answer to keeping backups, the cloud was supposed to be your backup....................


You believe advertising?


The cloud is/was never going to be a secure place to store anything and you are putting yourself completely in somebody else's hands if you believe that it is. They can destroy your data and there is nothing that you can do about it.


If you want file security back it up properly at home. I back up to 2 external hard drives - for when one fails - and then keep in separate places. Some will say overkill but my files matter to me.


I do have some pictures on Vimeo & various forums but that is for fun & not storage.


I also have doubts regarding security of the cloud for storing documents
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: mrlownotes on June 30, 2017, 10:13:58 am
http://photobucket.com/terms

Not a nice read !
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on June 30, 2017, 10:15:02 am
My Avatar is on Photobucket..... I see that's changed!   >:-o

(http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168/MBmayhem/Animation1.gif)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on June 30, 2017, 10:19:42 am
My Avatar is on Photobucket..... I see that's changed!   >:-o


If you still have the original link your avatar direct to that. I always thought cloud was dodgy to store on. You only have to go into a thread on any forum that is a few years old and you will find half the images gone and just an icon in it's place
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on June 30, 2017, 10:20:51 am
 
Just been there, Ad, after Ad, after Ad..... It's actually unusable!   >:-o

Well that's that site dead within  6 months.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: dreadnought72 on June 30, 2017, 10:35:41 am
One practical option would be to buy a domain name and rent server space. You could then host/store/share anything you want to anywhere you want to post it. Cost? Under £100 a year for plenty of space.


Maybe worth considering for total control and no adverts.


Andy
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on June 30, 2017, 10:44:49 am

My Avatar is on Photobucket..... I see that's changed!   >:-o

(http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q168/MBmayhem/Animation1.gif)


I wonder if they have some sort of unofficial limit on how many times a third party source can try & access your photos before all the c..p kicks in. The clock on the image above suggests that this might be true. That would mean that those who have most access attempts hit the problem first.


This is beginning to sound like the second great loss in Mayhem history.   <:(   {:-{   <:(
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug-Kenny RIP on June 30, 2017, 10:53:22 am

It will be TRAGIC for all Forums.

This sign is appearing all over the place.  I expect it to reach huge proportions

ken

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on June 30, 2017, 11:00:18 am


Oddly enough I have just looked at the Springer thread on RC groups which has nearly 11000 posts and 5000 images but appears to be intact.


I think the scale of this disaster is at the present time difficult to calculate.


What matters now is what we do about it. It may well not be possible to anything about the loss but I do think that we should learn from this and have all future images posted to the forum and not linked to a third party cloud storage. What do you think Martin?


As we are having a discussion about disasters I just wondered what would happen if Martin was unable to continue. As I understand it this is Martin's forum & it lives or dies on his choice alone. This is in no way a criticism of Martin who does a fantastic job - thank you so much - but is there any plan for continuity and have measures been put in place to guard against the previous great data loss recurring on what is such an important resource for model boating?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: grendel on June 30, 2017, 12:33:12 pm



You believe advertising?


The cloud is/was never going to be a secure place to store anything and you are putting yourself completely in somebody else's hands if you believe that it is. They can destroy your data and there is nothing that you can do about it.


If you want file security back it up properly at home. I back up to 2 external hard drives - for when one fails - and then keep in separate places. Some will say overkill but my files matter to me.


I do have some pictures on Vimeo & various forums but that is for fun & not storage.


I also have doubts regarding security of the cloud for storing documents
definitely not, this is why the microsoft cloud keeps asking for my password at home (and it wont be given it) windows 10 will by default try and save your file to the cloud first, I dont give it that opportunity.
everything at home is backed up on a 2Tb hard drive and a further backup of important files on another 1Tb hard drive, on a different computer. if its really important it goes on a 500Mb hard drive that travels with me and is rarely plugged into a computer.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on June 30, 2017, 12:46:40 pm

definitely not, this is why the microsoft cloud keeps asking for my password at home (and it wont be given it) windows 10 will by default try and save your file to the cloud first, I dont give it that opportunity.
everything at home is backed up on a 2Tb hard drive and a further backup of important files on another 1Tb hard drive, on a different computer. if its really important it goes on a 500Mb hard drive that travels with me and is rarely plugged into a computer.


 :-))
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: grendel on June 30, 2017, 12:48:03 pm
on another issue, on one build thread I have running on another forum, I regularly copy and paste the thread to a word file, the problem I have there is that now the thread is 1130 posts long most of which have a photo, word cannot handle it any longer, pictures start to disappear, mind you my word document is at 90Mb now.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: FsASTSyd1 on June 30, 2017, 12:50:38 pm
Glad to see I am not alone in having my photos in several places, especially as my little collection is topping 70,000, think I might get a bit miffed if they went missing. Incidentally C-3PO did post 2 pics in your comment for I only see one, the bridge scene and a very small icon below ?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: FsASTSyd1 on June 30, 2017, 12:55:38 pm
I give up !!!!
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: dougal99 on June 30, 2017, 12:56:20 pm
FastSyds Post


Glad to see I am not alone in having my photos in several places, especially as my little collection is topping 70,000, think I might get a bit miffed if they went missing. Incidentally C-3PO did post 2 pics in your comment for I only see one, the bridge scene and a very small icon below ?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on June 30, 2017, 12:56:45 pm

Glad to see I am not alone in having my photos in several places, especially as my little collection is topping 70,000, think I might get a bit miffed if they went missing. Incidentally C-3PO did post 2 pics in your comment for I only see one, the bridge scene and a very small icon below ?


It has always been recommended that secure multiple back ups are made but it is not always done & people that I mention it to are often very surprised.


Is that the smallest type font that I have ever seen?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on June 30, 2017, 01:56:11 pm


 I assume this site has a set limit of image storage space that any one member can post (? Admin) if so as perhaps if a member wished to do all his MBH hosting on site a permissive fee (£10) from that member would pay for the additional storage space , perhaps up to 1 titibite ?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on June 30, 2017, 02:10:00 pm
This is ugly.


All my photos are posted as attachments directly to the site. It limits the size of the image but works just fine if you edit your photos to suit. My backup storage is all local and duplicated.

Couldn't agree more there are no free lunches.  O0 O0 :-)) :-))
There are already too many ruined threads on here where 'hosted' photos are no longer available. <*< <*<
There are countless examples of these so called free services that over time, after they have gained supremacy and a respectable following, charges are then implemented to continue using the so called free  service.
As stated you no longer own the photo or control its use.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on June 30, 2017, 02:38:35 pm
>>see text at bottom of post - I later discovered that they are changing policy on 30th June 2017 stopping image sharing - so is this a change in the law or something else?<<<

Not read all the thread so I apologise if this has already been mentioned/discounted - is Dropbox ( company valued at several billion $) an option? - I think if you use a shared directory you can link images to third parties.

I use this for my business  - it's a great tool and has some great features.

It's not the only place my data is stored but it is the source I use daily and I can't fault it...

Here is a test to an uploaded image on Dropbox


(https://www.dropbox.com/pri/get/model_images/KarenRose.jpg?_subject_uid=381876451&w=AAAtv2PPkuVolnEsEpZ2sFOBK6RRLQqrs-rqeG9MCDd9lw)

And then I found this

Quote
The Photos page is changing on June 30, 2017, but your pictures will stay safe in your Dropbox account. After June 30, you’ll no longer be able to create or share albums on the web, or browse photos in the current timeline view.

So looks like ALL change for images hosting!!!!



Regards
C-3PO
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on June 30, 2017, 02:48:22 pm

 I assume this site has a set limit of image storage space that any one member can post (? Admin) if so as perhaps if a member wished to do all his MBH hosting on site a permissive fee (£10) from that member would pay for the additional storage space , perhaps up to 1 titibite ?

I have less than 1Mb hosted on Photobucket, but around 1,500 small images.  Photobucket has been explicitly promoted as a site to share photos with friends using social media and web sites.  Formatted tags include IMG and HTML, explicitly for use in other HTML pages.  The only difference is that now they do not allow any of the things promoted to suck you in.  Now just some kind of remote backup facility?  For $100 a year I could host my own web site, and have total control of the content.

Frankly over the months the site has become increasingly unstable, not just the increasing barrage of ads and diverts, but also to my Norton's 360 shutting the window due to virus activity.

Anyone fool enough to give them bank details will not be able to cancel their payments, even after Photobucket collapses into oblivion.

C-3PO:  Looks like the other image hosting sites are jumping on the greed bandwagon  <*<
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: TheLongBuild on June 30, 2017, 03:13:06 pm

Couldn't agree more there are no free lunches.  O0 O0 :-)) :-))
There are already too many ruined threads on here where 'hosted' photos are no longer available. <*< <*<
There are countless examples of these so called free services that over time, after they have gained supremacy and a respectable following, charges are then implemented to continue using the so called free  service.
As stated you no longer own the photo or control its use.
for
Agree I post all my pictures on here but keep them generally below 200kb which is more than adequate for a good picture word, its just people need to learn how to do it , its not that difficult  !!  :}
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on June 30, 2017, 03:21:21 pm
Sorry, but there is a problem loading images direct onto Mayhem.  Mine are generally around 70 kb and well under the max pixels size.  ie:  Go through Martin's excellent instructions, "Attach"; select; "OK"; even "Enter".  Nothing gets added in the Post dialogue box.    Maybe it's a Windows 10 / Explorer thing ?

If I could have done that I would have no need to resort to Photobucket to embed the image info.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Colin Bishop on June 30, 2017, 03:36:54 pm
I use W10 and have no problems in loading using attachment>browse (to selected file)>click on it. I usually aim for around 200kb. It's worked for all previous versions of Windows too. At the moment I use Firefox, previously IE. You could try an alternative browser perhaps.

Colin
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on June 30, 2017, 03:41:00 pm
Hi Bob,

Like Colin this post was with W10 and Explorer.

Are you able to get a list of image file names as shown below (red arrow) ( use Attach and then browse for file names)-  they are only displayed in the post AFTER you have saved the post - they do not show as you create the post or in Preview

Regards
C-3PO
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on June 30, 2017, 03:59:36 pm
I am getting the hang of this ?


   Urgh   thats orrible, time for a facelift
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on June 30, 2017, 04:10:53 pm
I am a novice when it comes to PC's and when I first started I had some difficulty with uploading photos but after persevering I eventually got the hang of it.

Went from XP to WIN7, using IE, no problems uploading photos/funnies.

My main problem was to make sure the file, the photo, was not oversized.

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: grendel on June 30, 2017, 04:43:40 pm
I normally click preview to get to the page where you can add the images.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: tsenecal on June 30, 2017, 04:44:13 pm
photobucket is not the first to do this.


imageshack started charging customers $3.99 a month for a level of service that allowed linking to 3rd party sites over a year ago...  they have a "free" level, but the terms of service for that level does not allowing linking to photos via 3rd party sites (identical in concept to what we are now seeing with photobucket) so this is the way of the future.  it is best that you either pony up the money, set up your own server, or start posting photos to the actual sites.  I do understand that many people don't just post to a single site, and using sites like imageshack and photobucket allow them to upload photos to a single site, and then simply paste those links into postings on multiple sites...   and that doesnt help anyone with hundreds or thousands of photos already linked to on multiple threads.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on June 30, 2017, 04:51:01 pm

photobucket is not the first to do this.........................


To my mind this is a very dubious business practice. You get people addicted to the service as a freebie and then once they cannot easily leave you decide to start charging them. I seem to remember drug dealers used the same tactic.


As you say this has happened before and I expect that it will happen again if everyone starts using another "free"  service. Direct posting seems to be the only answer
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on June 30, 2017, 05:00:14 pm

To my mind this is a very dubious business practice. You get people addicted to the service as a freebie and then once they cannot easily leave you decide to start charging them. I seem to remember drug dealers used the same tactic.


As you say this has happened before and I expect that it will happen again if everyone starts using another "free"  service. Direct posting seems to be the only answer

I think there is more to this not just "carrot and stick" - I have Googled but not yet found anything substantial - My gut says this is something to do with a legal ruling ( either current or a law suit pending) and companies are having to conform - if you have to pay for the account there is a little bit more of an audit trail/link to the owner of the account compared to free hosting.

I have lost this functionality as of tomorrow from a well respected paid for service so it's not just the freebies

Just my tuppence...

C-3PO


Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on June 30, 2017, 06:17:37 pm


I can understand that there is more than a carrot & stick approach.


My guess is that the business model involved individuals putting up photographs and looking at them infrequently at which time the host get a little advertising that pays for the service. What happens when someone links to a forum is that suddenly a lot of bandwidth gets used sending it to everyone who looks at the page whether they are interested in the individual image or not. It is also possible that an individual looks at the page numerous times as new posts are made. Bandwidth is expensive and there is no advertising income. It doesn't really sound sustainable does it? The trouble is that exactly the same analysis would apply to any other free hosting service and that I would have though that the problem could be foreseen. The possibility/probability of charging was predictable.


Whether there is a legal change that is forcing the issue I don't know.


The old saying that there is no such thing as a free lunch applies. Somebody has to pay.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on June 30, 2017, 06:27:30 pm
The reason I think there may be more to it is I have had this removed as of tomorrow from a professional service I pay £79 a year for and others using higher spec packages pay a lot more than that - they have all lost this functionality ... - of course you could be correct that it's just simply reducing demand on bandwidth but it does seem a questionable business model change on a paid service just to save traffic and make the product less attractive...

https://www.dropbox.com/help/photos-videos/photos-page

Quote
DropBox - The Photos page is changing on June 30, 2017, but your pictures will stay safe in your Dropbox account. After June 30, you’ll no longer be able to create or share albums on the web, or browse photos in the current timeline view.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: phil_parker on June 30, 2017, 06:30:09 pm
The question is how much were you paying to use Photobucket? Nothing?

Someone was paying. OK, storage isn't expensive, but bandwith is, as is staff time to develop and maintain the website.

So, they implement a charge for a service you enjoy using. The level is perhaps too high, but I can't see a problem with the idea of paying for a service that you use, unless you do your job for no money but for the good of others. Advertising can't cover all the bills either, Google has pretty much hoovered up all that money, so unless the company is to fold, they need income from somewhere.

Personally, I use Flickr and pay $60 a year for the service. I also use Blogger for my modelling blog (http://philsworkbench.blogspot.co.uk/), and hope Google gets enough money not to slap adverts over it (I have one via them and I suppose they get income that way) and Wordpress for my novel writing blog (https://nolanparker.wordpress.com/), which DOES have an advert they collect income from. For backups, I use an on-line service I also pay for. And back everything up on a hard drive as well. Yes, I am paranoid.

My guess is that someone at Photobucket decided to ditch all the people who used the service but didn't pay for it. Better have a smaller customer base that brings in income rather than a massive one that doesn't. OK, it's not nice, but the days of getting everything for free on-line are slowly going away.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on June 30, 2017, 10:57:28 pm

To my mind this is a very dubious business practice. You get people addicted to the service as a freebie and then once they cannot easily leave you decide to start charging them. I seem to remember drug dealers used the same tactic.

As does Coca Colo and other manufacturers who strenuously deny such practices


As you say this has happened before and I expect that it will happen again if everyone starts using another "free"  service. Direct posting seems to be the only answer.  :-)) :-)) :-)) plus the thread is there for all to see after all isn't that what it is all about showing off your pride and joy to others
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on June 30, 2017, 11:10:53 pm
I really don't see what all the fuss is about. %% %% %%

Isn't it normal business practice to offer so called "freebies" to entice people to buy/use the product. Model boats mag does.

Or buy one get one free etc etc.

The retailer/supplier can change the offer, free or even for a paid one, at any time.

It's simple let the buyer/user beware.

Think about when Facebook does the same and welcome to the internet of things. Good luck with that one. O0 O0 %% %%
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on June 30, 2017, 11:35:06 pm

Photobucket has been free for many years, I've been using it for at least 10

http://uk.pcmag.com/webcom/90124/news/photobucket-breaks-image-links-across-the-internet
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: TheLongBuild on June 30, 2017, 11:42:48 pm



Photobucket has been free for many years, I've been using it for at least 10

http://uk.pcmag.com/webcom/90124/news/photobucket-breaks-image-links-across-the-internet (http://uk.pcmag.com/webcom/90124/news/photobucket-breaks-image-links-across-the-internet)


Not Any More... <*<


Drop Box not charging but no longer allowing similar image sharing, Does all seem strange its the same date..
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Kim on July 01, 2017, 12:04:02 am
It’s a funny old world we live in now …


We want everything instantly and for nothing preferably… thank you!

Host all my pics and publish them where ever I want … back in the day we had to pay for the negative to be produced… And didn’t moan till we had to get copies..

Give me a forum that I can air my voice, big myself up or slate a supplier, for nothing preferably…

Look in my boxes then say to my face I can get it cheaper on eBay from Germany …

And you wonder why there are no high street retailers…

You’d like to moan but only where you can for free…

Even Mayhem isn’t free to everybody…

A short  badly-rhyming poem by -
Kim
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Umi_Ryuzuki on July 01, 2017, 02:38:30 am
I agree, don't link your windows 10 computer to the cloud.
I built up a new computer and everything is fine.
A friend bought a new computer, and at sometime put in his Hotmail Password, and now does not know how to disconnect.

I have long advocated for posting images directly to a forum rather than photo hosts.
I have seen too many great build threads destroyed by ImageShack, or Photobucket when the hotlinks "time out".

PostImage.org is an option, but it is still a crap shoot as to when any image host may begin monetizing "their" data.

 {:-{
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: missyd on July 01, 2017, 05:29:17 am
Many of us use Photobucket to store the images we use to illustrate our postings on Mayhem.  There has previously not been a problem with this.  Their site is free for the purpose of storing images for sharing photos.

However, I have just received notification that they have changed their terms of service to disallow "3rd Party Hosting" unless you upgrade your previously free account to one costing $99.99 a year.

Does this mean that Photobucket will now pull the plug on any "member" that links their photos on Model Boat Mayhem unless they agree to pay almost a hundred US Dollars a year for the privilege?

Most of the photos on Mayhem could suddenly disappear ?

Its 39.99$ per month or 399.99$ per year for unlimited 3rd party hosting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  >:-o >:-o >:-o
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: tigertiger on July 01, 2017, 08:36:45 am
I think the reasons for the changes we are seeing now are twofold.
Firstly, the original business cases for these photo hosting sites are no longer valid. The original business case could not have foreseen the growth of phones with good cameras and social media. I know people who upload, and share, more than 10 photos everyday. Not just weddings, birthdays, seasonal festivities, and holidays; but meals, the dog doing something daft, and what Fred is doing lakeside. The bandwidth usage must be many times that planned for. Maybe a 100 times.
Secondly, I doubt any company wanted to be the first to bite the bullet, but once one made the move others soon followed.


Just some speculation.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 01, 2017, 08:55:59 am
I have concerns for Martin here, in fact we all should.
With these photo sharing sites effectively going into self destruct, what would happen to Mayhem's bandwidth if everyone (who could) upload their pictures directly to Mayhem instead?

I think we should each and all seriously consider donating significantly more towards the upkeep of this free site.
Otherwise we would not just lose our illustrations, but a serious risk of losing our means of communicating with each other.  Please think about it before dumping all your photos on Martin's server.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

PS:  I still can't get small photos to load on the Mayhem Post Message tool.  The attachment/s appear listed in the dialogue box, but when I try to Preview or Save I just get a red text message saying the content is "empty".
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 01, 2017, 09:30:55 am

I agree to concern about the bandwidth here. What I do not know is how much of Martins bandwidth does it take to include an image hosted elsewhere on the page that I view.


If more members posting pictures to the site directly will significantly increase Martins bandwidth usage is a possible answer thumbnails so that we only see large versions of images that we actually want to view at that time rather than all of them? This seems to work well for RCGroups & others.
 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Colin Bishop on July 01, 2017, 09:45:09 am
 I think Bob is right that this is a bit of a wake up call for Mayhem.
 
Posting photos directly on the website does push up the server storage enormously, and to some extent the bandwidth associated with transmitting the images. So hosting costs will increase significantly but it looks as if that is a bullet that will have to be bitten.
 
At the moment the site is owned and financed by Martin with annual top up appeals to members but none of us actually know what it costs or to what extent Martin is subsidising it from his own pocket.
 
It is no good saying ‘well, if everyone were to give £xxx that would keep everything running’ but it doesn’t work like that as members have differing degrees of ability and willingness to contribute. It would be much better if Martin were to adopt a ‘church restoration fund’ approach and to set a target of what he feels he needs to top up his own contribution, particularly now that it looks as if a lot more image storage space will be needed. He can show progress to target and people can keep chipping in until the target is reached. Any surplus can be set against the target for the following year. Does this sound like a plan?
 
As has already been said, Mayhem is 100% dependent upon Martin for its operation. There really does need to be some sort of contingency plan for someone to be able to take over should Martin become incapacitated in any way. People do fall ill and sometime they don’t see buses coming. None of us would want this to happen to Martin but there does need to be a continuity plan to protect the vast amount of data on this site.
 
Colin
 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: marinemole on July 01, 2017, 01:12:20 pm
I've checked Mayhem and two other sites I post to. At the moment images are still displaying.


There always was a limit on the bandwidth Photobucket allowed, I posted about this some time ago when my images were being temporarily blocked till the 'meter' reset. This makes me wonder if the current restriction is not being applied universally but on a case by case basis when Photobucket registers activity. Who knows?


On the general subject of 'free' storage the most blatant example is that of Amazon. Purchase of a Kindle Fire came with a smallish allowance of storage. After a while they stopped usage of any unused space unless a storage plan was purchased. I should have complained to Trading Standards etc, as the storage was directly linked to a purchase, but my crusading days are over.


Facebook next?


Andy
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 01, 2017, 04:32:21 pm
 

Afternnon All  :-)

Internet Hosting companies don't seem  'that' bothered by bandwidth usage these days*, maybe because the internet has a much faster environment these days, it's the disk space & back end processing is now where the price hikes are.
( Well actually, they hike anything they can, they are non essential services commercial companies after all!! )

For quite some time now, we've been struggling showing photos on the Forum and management of all the files,  #.  Mayhem eats up about 15Gb server disk space and that excludes all the externally hosted photos, ( about another 10-20Gig! ). I've looked at and tried several options over the years, some more successful than others but some, I admit, have been the 'King Canute' mentality! ^ So I've been looking into Mayhem having it's own image hosting service, one that sits alongside Mayhem but separate to the Forum, (for control & management reasons).
One of the greatest benefits I'm hoping to achieve is   automatic photo uploading and resizing!  :o
 
A few 'doable' options have sprung up but with my lack of expertise in this area, it's a slow process and obviously, I don't want to jump out of the frying pan, into a game of two halves?!? BtDtGtTS! ~


Keep posting your thoughts and observations, as you can guess, a very interesting .... well for me anyway!  O0

 Martin


 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

* they seem to like a lot of bandwidth going through there system..... "trending" & stuff like that ......  I think!

# just the sheer number and size of files that come out of cameras & phones these days it staggering, 10,000% increase in size in last 10 years. Mayhem stared off with just 10Meg!!!!!

^ not historically correct I know ... but come on,  give me a break! - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Canute_and_the_waves (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Canute_and_the_waves)

~ Been there, Done that, Got the T-shirt!

 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: missyd on July 01, 2017, 06:27:37 pm
That would be fantastic .... a forum with its own picture server ....  :-))
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on July 01, 2017, 07:15:00 pm





OK Martin , assess the up front and maintenance costs and we will fund raise for it I'm sure.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 01, 2017, 07:28:51 pm

That would be fantastic .... a forum with its own picture server ....  :-))


I have absolutely no idea what this all means but does it have security/ hacker implications that can be sensibly dealt with?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: grendel on July 01, 2017, 07:29:55 pm
another forum I am on, when I mentioned the photobucket thing the admin stated that the forum took copies or hosted images and stored them locally - that forum also auto resizes the pictures, so it can be done if you know  how - me - he loses me in seconds once he starts getting technical.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: ballastanksian on July 01, 2017, 08:27:11 pm
I just looked this up regarding Paint shop pro7, which is Bob's image manipulating program, and people suggest that it has issues with Windows 10 suggesting that your attempts at attaching images may stem from this friction.

https://www.cnet.com/forums/discussions/jasc-paint-shop-pro-7-633462/

http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showthread.php/175653-Paint-Shop-Pro-7-not-working-correctly-after-Win-8-1-repair

It could be program bugs Bob (says he who knows the same about computers as Davinci did about jet turbines  {:-{    )
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: oldflyer2 on July 01, 2017, 10:52:05 pm
Interesting ... On another forum (for model engineering) PB is saying it is $300.00 per year to get the pics back.

I have been threatening for a while to stop all this digital and computer stuff. Now might be a good time as I feel these types of charges are just going to get worse. Next we will be charged per email.

Cheers

Tom
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Colin Bishop on July 01, 2017, 10:59:52 pm
Carrier pigeons will come back into fashion....


Colin
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 01, 2017, 11:07:40 pm
I have absolutely no idea what this all means but does it have security/ hacker implications that can be sensibly dealt with?

This is usually handled at server level, I get the hosting company to handle security and viruses issues.

I just looked this up regarding Paint shop pro7, which is Bob's image manipulating program, and people suggest that it has issues with Windows 10 suggesting that your attempts at attaching images may stem from this friction.
.

I use Paint Shop Pro 7.04 all the time, on XP, 7 & 10, no issues at all, VERY fast and does everything I need!
Google's Picasa is also very good, retired now but still downloadable.
 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: missyd on July 02, 2017, 07:15:44 am
Interesting ... On another forum (for model engineering) PB is saying it is $300.00 per year to get the pics back.

As written before its either 39.99$/Month or 399.99$/Year to have all 3rd party hosting visible again!
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 02, 2017, 11:10:17 am
 
You can rent your own host server for less!   >:-o
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 02, 2017, 11:21:41 am

If you did rent a host server could you get all the pictures that are presently hosted elsewhere that are not yet blocked or would the third party hosted images only start at the time of the rental commencing?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 02, 2017, 05:36:18 pm
Questions:  To those who have been able to upload an image direct on a Mayhem post ...






( PS:  Yes, I do have a fast direct-connected Broadband connection )
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 02, 2017, 05:47:46 pm

Questions:  To those who have been able to upload an image direct on a Mayhem post ...

( PS:  Yes, I do have a fast direct connected Broadband connection )

PS I have used a great hosting company for the last 10 years or so - I have multiple accounts with them - price is $60 per year and that gets you 1000MB disk space, 80GB monthly data transfer & 500MB email storage
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 02, 2017, 05:57:27 pm
My pictures show in preview and immediately always. I use SmugMug you get what you pay for.
Over around the last ten years I've posted thousands of pictures on various forums but when I die they will all disappear unless the subscription is renewed  {-)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Living-World/Fish/i-mzC9B4T/0/527314e8/X2/Flying%20fish%201-X2.jpg)


No file size or upload limits at all
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Living-World/Birds/i-5QtRf5s/0/01dcdbe1/X3/EGRET%201-X3.jpg)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 02, 2017, 05:59:31 pm
Thank you C-3PO.  Straight answers are more helpful than previous "It works OK for me" comments.

OK, looks like the actual direct uploading of images linked to only happens when clicking "Post", and perhaps a "refresh" on the web page is needed too.  I am just trying to analyse why my images linked do not appear, bearing in mind the time period you can "Modify" in is relatively short.

I will have a look at SmugMug.  Thanks.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 02, 2017, 06:19:25 pm
To clarify - my understanding/experience is:

Mayhem hosted images only appear after they have been posted and not in preview as they have not yet been uploaded and are not yet stored on the Mayhem web host when you click preview

Third party hosted images appear in preview as they have already been uploaded and are already stored on a web host


C-3PO
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 02, 2017, 06:22:47 pm
 :-))
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 02, 2017, 06:36:10 pm
 
                     O0
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 02, 2017, 06:47:49 pm
Thank you everyone.  That makes things clearer.

However, not wishing to overload Martin's server & bandwidth, I have found an acceptable alternative to Phtobucket.

SmugMug, as recommended by Mayhemer T33cno.  Yes there is a small monthly charge, but so far it seems to be able to store / organise / link my images into Mayhem just as the now defunct software used to do.
I don't mind paying £2.95 pm.  My images are pre-processed, small, and I only link a few per month so should not be a big deal to any hosting site. 

EXAMPLE:  (even shows in Preview)

(https://photos.smugmug.com/HMS-Agincourt/i-2c3pgBm/0/bf75039b/L/Royal-Marine-inside-L.jpg) (https://bobkiralfy.smugmug.com/HMS-Agincourt/i-2c3pgBm/A)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 02, 2017, 06:51:19 pm
Nice Bob  :-))

Mine is due for renewal soon and I expect equal to £40 for the year


EDIT
free trial and plan details.
https://www.smugmug.com/plans (https://www.smugmug.com/plans)


EDIT I just found my invoice and at current exchange rate £46.57
EDIT I don't buy news papers and this is under £1 per week


EDIT its worth it
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Living-World/Birds/i-mGTBz8P/0/b6f20215/X3/Swan%204-X3.jpg)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 02, 2017, 07:01:57 pm
Questions:  To those who have been able to upload an image direct on a Mayhem post ...

  • How long after Saving do you get to be able to Modify the post.  I think it is only ten minutes.
    ie:  If you transfer the image/s successfully, how long to you get to compose a large amount of text to go in between the image/s. -
  • Can this be extended as I normally compose everything in Word, pasting in the image links, then copy/pasting it all into the Mayhem dialogue box, Preview to check everything OK + any edits, then clicking Post last.

1.  Maximum time after posting to allow edit  =  30 minutes. ( After that, just PM me!  :-)) )

2. Yes but it was disabled back in the bad old days or Mayhem 'flame wars'!
     Certain people made incendiary posts, Mayhem promptly broke out, the original post was then deleted or edited retrospectively.  >:-o

    For Long Posts, I tend to use a word processor or email client to get the wording into nearly English, then copy and paste.
    For less frustration, I found short posts, even one post per photo is a lot easier manage.


NB: Looks Like I'll have to rebuild the Bismarck topic again... http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4024.0.html
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: grendel on July 02, 2017, 07:17:43 pm
I usually find that the page updates each time I press the additional image button, if the previous images name vanishes it doesnt post, I do have issues posting from work, but that is due to the software that limits me to 30 minutes browsing on non work related sites.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 02, 2017, 07:18:43 pm
Thanks Martin.  I was not sure how long we got for editing.
Not wanting to burden you with everyone loading their images direct, but I would ask Members to consider this when making donations to keep Mayhem running.  We all need to up our ante a bit.


In US Dollars SmugMug is 3.95 pm, or $47 pa.  No mention of VAT (so far).  Seems reasonable at approx. 35 Quid.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 02, 2017, 07:21:05 pm
Thanks Martin.  I was not sure how long we got for editing.
Not wanting to burden you with everyone loading their images direct, but I would ask Members to consider this when making donations to keep Mayhem running.  We all need to up our ante a bit.


In US Dollars SmugMug is 3.95 pm, or $47 pa.  No mention of VAT (so far).  Seems reasonable at approx. 35 Quid.


Believe me you will pay VAT too, it does say plus relevant taxes.


EDIT
I just checked my invoice and they've charged me as a power user which is INCORRECT. I hope they will re invoice me for the correct amount. Thank you Bob I never noticed
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 02, 2017, 07:35:36 pm
My pictures show in preview and immediately always. I use SmugMug you get what you pay for.
Over around the last ten years I've posted thousands of pictures on various forums but when I die they will all disappear unless the subscription is renewed  {-)

I've email SmugMug  to see if they do a Forum interface......
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 02, 2017, 07:37:11 pm
I've email SmugMug  to see if they do a Forum interface......


They have a first class technical department so I hope they can help  :-))
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 03, 2017, 03:30:56 pm
 
News on Photobucket:  https://www.ghacks.net/2017/07/02/photobucket-alternatives-for-third-party/

NB: I'm going to experiment with some photo hosting software this week..... so if Mayhem goes down, you'll know why!  {:-{

Yes, we do have a rolling daily backup regime.   :-))




Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 03, 2017, 03:46:19 pm
SmugMug T&C's - "caveat emptor"
Quote
5. Hyperlinks

You may create a text hyperlink to the Site, provided such link does not portray SmugMug or any of its Products or Services in a false, misleading, derogatory or otherwise defamatory manner.
 
This limited right may be revoked by SmugMug at any time.

You may not frame the Site or utilize framing techniques to enclose the Site, SmugMug Materials, SmugMug Marks or other proprietary information without SmugMug's express prior written consent.

https://www.smugmug.com/about/terms (https://www.smugmug.com/about/terms)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 03, 2017, 03:55:00 pm
When I choose to share a photograph of mine that I pay smug mug to save for me it offers me a list of sizes to choose from with the intention of sharing anywhere I choose so there is nothing clandestine about it


(https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/Miscellaneous/i-CVQJkTC/0/b0c10f1c/X2/IMG_1697-X2.png)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on July 03, 2017, 08:09:59 pm
Quote
http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,58456.msg610396.html#msg610396
NB: Looks Like I'll have to rebuild the Bismarck topic again... http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4024.0.html (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4024.0.html)


 Now aren't (isn't)(wasn't) Photobucket just the pits !
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: dreadnought72 on July 04, 2017, 12:31:47 am
I simply can't understand this.  %%


1/ Photobucket has been around for years, for free - or nearly free.
2/ Maybe a few users were 3rd-partying images to hugely popular websites. Most users, probably, had simply backed-up pictures of their cat.
3/ At a meeting the Men In Suits decided to make money because of this 3rd-partying.
4/ As a result, every user, without warning, was effectively sent a bill for $399 per annum.
5/ Chunks of the internet (Photobucket photographs on blogs and forums) break.

Did no-one at that meeting have the nerve to investigate or question the likely outcome?


At what point did the Men In Suits think this was a viable business proposal? The backlash has been obvious, and immense.


Users, many of them, have stated they would have paid 'a reasonable rate' for server space and bandwidth. Who decided $399 a year was realistic?


Putting on my finest tin-foil hat (https://illuminaughtyboutique.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/tin-baseball.jpg?w=646&h=534), this almost reads as if Photobucket is sick of the work it did, and has decided to leave the industry. I see that the company is privately owned, after Fox sold it out to a Seattle-based company a few years ago, so there's no way to see their shares free-fall, but there is no future for them. They've got two options:


A/ Fold.
B/ Back down - with the potential threat that they'll do this again.


In either option their user base are legging it. No-one would seriously put in an offer, any offer, to take this company over.


It is, by any rational investigation, an insane move.


Andy

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: carlmt on July 04, 2017, 10:35:06 am
Hi Andy - When we both have a few minutes spare in our lives, I am going to have to have a chat with you about the idea / method / how to of storing / hosting our photos on our website (or something similar - see? confused already!!!)

C
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 10:52:53 am
Best advice you can get from a most experienced forum owner !
Contact James/Jim Brown owner of the best most up to date forum in existence in U.K.
MotorhomeFun
Check it out I'm sure he can help
On that forum I can upload very large picture files direct from my phone camera as well as photo library so I have no need to host them myself
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: carlmt on July 04, 2017, 10:59:22 am
Best advice you can get from a most experienced forum owner !
Contact James/Jim Brown owner of the best most up to date forum in existence in U.K.
MotorhomeFun
Check it out I'm sure he can help
On that forum I can upload very large picture files direct from my phone camera as well as photo library so I have no need to host them myself

Ha ha...........not so sure I would be welcomed on there...  I hail from the 'dark side'.  Been tempted of late as a result of the mess that has happened though....
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 11:04:28 am
I'm Techno on both forums but dumped facts when the Canadians bought it.
Life member on Fun
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 04, 2017, 11:34:20 am
 
I wonder if there has been some big court case where a photo sharing company got in trouble for unknowingly host illegal photos or the like.....?   {:-{
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 04, 2017, 12:15:32 pm


I wonder if there has been some big court case where a photo sharing company got in trouble for unknowingly host illegal photos or the like.....?   {:-{



Copyright issues have a long history of legal cases but I haven't heard of anything particular recently - but there again I am not on anybody's hotline when such decisions are made. If this is the reason you would think that Photobucket would be shouting it from the rooftops as the way that they are handling things is not getting them very good press. How many of us would now trust them now even if we paid?


I do think that this is a wake up call however and it proves that just about anything on the cloud, or held by third parties, cannot be guaranteed. If you read the conditions of service of these companies most can do absolutely anything they like & there is nothing that any normal mortal can do about it.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 12:24:58 pm
I joined SmugMug because at the time they backed up everything in 3 different servers in three different states. I'm sure that has not been degraded
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 04, 2017, 01:17:52 pm

I joined SmugMug because at the time they backed up everything in 3 different servers in three different states. I'm sure that has not been degraded


Why are you convinced that SmugMug won't do exactly what Photobucket have done - particularly if they suddenly get an enormous number of forum photos which are accessed frequently?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: phil_parker on July 04, 2017, 01:21:48 pm
I simply can't understand this.  %%

1/ Photobucket has been around for years, for free - or nearly free.
2/ Maybe a few users were 3rd-partying images to hugely popular websites. Most users, probably, had simply backed-up pictures of their cat.
3/ At a meeting the Men In Suits decided to make money because of this 3rd-partying.
4/ As a result, every user, without warning, was effectively sent a bill for $399 per annum.
5/ Chunks of the internet (Photobucket photographs on blogs and forums) break.

Did no-one at that meeting have the nerve to investigate or question the likely outcome?

At what point did the Men In Suits think this was a viable business proposal? The backlash has been obvious, and immense.

Users, many of them, have stated they would have paid 'a reasonable rate' for server space and bandwidth. Who decided $399 a year was realistic?

Putting on my finest tin-foil hat (https://illuminaughtyboutique.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/tin-baseball.jpg?w=646&h=534), this almost reads as if Photobucket is sick of the work it did, and has decided to leave the industry. I see that the company is privately owned, after Fox sold it out to a Seattle-based company a few years ago, so there's no way to see their shares free-fall, but there is no future for them. They've got two options:


A/ Fold.
B/ Back down - with the potential threat that they'll do this again.

In either option their user base are legging it. No-one would seriously put in an offer, any offer, to take this company over.

It is, by any rational investigation, an insane move.

Andy

It's not insane at all. All the users of the service getting it for free were costing the business money. The storage, bandwidth and support costs still exist, there needs to be income to cover this. Some of that income came from advertising, but if a photo is linked from another site, no-one sees that advert yet there is still a bandwidth cost to serve up that photo and PhotoBucket has to pay this.

"Some" users might claim they will pay a "reasonable rate" but only until they are actually asked to put their hands in their pocket. As others have said, there are plenty of paid for services out there already. No matter how tiny the fee was, most people would mumble something and walk away in a huff.

Far from being an "insane move", unless your business model is to give away money, it's what they have to do. Ditching the people who are all cost and no income gives the only chance to turn a profit. As for other forums, well, that's not PhotoBucket's problem. If you have a problem with someone trying to make money then you could always set up a rival business. There is an opportunity for a company to offer easy transfer of pictures stored on Photobucket to a new free service.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 04, 2017, 01:35:20 pm

..................................... There is an opportunity for a company to offer easy transfer of pictures stored on Photobucket to a new free service.


How would that "easy transfer" work? If it would work then all Forums could "transfer" their missing images.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: phil_parker on July 04, 2017, 01:41:01 pm

How would that "easy transfer" work? If it would work then all Forums could "transfer" their missing images.

You would set up an automated process that allowed a user to supply a site with their username and password, set it off, and all the photos would be transfered from Photobucket to the new photo storing service.

I suspect it wouldn't be difficult to develop and if your business model is to provide a free service to people who have shown they won't pay for anything, the cost of this wouldn't be an issue.

Links to forums would be different, the users would have to do those manually.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 01:43:53 pm

Why are you convinced that SmugMug won't do exactly what Photobucket have done - particularly if they suddenly get an enormous number of forum photos which are accessed frequently?


Because that is what they are in the business of doing and why I pay
There are around 10 thousand pictures of mine being accessed all the time
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 04, 2017, 01:48:51 pm
For this kind of D.O.S. (denial of service) attack I would have expected payment in Bitcoin ?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 04, 2017, 02:52:01 pm



Because that is what they are in the business of doing and why I pay
There are around 10 thousand pictures of mine being accessed all the time


Um. From the point of view of the forum are the images only secure as long as you keep paying? If you stop, for whatever reason, does that mean that all your forum posts loose their images? Does that also mean that you can delete your images from both your image holder & thus the forum at any time?


If so I don't think that this is the answer.


This is most definitely not a dig at you personally but rather using "you" generically for anyone who hosts their images elsewhere.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 03:10:05 pm
Yes if I stop paying they will disappear after a period.
I can't edit posts but I can disable pictures directly or make a gallery private.
I can at any time select download and they will prepare a file quite quickly with all my images


Edit
I should add that I've used it for well over 10 yrs
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 04, 2017, 03:16:06 pm
SmugMug looks a very professional site with a neat interface to share images...

I am sure SmugMug is a reliable and reputable company and realise if they change their business model it would most likely have a direct impact on subscription income.

They offer to store images that can then be viewed directly on their site - that I believe is what you pay for.

I could not find references to 3rd party sharing on any of their main pages - could have just missed it...

They do provide a very easy way to obtain the links to your images

In their T&C they refer to "hyperlinks" e.g. linking your images to to other sites - one of the T&C that applies - "This limited right may be revoked by SmugMug"

Whilst I can't imagine they wouldn't be foolish enough to do this they have the provision to stop sharing links with other websites - it's not your right as part of your subscription.

So my point is - go into this with yours eyes open as months down the road when you have links on forums to SmugMug image storage you could (however unlikely) find yourself in the same position as with the PhotoBucket mess. - My interpretation is you don't expressly pay for image sharing on other sites with SmugMug - it's just something they allow currently.

I imagine if you read the small print on most providers of this type of service they all have similar clauses - even if just added a few days ago :)

C-3PO
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 03:41:10 pm
 :-)) 
They would not provide links to embed your photos on other sites if they did not want you to.
When I select share all it wants to know is how big do you want it sir
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 04, 2017, 03:50:16 pm

I guess that it all depends on from whose perspective you are looking at this.


The individual sees a hosting service that they pay for which looks after their images and allows easy linking to forums etc for as long as SmugMug allows it and they want the image to be publically available.


The forum gets images for as long as the individual pays for the service and wants the forum to get the images and for as long as SmugMug doesn't decide to follow the lead of Photobucket - which they may or may not do at their discretion.


To safeguard the forum I still think that direct posting is the only answer.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 04:03:42 pm
I agree and that is why MotorhomeFun is so successful
From memory I think I can add about 9mb of pictures to each post on Fun and the forum stores them
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 04, 2017, 04:22:14 pm
T33cno

You seem to miss the point - they could stop it as per their T&C's and you could do nothing about it - it's not your right.

Clearly to be a successful images site they need to provide an easy way to share images which is what they do hence they provide an easy way to do it - and let's hope they never change that.

But you can't avoid the fact as per their T&C's they could stop it tomorrow however mad that decision maybe which is simply my point - "caveat emptor"!

C-3PO
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 04:43:11 pm
They have no reason to and they DO charge for it
As it says included in all plans and there isn't a free plan
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 04, 2017, 05:02:34 pm

NB: I did approach SmugMug about hosting photos for a Forum and how it could be implemented ..... they don't have a ready to solution.....   {:-{
 
     "I am not sure if that's something that can be done. If it is, you can find out here:
      https://dgrin.com/categories/smugmug-api-support-integrations
     We give out API keys, and allow you to build your own apps, and other types of scripts to do what you're looking to do."
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: dreadnought72 on July 04, 2017, 05:31:20 pm
It's not insane at all ... If you have a problem with someone trying to make money ...


$399 a year? For every user? I have no problem with a realistic business model, but that is just crazy.


Andy
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Netleyned on July 04, 2017, 05:44:08 pm
Photos are best kept in an album
Not a bucket  :D :D :D


Couldn't resist it 8)


Ned
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: dreadnought72 on July 04, 2017, 05:51:23 pm
We've got, what, about 500,000 posts on the forum?


The allowed attachments limit is 3000KB per post.


Luckily for Martin, most posts are image-free, or use(d) 3rd party linking - out of interest what size is the forum, Martin? Is there a possibility for image hosting without zooming through terabyte amounts of server space?


Andy
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: TheLongBuild on July 04, 2017, 06:14:19 pm

We've got, what, about 500,000 posts on the forum?


The allowed attachments limit is 3000KB per post.


Luckily for Martin, most posts are image-free, or use(d) 3rd party linking - out of interest what size is the forum, Martin? Is there a possibility for image hosting without zooming through terabyte amounts of server space?


Andy


Which is 1500kb more than required really..
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 06:14:49 pm
Photos are best kept in an album
Not a bucket  :D :D :D


Couldn't resist it 8)


Ned


Over 10 yrs of my life won't fit in an album  {-) and my pictures will still be there until my dying breath. The rest can kick the BUCKET now  ;D
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cycling/Yorkshire-Velo-members/i-x4Xnz24/0/b3ff30c5/X2/YCF%2025%202nd%20May%2009-X2.jpg)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Netleyned on July 04, 2017, 06:17:35 pm
Nice one Andy :-))
Does the bike have a lipo? :}


Ned
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 06:18:20 pm
Nice one Andy :-))
Does the bike have a lipo? :}


Ned
Battery up my jacksie  {-)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Netleyned on July 04, 2017, 06:21:18 pm
Hope the balance plug fits ok O0
Ned
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 06:58:15 pm
Storage costs money so either everyone buys their own like me or everyone should pay £15 a year forum membership. I know that will go down well  {-)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 04, 2017, 07:00:57 pm
Interesting business plan:   According to Wikipedia Photobucket has one hundred million registered users, who upload four million photos and videos every day.  If, for arguments sake, we assume that virtually all of them link at least some of their images on forums and blogs etc, then this is the target user base they want to make lots of lovely money from.

If everyone in the current registered user base felt obliged to cough up virtually four hundred Dollars a year then in just their next trading year Photobucket would reap in a sum equivalent to half the nett worth of Bill Gates, according to Forbes.

In five, or even ten, years they could not only buy out and close every other image hosting web site, and probably still have enough to buy a small country.   President Trump would have enough extra in taxes to never again worry about his national budget.

10,000,000 registered users x £400.00   Forty Billion Dollars.  Total outgoings, just a quick edit of their terms and conditions, say ten Bucks.   
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 07:07:38 pm
Price point will cause mass desertion.
Personally I'm blessed with an iPhone 7 plus with plenty of memory and fairly sure I could download all my photos from smug mug directly for re distribution.
I realise that won't restore all my forum posts BUT I won't be blackmailed which is what Photobuckshit are effectively doing



Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: TheLongBuild on July 04, 2017, 08:49:20 pm

saw this on wiki


This new business model has caused thousands of forum DIY's and write-ups with explanatory pictures to be rendered useless. Photobucket has not had any new accounts created on their site since this new change took place.


That's a surprise !!
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: malcolmfrary on July 04, 2017, 08:55:11 pm
Earlier it was mentioned that there is no such thing as a free lunch.  To go with that is the saw that "If you are not paying for a product, you ARE the product." 
If Photobucket have discovered that hosting free photos for other websites is costing them money, they will look to reshape their operation.  Which they have done.
On other threads keeping your own backup has been thoroughly discussed, and my thinking is totally with the school that says that entrusting somebody else, whether paying them or not, to look after your data is just asking for trouble.  It matters not a scrap how solid or watertight a contract is, if the company goes out, its stored data goes with it.  Or if a government agency says that the company has been upsetting that government, all of the data stored can be impounded.  There was a lot of legal and legitimate data stored by honest people hoovered up when "they" went after Kim Dotcom a very few years ago.

One thing is fairly certain, Photobucket, by the way that they have implemented the change, will probably never be trusted again, whether for a fully paid for service or not.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 09:07:42 pm
Good points
For my view SmugMug are a family business started in 2002 and always charged.
So they have a sustainable business model evident by 15yrs of service of which I've benefitted for more than 10

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: BFSMP on July 04, 2017, 09:17:58 pm

Good points
For my view SmugMug are a family business started in 2002 and always charged.
So they have a sustainable business model evident by 15yrs of service of which I've benefitted for more than 10


are you a share holder.............you certainly are plugging it as an alternative to photobucket. {-) {-) {-)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 09:20:17 pm
Compare the price structure and make your own judgment

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 09:22:32 pm
Actually if you quote my email address when subscribing I think we both get rewarded :-))
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: BFSMP on July 04, 2017, 09:28:37 pm

Thank you for the invite, but the few photos I take these days are still on proper film, not digital, and store the negs in a labelled file. :embarrassed: O0


Jim.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 09:31:37 pm
That's good and thus the whole issue is not of concern to yourself  {-) 
Only other peoples lost shared pictures will have an impact when you're trying to follow a thread with missing images
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 04, 2017, 09:33:02 pm
 
I wonder  if Photobucket need to raise some revenue, fast, real fast?

If so 1% of "100 million registered members" x $399 = £WadsofCash!
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: BFSMP on July 04, 2017, 09:40:53 pm

That's good and thus the whole issue is not of concern to yourself  {-) 


it certainly isn't...far too technical for me.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 09:50:42 pm
Here's one just for you Jim
Hopefully I can keep it there for another ten years at least  :-)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Big-Structures/Humber-Bridge/i-dKZHZjr/0/fb3080d5/X3/HB%2027-X3.jpg)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: BFSMP on July 04, 2017, 09:54:08 pm

thank you.........is  that the Humber bridge........magnificent construction, as is the Firth of Forth bridge too.


Jim.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 09:55:47 pm
thank you.........is  that the Humber bridge........magnificent construction, as is the Firth of Forth bridge too.


Jim.


Yes and there's more here
https://techno.smugmug.com/Big-Structures/Humber-Bridge/
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 04, 2017, 09:59:09 pm
This one Jim?
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/France/Millau-Aire-and-town/i-RVhvqDc/0/3196a79e/XL/Millau%2010-XL.jpg)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 05, 2017, 07:30:00 am


I wonder  if Photobucket need to raise some revenue, fast, real fast?

If so 1% of "100 million registered members" x $399 = £WadsofCash!


Do you think that as many as 1% of private people who link to forums etc will pay $399 per year to have their photos stored & keep their links alive? The price seems nearer to wanting rid of them altogether but if they are willing to pay then.................... I would also observe that there is no guarantee that this price will remain the price for any length of time.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on July 05, 2017, 07:33:05 am
Consider this.

What is to stop someone ( photobucket or whoever) coming along and buying out smugsy for some ridiculous amount that smugsy couldn't refuse.

Your contract is null and void you have lost control etc etc, photobucket all over again.

Bottom line never  say never.

Remember WIN10 and all the howls, they can't do that, they will lose business etc etc.

It's done the lesson to be learnt is if you host anything (include spacebook) be prepared for the fall.

This thread must be costing Martin a mint with no tangible solutions except posting direct to the thread.

There are numerous threads that need to be binned because of people who used hosted images.

What a waste of time and resources, not to mention the effort trying to clean it all up.

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 05, 2017, 07:36:55 am
My glass is half full
Very many people have benefitted from informative pictures I've posted across many forums and they are all still there. Even if the worst should happen it does not undo that it just ends.
The fact is that there is as much likely hood of a forum going out of business
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 05, 2017, 07:39:36 am

RAAArtyGunner
I agree. The problem is that I have no idea whether direct posting only is a sustainable "business" model for Martin.


Something to consider might be to change the rules of the forum to give the forum the right to grab & store any images that are linked in topics. That way those who link do not need to resize etc which would need to be done automatically. Whether such a change could be either possible or retrospective I don't know & as I say I am not sure how this works as a "business" model.


T33vno
What you say is true but you can only ever reduce risk & never eliminate it. Photobucket have proven that images held at 3rd party sites are a risk that can be eliminated - but at what cost I don't know.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 05, 2017, 11:17:39 am
 
Morals of the story so far:

The Cloud, you get what you paid for   i.e. Nothing!
Always keep original anything when it come to the internet i.e. Photos! 
The internet is a very transient place, uncertain and not to be trusted!

"I Like you. When The World Is Mine, Your Death Will Be Quick And Painless ..."
 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Surveyor on July 05, 2017, 01:15:06 pm
Gentlemen

I am new to this forum, only joined last night but already I am inconvenienced because of this Photobucket problem.

I joined because I happened across a DelftShip Tutorial and when I read it I felt immediately at home because of the way it was presented.

I am a retired Master Boatbuilder and Small Ship Surveyor who is somewhat familiar with CAD programs and I also use Linux on some of my computers ( specifically PCLinuxOS).

Your Forum is very similar to our PCLinuxOS forum and we have a similar photo hosting program that, as far as I am aware, is not compromised.

If any admin fellows on your site would like to speak to admin on PCLOS  re their hosting program, then contact me and I will put you in touch.

Regards

Sid
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on July 05, 2017, 01:30:06 pm



  Life can be very transient on the interwebby thing.  On another boat model forum some years back, which was a goldmine of information and tutorials with a very active and enthusiastic membership, they went for a total upgrade of their Forum server and software. After completing the upgrade and ensuring it was bug free they ditched the old and it's backups, at that point the new system crashed before they had the chance to back up the new. They lost the lot , by the time they got some semblance of service back with no content and all the years of valuable input post gone they had also lost most of the membership who had moved on.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Surveyor on July 05, 2017, 01:42:34 pm
Hello again.

I just checked the PCLinuxOS forum and I see that they prohibited/stopped the use of Photobucket quite a few years ago.

The Admin fellows that run the forum are all very experienced IT Professionals (perhaps retired) and they really know all about computing etc etc.  and they are not having problems with image hosting. :-))
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: dreadnought72 on July 05, 2017, 01:54:56 pm

On another boat model forum some years back...

NRG's Model Ship World?

It's looking ok again now - there are some awesome 'trad wooden model' builds on there - but the loss was something else.

"Tweak carefully" are my web-working-watchwords. :-))

Andy
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Surveyor on July 05, 2017, 02:21:59 pm
Quote
"Tweak carefully" are my web-working-watchwords.

A wise comment Sir.

I have found that as i get older, that photos (images) become more valuable, therefore they (and all Data) need to be stored on your own external HDD (or (SDD) and you only upload to an image hosting program as required. You then have the security of knowing that your information is safe.

I think this is what you are getting at and I would add that (in my experience) chaps who are expert in one field are not always expert in another (sometimes essential field) thus it is very important in these days of computers/cloud storage WHY to know what you are talking about and how to safeguard your own interests and data.
[/color]
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 05, 2017, 02:38:20 pm
Gentlemen

If any admin fellows on your site would like to speak to admin on PCLOS  re their hosting program, then contact me and I will put you in touch.

Regards
Sid

Hi Sid,   Welcome to the Mayhem!

This'll be me then  :-)

Hosting is not the issue here ( well it usually is, but not in this case! ), so...

1. Do we wait and see if Photobucket will flinch first?
2. Set up an 'in-house solution'? ( I hate that term )
3. Something else?

 Sid, what have PCLOS   opted for?

 Martin
 
 

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Surveyor on July 05, 2017, 03:22:14 pm
Hello Martin

I thought you would soon spot this thread!

I am not sure precisely which program they use, so I have sent a PM to one of the Administrators asking the question and also asking if he would be able to contact you directly as I am sure that would be extremely helpful to you.
There will be a time delay as they are all in the USA but I know he will get back to ma ASAP.

Best Regards

Sid
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 05, 2017, 03:36:59 pm
We should be very careful what we ask Martin for.  He already spends a great deal of his time and resources giving us this valuable forum, which is free.  Photobucket kicked the bucket, without warning.  It could equally well have been SmugMug or any of the others, which always could follow suit in the future if they think Photobucket is making more money.

Before asking Martin for additional resources, are we all prepared to help him fund it?  Can some of us even help him administer it, at least the photo hosting part?

I believe we should all up the ante in our annual donations.  Perhaps for a special Gold Star on our profile to encourage greater support.

It is just not practical to repair many thousands of 'lost' images on previous posts, but we can take collective steps to safeguard this problem happening again.  Most of what I have learned about model making in the last six years has come from the many fascinating build threads (with thier oh-so-necessary images ) and the deeply appreciated help and encouragement from other Mayhem members.

We owe it to the next generation of up and coming Modellers to support and assist this excellent forum.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 05, 2017, 04:06:50 pm
 

 Thanks Bob.....   :-))

  Let me get some costs together and we'll see what's what...... watt?!

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on July 05, 2017, 04:50:08 pm
We should be very careful what we ask Martin for.  He already spends a great deal of his time and resources giving us this valuable forum, which is free.  Photobucket kicked the bucket, without warning.  It could equally well have been SmugMug or any of the others, which always could follow suit in the future if they think Photobucket is making more money.

Before asking Martin for additional resources,  are we all prepared to help him fund it?  Can some of us even help him administer it, at least the photo hosting part?

I believe we should all up the ante in our annual donations.  Perhaps for a special Gold Star on our profile to encourage greater support.

It is just not practical to repair many thousands of 'lost' images on previous posts, but we can take collective steps to safeguard this problem happening again.  Most of what I have learned about model making in the last six years has come from the many fascinating build threads (with thier oh-so-necessary images ) and the deeply appreciated help and encouragement from other Mayhem members.

We owe it to the next generation of up and coming Modellers to support and assist this excellent forum.


  I can't speak for all the membership, it would not be expected that everyone would chip in but if the committed builders were to lob a donation into the pot I am sure it is doable .   But why wait ? Why not get the ball rolling now and build up a head of steam for what I am sure is going to be the best solution
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 05, 2017, 05:00:20 pm

But why wait ? Why not get the ball rolling now and build up a head of steam for what I am sure is going to be the best solution


Just done that.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 05, 2017, 06:13:05 pm
Not having seen the Mayhem forum database structure I might be shooting myself in the foot...

If the way forward is for example that Mayhem users decide to use one new point of storage (same domain) then for those users it should be possible to get the history back up without much hassle.

In theory if the image file name remained constant it should be possible to upload images to a "new" location (TBC) using an agreed file structure and then with some nimble SQL work re-reference all the historic database posts to point to the new storage location in a matter of seconds.

Just a thought

C-3PO

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: grendel on July 05, 2017, 07:32:14 pm
we have just done similar on another forum, the main administrator and owner was getting tired of spenddding all his time tweaking the forum, so we recruited a few techies  to help with that, someone took over the accounting, and others the meetings side of things, we are all still learning, but by taking some of the day to day tasks we have given him the chance to take more of a back seat. as he does upgrades he is writing a how to so that the rest of us can learn how to, and everything is running smoothly, even just taking on a simple task such as changing a link, with a few hints from hm have been done saving him the effort. just taking 2/3 of the load off his back has given him time to relax and kick back, and we know if we get stuck we can call him for help.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Surveyor on July 05, 2017, 09:43:16 pm
Quote ''If the way forward is for example that Mayhem users decide to use one new point of storage (same domain) then for those users it should be possible to get the history back up without much hassle.''

Gentlemen

Although I am new to this forum, I am not new to computing and I note that several of you refer to 'a point of storage' I suspect 'the cloud'.

Your thinking is fundamentally wrong, for you should all be storing your data (images etc) on your own media and only uploading images to the forum as required, thus retaining your images and copyright etc on your own hard drives (or SSD's) which today are cheap.

5 minutes later:   I have just been on the Linux forum and I see that they have within the last month made it even easier for members to upload photos to their posts because now, when you write a post there is at the bottom of the page a line saying ''insert image'' and all you have to do now is click and drag from your own computer (or put in a URL). Previously it was not clear to new members how to insert images in their posts, and you had to go to a different website to do so, but these fellows who run the PCLinuxOS forum are all real experts in this sort of technology, so note how they do it :-))

This is the method used on the PCLinuxOS forum and it works. I use both Linux and Windows 7 Pro and have already asked the Linux administrators to help your forum in this regard, for the effort that you all put in and the kindness in posting pictures etc, just cannot be undermined by organisations such as Photobucket, nor does it need to be!
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 05, 2017, 09:54:50 pm


Your thinking is fundamentally wrong, for you should all be storing your data (images etc) on your own media and only uploading images to the forum as required, thus retaining your images and copyright etc on your own hard drives (or SSD's) which today are cheap.


Hi Surveyor - I think most forum users are fully aware of this and maintain the master images on local storage devices - copies are uploaded to the net for others to view or link to forums etc...

When I refer to "new point of storage (same domain)" I am simply referring to the on-line place that the forums can access the images - clearly not the originals!

C-3PO
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Surveyor on July 05, 2017, 10:12:59 pm
Hello C-3PO

Your polite reply is one of the main reasons why I like this forum of yours (having joined only some 24hrs ago) and I am glad to hear that your fellow members are generally careful with storage of their data.
I do not profess to know how these programs work i.e. uploading images, I only use them, but I know a man who does :-))
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on July 06, 2017, 01:11:49 am

You think you have got the rough end of the pineapple and are hard done by????

That's nothing compared to this,

http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/technology/amazon-ebay-images-held-to-ransom-by-photobucket/news-story/f5b3efdaa1dfd7cb5c9a62e6ec2520c6

Much more at stake!!!
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: tigertiger on July 06, 2017, 02:16:26 am
From the linked article above
"Photobucket, which claims to have more than 100 million members and 15 billion hosted images..."
[/size][/color]
[/size]If they have have 100m members, assuming more than half of them are linking images to 3rd parties. At $400 per year nearly all users will not pay up, perhaps how they arrived at that amount. However, it will damage their reputation, severely, which impacts on the future.[/color]
[/size][/color]
[/size]Perhaps if they asked their 100m members for $10 most of them would consider this reasonable, and net revenues could be higher. Speculation on my part.[/color]
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: derekwarner on July 06, 2017, 02:53:57 am
....'the rough end of the pineapple' ... {-)...love it

Only one from OZ could humour our members with this  :P

Just watch out for those blokes at COLES .  >>:-( ...   they are selling pineapple branded as DOLE but it's from the Philippines and full of sugar

[don't they understand anything called Dole in Australia has connotation's of  payments made to out of or non working individuals?  <*< ]

Our Golden Circle brand may be a little more expensive....but at least it's an Australian grown product, [however unfortunately owned by that Mr Heinz of the USA]

You can still see all of the left over sharp rough end pineapple bits [after Mr Heinz has rammed it] on Photobucket......

Derek

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi-8NnIxvPUAhUMwbwKHbcXCLEQFggtMAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGolden_Circle_(company)&usg=AFQjCNE6HFq8lqVUJ9PnHlI4OElLRVfvpQ
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 06, 2017, 07:30:02 am


Is this a possible partial solution?

Martin has said that Mayhem consumes 15Gb of server space and that to include all the externally sourced photos would effectively double that.

Whilst I know that this is a big leap of faith I am guessing that if we reduced the maximum photo sizee from 300kb per image to 200kb it would mean that the new posts with photos maintained on the server would take little more room than the current system where half the photos are here – at a maximum of 300kb per image - & half are held elsewhere.

I thought that I would see what a 200kb photo looked like.

The original of the photo below (I am sure that it would work just the same for a model boat photo!) is 5147 x 2554 and was taken on a 20Mb camera. I have resized it to 1250 x 620  and set the image quality at 60 in Irfanview. This gives us an image size of 176kb.

Is this not good enough for the forum and it would potentially help with the extra number of files stored if they were all to be stored in house.

I would be happy to see what I can do with any size (pixel count or file size) that Martin cares to suggest.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: TheLongBuild on July 06, 2017, 07:46:38 am
As I keep saying, 150-200 is more than adequate and will produce a good picture.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Netleyned on July 06, 2017, 09:08:06 am
[don't they understand anything called Dole in Australia has connotation's of  payments made to out of or non working individuals?  [/size] ]
[/size]
[/size]The Dole was a word coined on UK at the end of the First World War Derek.
[/size]It meant doling out benefits of all kinds to the needy. It then carried on as
[/size]unemployment benefit and is now laughingly called Jobseekers Allowance :P


Sorry to upset the Bucket thread :embarrassed:


Ned



             Translated by Mods

Don't they understand anything called Dole in Australia has connotation's of  payments made to out of or non working individuals?

The Dole was a word coined on UK at the end of the First World War Derek. It meant doling out benefits of all kinds to the needy. It then carried on as unemployment benefit and is now laughingly called Jobseekers Allowance

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: derekwarner on July 06, 2017, 09:26:45 am
Has your keyboard gone wonky Ned?....... {-)

I do understand the origin of the word O0......however it was not applied in equal score to Irish stock who fought in the same WW1 as was provided to folk on the mainland

Derek
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Netleyned on July 06, 2017, 10:01:43 am
It seems the text followed by a smiley
sometimes minimises itself.
It happens every now and again and not only to me.


Ned


Don't stop smiling Ned.     Just leave a gap
ken

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Surveyor on July 06, 2017, 10:23:55 am
After reading the post by Tug Fanatic, I thought I should write something of resizing images etc. but there is no need, for in another thread on this forum there is all the information that one could require and all in excellent concise English. :-))
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 06, 2017, 12:25:17 pm
 
Lots of interest here.... is no one building model boats any more?!?!  ok2


OK, a couple more things to add into the mix:

  I have just been on the Linux forum and I see that they have within the last month made it even easier for members to upload photos to their posts because now, when you write a post there is at the bottom of the page a line saying ''insert image'' and all you have to do now is click and drag from your own computer (or put in a URL).

We did previously have this in place but it's externally hosted and proved frustratingly unreliable!
See: http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,23.msg527861.html#msg527861 (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,23.msg527861.html#msg527861)
( I did make enquires how I could modify the script to point to the Mayhem server but nothing concrete came of it....  {:-{  )



Martin has said that Mayhem consumes 15Gb of server space and that to include all the externally sourced photos would effectively double that.
Whilst I know that this is a big leap of faith I am guessing that if we reduced the maximum photo size from 300kb per image to 200kb it would mean that the new posts with photos maintained on the server would take little more room than the current system where half the photos are here – at a maximum of 300kb per image - & half are held elsewhere.
I thought that I would see what a 200kb photo looked like.
The original of the photo below (I am sure that it would work just the same for a model boat photo!) is 5147 x 2554 and was taken on a 20Mb camera. I have resized it to 1250 x 620  and set the image quality at 60 in Irfanview. This gives us an image size of 176kb.
Is this not good enough for the forum and it would potentially help with the extra number of files stored if they were all to be stored in house.
I would be happy to see what I can do with any size (pixel count or file size) that Martin cares to suggest.

Although Disk space is an issue, it's not the main issue, managing the sheer volume of photo files and legal implications are overriding factors.
SMF Forums were never designed to handle the amount of images that we use it for, so there is no 'useful' tools built in to manage it. ( There are several 'add-on' apps available but several times when SMF do an update, they break the add ons! )
Also annoyingly, SMF do use a photo attachment app that seems to work quite well, but I can't find out what it is and how it's implemented! ... actually they just have a VERY large Server!   {:-{

Another major factor in this narrative is, what happens if someone starts hosting illegal images on the Mayhem server?!
At the moment, you can only post photos into posts. If you ( or I ) delete the post, it also deletes the images associated with that post, low risk for Admin. If ( when ) we start hosting images, not directly tied to posts i.e. just sitting on the server,  and it's child porn,  'Big Trouble in Little China!'

All that aside, still working on a way to:
a, Host the images on the Mayhem server, then we're not beholden to a 3rd party.
b, Auto resizing & upload. ( that will take care of the disk space issue )
c, Easy management, security & legal stuff.

... how hard can it be!   {-)

 Regards,
  Martin


 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: TheLongBuild on July 06, 2017, 01:11:52 pm
Done by Lunch, time to finish the Bissy !!
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 06, 2017, 01:53:32 pm
Everything is more complicated than it appears to the partially informed onlooker.  {:-{
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 06, 2017, 02:18:35 pm
 
Looking at this s/w ....

Chevereto Free is an application which allows you to setup your own image sharing website and our goal is to allow anyone in the world to host their own image sharing platform. We believe in build a real alternative for those who want a customized white-label image sharing service.


    Admin panel
    Basic API
    Embed codes and sharing options
    File manager
    Flood protection
    Image resizing
    Multiple image upload
    Multiple languages available
    Private mode (password protected website)
    Small footprint
    Support for short url services
    Themes
    Watermarks
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: tsenecal on July 06, 2017, 02:40:19 pm
At the moment, you can only post photos into posts.
 




would that need to change?  I understand the magnitude of the photobucket failure, but modelboatmayhem should not try to be a replacement photobucket, photos uploaded to modelboatmayhem only can sit here if they belong to a post here.  I agree that allowing anyone to simply upload an image is rife with possible problems.. I understand that not everyone will agree with this, since basically photobucket etal allowed you to post pictures once, and share them everywhere, but lets face it, that seems to be one feature you should not allow...   basically if you want to post to dozens of model boat sites, and do it for free, you will have to post everywhere.  if you want to post to dozens of model boat sites, and upload photos once, you will have to find a reputable free sharing/hosting site, or pay.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 06, 2017, 05:31:45 pm





would that need to change?  I understand the magnitude of the photobucket failure, but modelboatmayhem should not try to be a replacement photobucket, photos uploaded to modelboatmayhem only can sit here if they belong to a post here.  I agree that allowing anyone to simply upload an image is rife with possible problems.. I understand that not everyone will agree with this, since basically photobucket etal allowed you to post pictures once, and share them everywhere, but lets face it, that seems to be one feature you should not allow...   basically if you want to post to dozens of model boat sites, and do it for free, you will have to post everywhere.  if you want to post to dozens of model boat sites, and upload photos once, you will have to find a reputable free sharing/hosting site, or pay.


I agree totally.


Martin
I suspect that exactly what Chevereto is offering is going to go straight over the heads of most of us.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on July 06, 2017, 05:53:29 pm

Looking at this s/w ....

Chevereto Free is an application which allows you to setup your own image sharing website and our goal is to allow anyone in the world to host their own image sharing platform. We believe in build a real alternative for those who want a customized white-label image sharing service.


    Admin panel
    Basic API
    Embed codes and sharing options
    File manager
    Flood protection
    Image resizing
    Multiple image upload
    Multiple languages available
    Private mode (password protected website)
    Small footprint
    Support for short url services
    Themes
    Watermarks


 But will it always be there and will it always be free . Web services seem more transient than a government minister .
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 06, 2017, 06:09:24 pm
 
I need a photo for the test photo site.....

  What is your favourite photo on Mayhem?




                                                                               Copy / paste   or a link would be useful!
 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 07, 2017, 11:27:53 am

Looking at this s/w ....

Chevereto Free is an application which allows you to setup your own image sharing website and our goal is to allow anyone in the world to host their own image sharing platform. We believe in build a real alternative for those who want a customized white-label image sharing service.


    Admin panel
    Basic API
    Embed codes and sharing options
    File manager
    Flood protection
    Image resizing
    Multiple image upload
    Multiple languages available
    Private mode (password protected website)
    Small footprint
    Support for short url services
    Themes
    Watermarks

Martin - looks an interesting product - if your evaluation is successful would be worth appealing to Mayhem members for donations and going for the $68 version (£53)?

I presume you are thinking of hosting on the same server as Mayhem?

C-3PO

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 07, 2017, 12:06:29 pm
Martin - looks an interesting product - if your evaluation is successful would be worth appealing to Mayhem members for donations and going for the $68 version (£53)?

I presume you are thinking of hosting on the same server as Mayhem?

C-3PO

Greetings  Cp30,

I have installed the Chevereto Free and getting a feel for it...
Documentation is good but not the best eg. Security and Privacy, some seemingly contradictory options the set up.  {:-{
Also, it does have auto image resizing but no settings for it!?!

M   %%
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 07, 2017, 02:03:24 pm
Martin,

I think you may find lots of the global options are not accessed through user menus but require direct editing of the script files - this is a bit like tweaking Wordpress / CSS etc.

https://chevereto.com/community/threads/auto-image-width.1072/ (https://chevereto.com/community/threads/auto-image-width.1072/)



Quote
 
Ok, open
upload.php and change this:
  PHP: $to_resize = $_POST['resize'];  To this:
  PHP: $to_resize = 300;  Where 300 is the desired forced width.
 
 Now, open content/themes/Peafowl/index.php and remove this:
  HTML:
                <div id="resizing"> <div id="resizing-switch"><div><a><span><?php show_lang_txt('txt_resizing'); ?></span> <?php show_lang_txt('txt_resizing_explained'); ?></div></div> <div id="resizing-box"> <div id="resizing-it"> <div id="resize-width"><?php show_lang_txt('txt_resizing_width'); ?> <span><?php show_lang_txt('txt_resizing_pixels'); ?></span></div> <input type="text" id="resize" name="resize"/><div id="resize-keep">*<?php show_lang_txt('txt_resizing_keep'); ?></div> </div> </div> </div>
       


https://github.com/Chevereto/Chevereto-2.X/blob/master/chevereto/includes/config.php
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 07, 2017, 05:08:20 pm

I am so pleased that it isn't me trying to sort this out - there would not be a forum.


Just to clarify if Martin goes for this:
1) who controls the image files & can they be accessed (& remain in the original postings where they were originally placed) if Chevereto have a mad moment?
2) how does this help with the 3rd party image holder problem? Would all image posts be held as part of this rather than a 3rd party like Photobucket?
3) For those who currently hold their images with 3rd parties & then link what happens?


Nor being awkward but would like to understand. I have looked at the Chevereto site but don't understand what I am reading.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 07, 2017, 05:30:20 pm
I think the goal post (solution) is still moving ....

Martin is pouring energy into finding a solution ( and the vertical learning curve that goes with that - the biggest cost being his time) and once he has done that then questions could be answered or indeed Martin no doubt will explain the solution, the pros and cons and what's involved and how use it - and of course what the costs involved are - as even if the solution (scripts) are free the cost to both server storage and server traffic may not be.

Answering questions about a moving target will be a waste of everybody's time as the questions you are asking cannot be validated against the solution until it has been identified, understood, configured, trialled and evaluated - none of these are quick hits

So great questions - fully understand your rational but I think we all need to give Martin some space to work on the solution...

C-3PO



Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 07, 2017, 05:32:41 pm
 
1. If you create an account on our server, you control your own images, same as Photobucket, Flickr, etc. 
    ( The images won't be directly embedded in the posts, we haven't worked out those details yet. )

2. Chevereto is just a bit of software ( Like Windows or Chrome browser or Photoshop ), we load it up and everything
     runs on the Mayhem server, alongside the images. As long as Mayhem stays up, so will the images! '1st Party' hosting?!

2. As long as the 3rd party host stays up so will your photos ( unless they change there T&C again  >:-o  )


    Everyone with Photobucket account can still access their photos, we'll just have to work out a way to transfer/move/
     giggery-poky them back to the correct posts!

    Easy!   {:-{

 

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 07, 2017, 05:34:05 pm
 
... and yes...   what CP30 said!   ok2
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 07, 2017, 06:40:24 pm

Martin


I can only imagine how much time, effort, nail biting and chocolate biscuits this is all taking.


It sounds like what you are considering is a lot more tailorable than I had supposed.


I will shut up & let you get on with it.


Thank you.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 07, 2017, 07:07:42 pm
 Don't shut up .... otherwise I'm talking to myself!
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 07, 2017, 07:21:30 pm


    Everyone with Photobucket account can still access their photos, we'll just have to work out a way to transfer/move/
     giggery-poky them back to the correct posts!



That sounds like unimaginable hours of hand editing.  I doubt if that will be possible, but if it can be achieved I would supply your chocolate bisquits for life !!!!
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 07, 2017, 07:38:24 pm
 
2) how does this help with the 3rd party image holder problem? Would all image posts be held as part of this rather than a 3rd party like Photobucket?
3) For those who currently hold their images with 3rd parties & then link what happens?


This very quite Techie but makes interesting reading!!  - https://chevereto.com/community/threads/photobucket-disaster-and-recovering-the-images-to-a-chevereto-website.8691/

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 07, 2017, 09:40:45 pm
That sounds like unimaginable hours of hand editing.  I doubt if that will be possible, but if it can be achieved I would supply your chocolate bisquits for life !!!!

I would suggest that if you could upload your images with the original file name to a new on-line storage solution then either using server redirects or just amending the Mayhem database ( change the reference where the image is located) with a set of replace this with that using SQL ( which takes seconds ) would allow for a heavy demand on the chocolate biscuit supply :)

C-3PO
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 07, 2017, 10:21:03 pm
Not sure if it is that simple as Photobucket adds a load of generated characters near the end of the file name.

Example:  One of my broken links

http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n626/bobkiralfy/HMS%20Agincourt/linishing_zpspkcqzmoc.jpg

Where "HMS Agincourt" is the album name, and "linishing.jpg" is the filename.

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 08, 2017, 06:20:33 am
Bob,
Stripping the directory and filename out of those url links so long as they follow a consistent structure is easy. I did this as a quick hack in Excel - see image

I used these
http://s1143.photobucket.com/user/bobkiralfy/media/K%20Class/hull-join-2_zpsjbkiygdz.jpg.html
http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n626/bobkiralfy/K%20Class/hull-holes-2_zpscerc2izp.jpg
http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n626/bobkiralfy/K%20Class/hull-join-1_zpstouvbe3r.jpg


programmatically stripped out the names and got these

DIR    Filename
KClass    hull-join-2.jpg
KClass    hull-holes-2.jpg
KClass    hull-join-1.jpg


C-3PO
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 08, 2017, 09:48:55 am


I would suggest that if you could upload your images with the original file name to a new on-line storage solution then either using server redirects or just amending the Mayhem database ( change the reference where the image is located) with a set of replace this with that using SQL ( which takes seconds ) would allow for a heavy demand on the chocolate biscuit supply :)

C-3PO


This does not apply to me as the images that I have put on the forum were posted to the forum but I am interested in the outcome  in general. I am struggling to understand what is going on here and in particular to what extent it is any sort of answer.

I read this as something that the individual has to do with their own images (post them elsewhere) - and then something that the forum has to do (redirects)  an something that somebody somewhere sometime has to do (stripping the directory & filename).

Do you think that this is realistic for the level of expertise of most individuals and the time that it would commit Martin to put in at the forum end. Is this a case of what is technically possible might well be practically impossible? To what extent is it a solution?

Is this anything other than an answer for a very few lost images with the majority of Photobucket hosted images still lost to the forum?

Please keep any answer simple! 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 08, 2017, 10:57:16 am
I think a working solution is achievable ...to be able to explain it in detail would require the solution to be ready to use.

I think the solution will involve some work from the individual - that might be a case of uploading images to a new server and then some work from Martin's HQ side to wave a magic wand and re index the images in the Mayhem database. This would be done using SQL ( Structured Query Language) which is the tool you use to manage data in a database. 

So trying to show what I am talking about - picture (excuse the pun) a database containing 100,000,000 records each with the word "there" and you want to change that all to "their" - you would create a script that updates all occurrences of there to their - run the script and all would be changed - the execution time would be a few tens of seconds to achieve this.

So imagine that a photo link stored in the Mayhem database for user "A" is http://s1143.photobucket.com/user/bobkiralfy/media/K%20Class/hull-join-2_zpsjbkiygdz.jpg.html  (http://s1143.photobucket.com/user/bobkiralfy/media/K%20Class/hull-join-2_zpsjbkiygdz.jpg.html)

and you want it to be http://newimagestore.co.uk/user/bobkiralfy/media/KClass/hull-join-2.jpg (http://newimagestore.co.uk/user/bobkiralfy/media/KClass/hull-join-2.jpg) you write the code to get the new URL and use SQL to update the record in the database to allow the post to retrieve the image from the new storage location. This could be run on tens of thousands of database records in seconds, only happens once to change the url for the image in the database.

The involvement of the owner of the images would not require them to understand anything technical that I am talking about - that side of things would be done for you by Martin running a script.

I also think that you may be able to disregard all I am typing as I think it's highly likely that images hosts - especially the one Marin is looking at will come up with an application to get the images out of Photobucket and stored nice and safe somewhere else and then with some clever jiggery pokey with a scripting language on the web server hey presto your images appear.

So I would suggest the future is bright - just that it's a moving target so it's difficult to be certain until some stakes are driven into the ground with a new solution.

Hope that answered your questions - these are my thoughts not Martin's so don't blame him if it doesn't work out.

C-3PO





Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 08, 2017, 11:16:37 am
I do understand that "%20" is a literal for a space character, and only used in some of my album names.
In general my "albums" are for a specific ship build, ie: One thread topic.

My file names for pictures are a descriptive title using "-" (minus) characters instead of spaces, so hopefully that should make successive parsing easier. 

Would it help if I created a text file with Photobucket files/s related to each topic, with post number ?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 08, 2017, 11:24:35 am
Too early to comment on this - sense we are trying to run before we can walk... - The key person in this is Martin and what he comes up with - I am just talking around the edges of what I know is possible from a techie point of view.

No need for a list of your files names - they are all sitting nicely in the Mayhem database and could be extracted using a SQL query with your Mayhem account ID as the key.

First point is for a new storage location to be "live" which Martin has posted he is evaluating.

I guess it would be neat to have a "guinea pig" to try out/ document switch over process - maybe you would be up for that Bob assuming Martin agrees

C-3PO
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 08, 2017, 11:36:43 am

I guess it would be neat to have a "guinea pig" to try out/ document switch over process - maybe you would be up for that Bob assuming Martin agrees

C-3PO

I am game.  Anything to help the cause.   O0
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 08, 2017, 12:26:42 pm

I think a working solution is achievable ...to be able to explain it in detail would require the solution to be ready to use.

I think the solution will involve some work from the individual - that might be a case of uploading images to a new server and then some work from Martin's HQ side to wave a magic wand and re index the images in the Mayhem database. This would be done using SQL ( Structured Query Language) which is the tool you use to manage data in a database. 

So trying to show what I am talking about - picture (excuse the pun) a database containing 100,000,000 records each with the word "there" and you want to change that all to "their" - you would create a script that updates all occurrences of there to their - run the script and all would be changed - the execution time would be a few tens of seconds to achieve this.

So imagine that a photo link stored in the Mayhem database for user "A" is http://s1143.photobucket.com/user/bobkiralfy/media/K%20Class/hull-join-2_zpsjbkiygdz.jpg.html  (http://s1143.photobucket.com/user/bobkiralfy/media/K%20Class/hull-join-2_zpsjbkiygdz.jpg.html)

and you want it to be http://newimagestore.co.uk/user/bobkiralfy/media/KClass/hull-join-2.jpg (http://newimagestore.co.uk/user/bobkiralfy/media/KClass/hull-join-2.jpg) you write the code to get the new URL and use SQL to update the record in the database to allow the post to retrieve the image from the new storage location. This could be run on tens of thousands of database records in seconds, only happens once to change the url for the image in the database.

The involvement of the owner of the images would not require them to understand anything technical that I am talking about - that side of things would be done for you by Martin running a script.

I also think that you may be able to disregard all I am typing as I think it's highly likely that images hosts - especially the one Marin is looking at will come up with an application to get the images out of Photobucket and stored nice and safe somewhere else and then with some clever jiggery pokey with a scripting language on the web server hey presto your images appear.

So I would suggest the future is bright - just that it's a moving target so it's difficult to be certain until some stakes are driven into the ground with a new solution.

Hope that answered your questions - these are my thoughts not Martin's so don't blame him if it doesn't work out.

C-3PO


Thank you for that - I know that all anyone has at the moment is "thoughts" and that these are not official thoughts.


It looks like the critical bits will end up being the time & effort Martin is willing/ able to put into this and the willingness of individuals to repost necessary images to a new server. I guess individuals will need to know which images they have posted to the forum unless the forum can tell them.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 08, 2017, 05:11:33 pm
 
Thanks C3P0, it nice to have some real 'tech savvy' help for Mayhem!   O0

We looking at several options, surprisingly enough, cost isn't turning out to be the major issue!
Yes, cost, is a factor but from these discussions and a lot of research ( and obviously being sidetracked by many funny Utube videos ),
 Reliability & Simplicity  are turning out to be the overriding consideration.

So at the moment, it's a matter of ruling options out , either because...
1. It doesn't do what we want it to do,
2. It's far too complicated,
3. It's way too expensive for what it is,
4. It looks unreliable / doggy,
5. It's just crap software!


 We're well into the process of transition now and looking good!
  Again, many thanks to C3P0 for 'stepping up' to help with the tech stuff, much appreciated.   :-))
 


NB: Cheers BobK,  our solicitors or gangsters we will see you down a dark ally get in touch when we are
       ready to do medical experiment on you  to test upload your photos!  ok2
 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 08, 2017, 07:26:19 pm


NB: Cheers BobK,  our solicitors or gangsters we will see you down a dark ally get in touch when we are
       ready to do medical experiment on you  to test upload your photos!  ok2
 


Please go for it Martin.  Even if all it achieves is replacing the Photobucket Ransomware advert with a small black box with an "X" in it, that will be an advantage. 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: marinemole on July 09, 2017, 12:28:11 pm
Finally got a ransomware email and now all my pics are gone on all forums.


Don't want to distract hard pressed key players from the main technical thrust, it is interesting stuff, but, I for one, would be happy to go in and hand edit at least some of my posts to direct links to the pictures with thumbnails or an index picture hosted on Mayhem. Is it possible to enable editing on older posts?


As an aside I notice that Photobucket seem to have disabled the bulk copy feature for URLs but it is still possible to copy individual links which work in a forum preview post.


Many thanks to Martin and others for burning the midnight oil on this.


Andy
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: ChrisF on July 10, 2017, 06:59:46 pm
The only consolation is that many other forums have been affected by this and are working on solutions and it would be hoped that the best solutions would be shared between site owners.

Some  of them, like the photography forum I use, are, unless the PB situation changes, going to disable the PB links so that their ransom ads don't appear, host the photos on their own server and then make good the lost photos where ever possible. So similar  to what Martin is working on here.     

I don't use PB but one of my concerns is that due to their disgusting behaviour they go out of business very quickly and close down their servers before folks can access PB and sort out which photos are posted where and on what forums.

Whilst an extensive IT user I'm not a techie so my fears on that point may be unfounded.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Colin Bishop on July 10, 2017, 07:06:02 pm
Anyone who has uploaded to Photobucket should still have copies of their pix on their home PCs surely?

Colin
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: grendel on July 10, 2017, 07:30:09 pm
yes but they are sometimes easier to find on photobucket
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: ChrisF on July 10, 2017, 07:38:37 pm
Yes Colin they probably will.

What I'm referring to is losing the link from which you can identify which photo has been used where. Sometimes it can be obvious, e.g. those used in a build but not always.

I for example post lots of individual photos on a number of different subjects and so without a link/file name wouldn't have a clue which photo it was!

As I said I'm no expert so it may not be a problem at all.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 10, 2017, 08:39:16 pm


..................................................I don't use PB but one of my concerns is that due to their disgusting behaviour they go out of business very quickly and close down their servers before folks can access PB and sort out which photos are posted where and on what forums...............................


Can users tell from PB which photo is posted where? That would make partially sorting this out a little less difficult.

I do not see why they will go out of business quickly because of this. They were not getting paid to host the pictures & they still are not. I still suspect that they simply don't want customers who use them to host pictures for use on forums as they never got much advertising income from those users. I don't know what percentage of their users would be at all concerned by this but presumably they do and I guess that it was important in them making their decision. 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 10, 2017, 08:46:25 pm

Can users tell from PB which photo is posted where? That would make partially sorting this out a little less difficult.


No - But Mayhem database knows exactly what images (filenames) have been linked - that's how it can could display them...

C-3PO
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 10, 2017, 08:52:14 pm

Does Mayhem need image owners participation to either achieve a recovery (grab the images) or to comply with copyright issues?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on July 10, 2017, 08:53:12 pm
Does Mayhem need image owners participation to either achieve a recovery or to comply with copyright issues?

Participation yes
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: ChrisF on July 10, 2017, 08:58:52 pm

Can users tell from PB which photo is posted where? That would make partially sorting this out a little less difficult.

I do not see why they will go out of business quickly because of this. They were not getting paid to host the pictures & they still are not. I still suspect that they simply don't want customers who use them to host pictures for use on forums as they never got much advertising income from those users. I don't know what percentage of their users would be at all concerned by this but presumably they do and I guess that it was important in them making their decision.


Like many of their ilk a significant amount of their income is from adverts and is dependant on the number of users.


PB have upset many of their customers, including many who use it for photos for selling on Amazon and EBay and from what I'm reading there is quite a backlash. Therefore number of users could drop dramatically as a result of their actions and reputation going down the pan and hence their revenue from adverts. We shall see.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 10, 2017, 10:04:38 pm


Like many of their ilk a significant amount of their income is from adverts and is dependant on the number of users.


PB have upset many of their customers, including many who use it for photos for selling on Amazon and EBay and from what I'm reading there is quite a backlash. Therefore number of users could drop dramatically as a result of their actions and reputation going down the pan and hence their revenue from adverts. We shall see.


I agree that it appears that they have upset a lot of people and I am sure that there will be a backlash but unless we assume that they are suicide bent presumably they think that there is some logic in what they have done. I guess time will tell if they are right.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 10, 2017, 11:14:17 pm

Just in case Photobucket  decide to do something even more stupid else to compound the issue and until
 the new Mayhem Image server is ready,  you need to grab back your photos from Photobucket :

1. You still own all your photos on Photobucket. 'That's safe! No one can take that away from you.' -  Jim Bowen?

2. Log onto Photobucket, sooner rather than later, download  backup / download your photos to your PC, Laptop, a Hard Drive.
    ( As C3P0 says, this will preserve the photo file names for some dark-side Tech magic later on.... I hope! )

3. Optional, down/upload to another on-line photo site, eg, Flickr, Google, OneDrive, Amazon, Yahoo, ....
     ( Download to your Ipad? Tablet? Phone?  )


Go to Photobucket  and login to your Photobucket  account, ( there are now unprecedented adverts on Photobucket,) login & go make yourself a nice cup of tea... grab a beer! After a few minutes, the ads seem to wane a bit & you can do stuff.
Carefully close as many adverts as you can ( caution, some will trigger pop-ups / pop-unders ads! ) or just ignore them as much you can., you may even have to reload the page a couple of times as the adverts even seem to fight amongst themselves!



Eventually you should get to you 'Last Uploaded images' page.
Click on Library to see a list of your albums...

(http://i.imgur.com/kqW7wJ5.jpg)



Select an Album and find the  [Download Album]  link bottom right.
 Click link and save to your computer etc.
 ( again there will be another whole load of Pop-up Ads and maybe even video ads to suffer first... you just have to let them play!  )  >:-o

(http://i.imgur.com/GLtM9mp.jpg)



( I actually hope Photobucket  will have to backtrack somewhat but I'll believe when I see it ...! )   {:-{


Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 11, 2017, 08:16:38 am


Perhaps this is a good time to remind everyone that you must have a backup of your important photos, documents etc. I know that there are many people on here who know a lot more about computers than I do but I also know a lot of people who completely fail to have any sort of back up and a few who have a back up but don't use it.

If someone does this better than I do please tell us.

Unfortunately the truth of  a computer is that it is a device that has not failed yet. If you have a hard drive failure information might be recoverable but it will be very expensive. If you fall victim to a one of the recent malware type attacks you probably won't get anything back. If you keep your photos on a Photobucket type site anything is possible.

There are many alternative back up solution but the one that I use is an external hard drive like this which is todays deal of the day on Amazon:-
 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-Backup-Desktop-External-Integrated/dp/B01IAD5ZC6?tag=hotukdeals062-21 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seagate-Backup-Desktop-External-Integrated/dp/B01IAD5ZC6?tag=hotukdeals062-21)

There are smaller & cheaper drives available

Don't keep your external drive connected to your computer (so that a malware type attack + other failures doesn't get both your computer & your back up) but do remember to back up frequently. Personally I have one of those tiny USB sticks permanently in my computer and save anything to it that I save to my hard disk & leave it there until I have backed up my hard drive to my external drive which I do monthly unless it is something like a set of holiday photos which I backup immediately. If very little has happened in the last month I simply add what is on the USB flash drive to the last back up as a separate file and do a full backup next time. This is an example of what I mean & is available in several capacities:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/USB-Flash-Drives/SanDisk-SDCZ43-128G-GAM46-Ultra-Fit-128-GB-150MB/B01BGTG41W/ref=sr_1_10?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1499757109&sr=1-10&keywords=flash%2Bdrive&th=1 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/USB-Flash-Drives/SanDisk-SDCZ43-128G-GAM46-Ultra-Fit-128-GB-150MB/B01BGTG41W/ref=sr_1_10?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1499757109&sr=1-10&keywords=flash%2Bdrive&th=1)


If your hard drive starts making funny noises don't ignore it. Hard drives sometimes give a little (a very little) warning of failure.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 11, 2017, 08:42:22 am


Anyone who has uploaded to Photobucket should still have copies of their pix on their home PCs surely?

Colin


Is that true? My impression is that some devices, & I guess that phones are probably worst for this, store on the cloud by default and do not have much memory capacity. I do not take  pictures with my phone so I might be talking rubbish.


Without mentioning computer failure I have also known of people who don't transfer their photos to a new computer and then are surprised a couple of years later, when they try & start the old one to give their pictures to the local history group, that the old computer won't start which means that they have lost their pictures. The most upset of these was quoted an awful lot of money to try & recover them & with no guarantee that it would work.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Colin Bishop on July 11, 2017, 09:24:26 am
If people don't bother to take backups and choose to rely upon 'free' cloud services then they are inevitably going to become unstuck at some point.

I have thousands of photos on my PC organised into folders. I never have any problems in finding specific images if I need them. There are two portable hard disk backups, one of which uses different disks alternately and is updated regularly (the other, in a fireproof safe box, less often) plus all important photos such as holiday ones are copied to CD as well. All the backups are stored in separate places around the house and garage well away from the main PC.

Paranoid moi?

Colin
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 11, 2017, 09:46:59 am


,
If people don't bother to take backups and choose to rely upon 'free' cloud services then they are inevitably going to become unstuck at some point.

..........................plus all important photos such as holiday ones are copied to CD as well..................................

Paranoid moi?

Colin


I forgot CD's. Again the history group has had people who put their photos on CD's and then did not look at them for years until asked to do so. In some cases they worked just fine but in others, how they are stored seems important here, they found a CD that they could not read.


Paranoid? Yes but just because you are paranoid does not mean that they are not out to get you (& me).


The History Group is a real eye opener. You would not believe how poorly people can store data/ images either through ignorance, negligence or laziness. Most often ignorance. They were not any better with printed photos. They are stored all over the place in all sorts of conditions and rarely grouped or indexed other than weddings etc which came in an album. Throwing away the negatives was commonplace.

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Colin Bishop on July 11, 2017, 10:05:51 am
Yes, I agree that CDs/DVDs are very much second string backups, I will probably replace them with a solid state drive before long.

Obviously the key point is to keep refreshing your backups by making new ones at regular intervals onto suitable media.

Colin
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: ChrisF on July 11, 2017, 02:51:25 pm
I pretty much do as Tug says but Colin that is a good point about keeping another drive in a fireproof safe which I have but don't do.

What I must do is start keeping another off-site.

And Tug, you're right, most phone users automatically have their photos stored in the cloud. I tried that as another backup when travelling abroad but it was so slow due to broadband speeds in hotels etc. it wasn't feasible.

I've also often wondered what will happen to all our digital photos in the future? At least with paper ones boxes are passed on, or were!

More are being taken than ever before but I think only a small percentage will survive.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on July 11, 2017, 03:16:00 pm
I have a LiPo safety bag in which I keep my Will and other key documents in a metal filing cabinet.
I keep my 64Mb USB secondary backup sticks in there too.
My external hard drive has an automatic backup running, but the USB's are my failsafe.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Mark T on July 11, 2017, 04:31:58 pm
I too have now received my ransomeware email from photobucket and all of my photos have disappeared from the forum.  Luckily I do have my own copies of all of them so I'll wait to see what the solution is from Martin.  I am unfortunately not very tech aware so most of this discussion is way beyond my understanding.


I do see however the hard work that is happening in the background so thanks for that Martin.  I'm more than happy to also chip in some money to make this happen as I'm sure many others will be too.


Good luck :)
 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: SailorGreg on July 17, 2017, 06:35:30 pm
I have used Photobucket for nearly all the pictures I have posted here but was advised recently that one of my build logs had lost all its photos.  I have checked and now find that Photobucket have removed access to all the pictures on 3rd party sites (such as MBM) and are now requiring me to pay them $400 a year to get them back!  I guess the same applies to any other members here who have used Photobucket to host their pictures.  If they had asked for $40 I would probably have paid but $400!?!?  >>:-( >>:-( >>:-( >>:-( <*< <*< <*<

Needless to say I am not about to pay them a penny (or cent).  To change their approach like this is - well, I won't sully this forum with my unexpurgated views.  But that removes much of the value, such as it is, of my logs and I am not sure I can face rehosting all my pictures on a new site and then editing every post to put the new addresses in, so I will probably just post a note at the end of my affected build logs apologising for the lack of visual entertainment. 

Or has anyone found a way around this?

In future I will probably try and put the pictures directly into my posts although I had a bit of difficulty way back when I first joined, hence my use of Photobucket.  A new challenge!

Grrrrr!   >:-o >:-o

Grumpy Greg
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: carlmt on July 17, 2017, 06:58:35 pm
GG - This has been discussed very recently here:
 
http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,58456.0.html (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,58456.0.html)
 
Why not join us in there?  Don't forget to bring a chair and the biscuits  ok2 ok2
 
C
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: SailorGreg on July 17, 2017, 07:07:17 pm
Thanks - I'll pop over there and see what others are saying.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: SailorGreg on July 17, 2017, 10:39:29 pm
And just a little test to see if I can upload direct -

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: SailorGreg on July 17, 2017, 10:39:58 pm
Cracked it!
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 18, 2017, 01:25:31 am
 
 :-))
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 18, 2017, 02:58:52 am
 
BTW: We are making good progress with our own 'in house' image server.
         It's already up and running.... sort of,  just setting up security, admin.... stuff like that.   :-)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on July 18, 2017, 04:51:28 pm

BTW: We are making good progress with our own 'in house' image server.
         It's already up and running.... sort of,  just setting up security, admin.... stuff like that.   :-)


  just make it easy for dummies to upload to  !
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: missyd on July 18, 2017, 07:06:42 pm
Is there a possibility to reload the blocked photos (Photo@ucket issue) into the Cornelia Marie and N. Loredana topics?
I have all photos from the build (Loredana) on another server and have plenty of time to "repair" the topic ....
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on July 19, 2017, 05:12:02 am
Aha a new title

Mayhem for Dummies  %) %)  {-) {-)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on July 19, 2017, 10:06:55 am

Well done Martin.


It will be a good day when the first images reappear. Hopefully to be followed very soon by many more!
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug-Kenny RIP on July 19, 2017, 10:14:08 am
We have just looked at the N.loredana topic and noticed it's 25 pages long and runs for 4 years. It is now spoilt by the picture provider's stance.

It would be a mammoth task indeed to replace it with new pictures. Our system does not allow for inserted pictures in the text as you may be aware, so the effect would be different should it all be re-written. 

We really feel for you at this time as it would really need  'plenty of time' as you say, to re-write the topic.

Martin is working on a solution.  please see here....

http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,38966.msg611652.html#msg611652


ken
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: SailorGreg on July 19, 2017, 06:05:07 pm
Just tried following Martin's recommendation and downloading my albums from PB. I clicked the "Download album" command and a window appears apparently preparing the album for download.  I then get an e-mail saying the album is ready for download with a "Download" button to click.  I click on it, it takes me to the PB site - and a message saying "This download is no longer available"!  Perhaps they are already denying users the right to get their own photos back?  >>:-( >>:-(

No big deal, I do have all the originals, and if Martin cracks the MBM hosting site I will try and reconstruct the build logs.  But in future I will probably attach directly to the message as I have worked that out now. 

A plague on the operators of PB!  I hope they end up really miserable.

Greg
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: missyd on July 19, 2017, 07:09:56 pm
I meant "open" this topic so that I can modify it again .... inserting the new pictures would be done in no time ....
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: derekwarner on July 19, 2017, 10:40:16 pm
Ken...I am sure Danielle means to re-open the time slot for her [with her ownership sigh in] to allow her to add the images

Not just the system one hour default limitation......maybe a day or so...I am sure she could confirm a requirement with a PM

Derek
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on July 20, 2017, 04:57:37 am
Just tried following Martin's recommendation and downloading my albums from PB. I clicked the "Download album" command and a window appears apparently preparing the album for download.  I then get an e-mail saying the album is ready for download with a "Download" button to click.  I click on it, it takes me to the PB site - and a message saying "This download is no longer available"!  Perhaps they are already denying users the right to get their own photos back?  >>:-( >>:-(

No big deal, I do have all the originals, and if Martin cracks the MBM hosting site I will try and reconstruct the build logs.  But in future I will probably attach directly to the message as I have worked that out now. 

A plague on the operators of PB!  I hope they end up really miserable.

Greg

Sadly, the reality is that they are probably laughing all the way to the Bank.
We will never know how many nor how much was actually paid.
The bigger fish, such as Amazon, fleabay, etc, etc, would have made commercial decisions and paid up.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug-Kenny RIP on July 20, 2017, 09:48:42 am

You are correct in your surmise Derek.  I did explain, however that the same result could not be achieved due to the picture location problem.

We are working very hard to overcome it as it affects all members with this type of picture storage account.

Cheers

ken
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on July 20, 2017, 05:35:58 pm
Sadly, the reality is that they are probably laughing all the way to the Bank.
We will never know how many nor how much was actually paid.
The bigger fish, such as Amazon, fleabay, etc, etc, would have made commercial decisions and paid up.


  May their ars****es fester !
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tombsy on July 21, 2017, 09:01:59 pm
I've been paying $29 a year since 2005 to Photobucket for over 7000 photos and my linking hasn't been affected, it's a grandfathered deal on a plan they dont even offer anymore. You don't get somethin for nothin lol.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on July 21, 2017, 09:35:14 pm
Thats very good Brian.
I've been with SmugMug for many years and no such treat.
However my latest bill with UK VAT added was under £45. I get unlimited everything and I've many thousands of photos across the web. I feel I get value for money and unfailing reliability but it will all end with me or if the money runs out  {-)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Yoshic48 on July 29, 2017, 10:16:41 pm

 :-))
Yes I agree the only bucket that worries me is the one I kick one day?? but hopefully (NOT YET) as the man said in the last frames of (Gladiator Film)? Boating is the way to go  :-)) :-)) %% %% >>:-( :police: :police:
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Yoshic48 on July 30, 2017, 10:38:56 pm
We MUST fight this as this is a great site for boaters is there any one out there that knows a way round this I don't even know about (?photo Bucket? or clouds ? and I don't have any thing to do with (facebook)?? to many (hackers) on all that stuff (Why) all even large companies assume (EVERY) body wants to sign there life away into oblivion ??is anyones guess stick with friends with simmiler interests I say? (always the same (BIG) businesses wanting our money again??
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Locksley on August 02, 2017, 08:24:51 am
Luckily I only have 1 WIP thread on here, although many more have been ruined on various other forums.

But as such it wouldn't take me long to reupload the images.

I'm a member of the Flory Models scale modelling forum and they made the decision to temporarily enable editing of any of your previous posts so if people wanted they could go back through and reupload photos.

Would it be possible to do something like this on here? I'd quite like to fix my thread as it's about the only one out there regarding building the Model Slipway Conserver.


Also, regarding downloading photos from Photobucket, I too have been having all sorts of problems doing it. I've been trying the download button for a few weeks but never had much luck other than being able to download the odd smaller album.


However, the thing that worked for me was to download the Photobucket App to my smartphone and download it all via that. I know it's not an ideal solution for everybody, but it will download the photos to a folder called Pictures/Photobucket on your memory card or internal storage, you can then connect your phone to your PC and copy it all over. The only issue with this is that it doesn't seem to download them in their original resolution, but rather a slightly smaller compressed size. This isn't a massive problem as they're perfectly adequate for posting on forums and it means they download super quick. I also went through my 'bucket' and moved all my photos in batches of around 100, into separate folders, though I'm not sure that was entirely necessary. Considering I have about 2500 photos on there it surprisingly didn't take very long.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on August 02, 2017, 09:43:03 am

I'm a member of the Flory Models scale modelling forum and they made the decision to temporarily enable editing of any of your previous posts so if people wanted they could go back through and reupload photos.


We did contempalte that but for safety / continuinty / the 'Great Forum crash of 2012?*', we've desided to go a different route.
We'll be asking Mayhemers to use   (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/Themes/core/images/buttons/quote.gif) Quote (copy and  paste)  from their old posts ammend them and the Mods will reincert them back into the original posts.

NB: ModelBoatMayhem Image site will be ready for testing in a few days!   :o


* - http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,36102.msg359784.html#msg359784
 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Locksley on August 02, 2017, 10:40:19 am
We did contempalte that but for safety / continuinty / the 'Great Forum crash of 2012?*', we've desided to go a different route.
We'll be asking Mayhemers to use   (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/Themes/core/images/buttons/quote.gif) Quote (copy and  paste)  from their old posts ammend them and the Mods will reincert them back into the original posts.

NB: ModelBoatMayhem Image site will be ready for testing in a few days!   :o


* - http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,36102.msg359784.html#msg359784 (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,36102.msg359784.html#msg359784)
 



Thanks Martin, I'll do that. Apologies if I've missed that from earlier in the thread.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on August 02, 2017, 10:45:32 am
 
No problem.   :-)

The 'solution' is more complicated that I thought....   {:-{
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: verithingeoff on August 29, 2017, 09:06:22 am
PB seem to have taken a small step back(http://verithingeoff.com/VW%20Images/aussie-emoticon1%20copy.gif)
http://photobucket.com/pricing
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on August 29, 2017, 09:25:12 am
My annual bill with SmugMug was £45.65 including UK VAT
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on August 29, 2017, 12:16:43 pm

PB seem to have taken a small step back(http://verithingeoff.com/VW%20Images/aussie-emoticon1%20copy.gif)
http://photobucket.com/pricing (http://photobucket.com/pricing)


That's still $120 per year, as I read it, if you want linking.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on August 29, 2017, 12:43:02 pm
 
  I don't see that option, it's still "$399.99 / YR" here is UK.   >:-o
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T33cno on August 29, 2017, 12:43:55 pm

That's still $120 per year, as I read it, if you want linking.


I believe any prices quoted there will also be PLUS VAT
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tombsy on August 30, 2017, 01:40:55 am
I've been paying $29 a year since 2005 to Photobucket for over 7000 photos and my linking hasn't been affected, it's a grandfathered deal on a plan they dont even offer anymore. You don't get somethin for nothin lol.


Ha I spoke to soon, Photobucket now says I have less than a year left on my deal. >:-o :embarrassed: <*< >>:-(
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: tigertiger on August 30, 2017, 04:56:18 am
Cynical me.
I would expect at some stage for the other 'free' file sharing and cloud storage providers to do the same.  Although most of us do not share files (Dropbox, etc.) or have very large amounts of data on clouds, it would be worth considering an exit strategy for those of us who do.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: T888 on September 01, 2017, 06:38:37 am
Gents,
I've not been following the thread to much, but on the Fleetscale forum from Kevin, there was this possible fix. Sorry if this has already been posted.






just found this I've just found out that there are plugins for Chrome and Firefox to circumvent the Photobucket restriction.[/size]If you install it in your browser, you should be able to see again the pictures that were blocked when Photobucket made its 'changes'.The links to the plugins are -Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fir...ix/?src=search (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/photobucket-embedded-fix/?src=search)Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/d...flicjjgj?hl=en (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/photobucket-embed-fix/naolkcpnnlofnnghnmfegnfnflicjjgj?hl=en)[/size]
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: mrlownotes on September 01, 2017, 10:54:40 am
The Firefox add-on works !

I added the add-on into my Firefox browser.
Blocked pictures are now visible...........except for an odd one in someones signature.

Thankyou T888.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: SailorGreg on September 23, 2017, 08:58:42 am
I had an email notification that Martin had posted here. I thought this might be him telling us what to do next. But there is no new post. Have I missed something? Have you any news for us Martin?  I hope there is a solution to PB's ransom demand!


Greg
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on September 23, 2017, 09:45:46 pm
 
 I nearly had something worked out yesterday.... but I didn't in the end ..... after 6 faffing about!  >:-o

 Needs a bit more tweaking!  ok2
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on October 09, 2017, 11:45:58 am
Quote
..... I've found out that there are plugins for Chrome and Firefox to circumvent the Photobucket restriction.
If you install it in your browser, you should be able to see again the pictures that were blocked when Photobucket made its 'changes'.The links to the plugins are -Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fir...ix/?src=searchChrome (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fir...ix/?src=searchChrome): https://chrome.google.com/webstore/d...flicjjgj?hl=en (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/d...flicjjgj?hl=en)


This Does Work ..... and seems to work Very Well!   :o
 We can use it to repost your Photobucket photos on the new Mayhem Images server.
 Anyone that has "lost" their images to the 'Photobucket ransom demand', post a link to your topic and I'll transfer them for you.

 ( Please post the proper Topic Page Link (URL) or copy the Full title of the topic..... don't make me have to search for hours! )
 (  ie. NOT; 'I posted something about a Tug last year, can you fix that Martin?' )    <*<
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: SailorGreg on October 10, 2017, 02:18:09 pm
Wow!  It does work, doesn't it?   :} :} :-)) :-))   I can see my pictures again!

Martin, the three build logs I have done are shown at the bottom of this message - can you reconstruct them for others who don't have the plug-ins or can I do something to sort things out?  (I also posted a couple of photos in the "Who's building what at the moment" thread, and there may be other PB-generated holes in that thread).  I appreciate you might have a few days/weeks/months of work ahead of you if you try and recover all the threads affected by the PB gangsters.  If I (and others) can do some self-help to move things along, then please let us know.  Thanks.

Greg
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on October 10, 2017, 03:03:43 pm
Sorry guys, but I don't get it.  Are we saying that in order to get our Photobucket images back we have to switch from Internet Explorer to either Firefox or (?), then find an obscure plug-in for it?
I don't like Firefox as a browser, and even if some went to this then maybe only 5% of users could see the blocked images.  For all to see them we need a more universal solution, short of expecting Martin to do months of hand editing. 

Martin did briefly have an alternate version running with a new photo-uploading tool, but that has now gone.

PS:  I know exactly what images I have had destroyed, and exactly which threads and Post number for each.
However, counting them up there are far too many to expect anyone else to edit.  Is there any way we could be sent a compiled thread, so we could edit it and submit it back?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: SailorGreg on October 10, 2017, 03:40:43 pm
No, I don't think anyone is suggesting that Bob.  It just so happens that there are plug-ins for Firefox and Chrome (Google's browser) that somehow circumvent the PB block.  There may be a similar one for Explorer/Edge although Microsoft are usually a little slower to respond to these things than the independents.  And I think Martin is just about there with a universal fix, so hopefully everyone will see the piccies whatever browser they use.  :-))

Greg
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: malcolmfrary on October 10, 2017, 09:09:28 pm
Sorry guys, but I don't get it.  Are we saying that in order to get our Photobucket images back we have to switch from Internet Explorer to either Firefox or (?), then find an obscure plug-in for it?
I don't like Firefox as a browser, and even if some went to this then maybe only 5% of users could see the blocked images.  For all to see them we need a more universal solution, short of expecting Martin to do months of hand editing. 

Martin did briefly have an alternate version running with a new photo-uploading tool, but that has now gone.

PS:  I know exactly what images I have had destroyed, and exactly which threads and Post number for each.
However, counting them up there are far too many to expect anyone else to edit.  Is there any way we could be sent a compiled thread, so we could edit it and submit it back?
Firefox plus the plugin is presumably just a tool to recover the images.  Once the images are recovered and safely stored where photobucket can no longer hold them to ransom, Firefox can be dispensed with.  Most PCs have an "uninstall" feature, and are quite capable of having more than one browser installed at any time.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on October 10, 2017, 09:42:26 pm
Sorry, I still don't see how this can help - except for the very few who have both that browser AND the plug in.

If you right click over the Photobucket ransom advert (properties) you can see the full URL of the stored image.  In my case I know what the filename of that image is (without having to click over it), and have the original on my hard drive.  If I could edit that link on Mayhem I could easily replace the Photobucket advert for my original,  then everybody could see the original image.

I could write a log with the Mayhem URL of each of my affected posts, together with the filename of that picture.
If that could be made into a script to run by admin that could be the answer.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on October 11, 2017, 12:29:44 am
It seems to me, that Bob is willing and capable of 'correcting' his threads by enabling images via direct insertion of those photos by himself, as should all other authors affected by their use of Photobucket.

However for that to happen, He, and others need their 'threads' to be live so he can go back through it to re-insert the images directly from his PC.

Thence everyone keeps using their systems as they are and all is back to normal before we fell into this 'photo' trap. Namely, not loading images from your PC.

With the utmost respect and to ease the burden such as unnecessary work etc, on Martin and the admin, it is my opinion that those threads that cannot be corrected by their authors should be deleted to free up space and bandwith etc, and let Martin get back to running the site and having a life. It is not Martin's problem to fix.

We don't need an alternative to bucket or whatever. Because at the end of the day it can happen again with any of the so called freebies. If you take the punt it's your problem fix it. So follow Bob's lead and step up to the plate.

The facility already exists and has been so, to upload Photos.

As an aside there are warning now being issued that the next 'disaster' to occur is to those that use the 'cloud' and that will not be recoverable!

Calling a spade a spade is not palatable but someone has to say so. Let Martin get back to doing what he does best running Mayhem, not fixing others disasters.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on October 11, 2017, 01:56:47 pm
 
Afternoon All!

1.  The Browser 'Photobucker fix', is just so that you can "see" your photobucket photos in the relevant post so you know what goes where.

2.  Yes we now have a 'Mayhem Image server', Bob tied a 'blind' test (no instructions) but had some issues.
     ( couple more testers required please, PM me )

3.  The 'Mayhem Image server' will exist as long as ModelBoatMayhem exist as we own both services.

4.  Re-attaching photobucket photos to post, although a little time consuming, is relatively easy.
     ( I'm not expect loads of Topics that need to be reworked.... )

5.  The only way to allow Mayhemers to re-edit their old posts it to unlock all post from the beginning of time.

6.  The [new] 'Mayhem Image server' will allow "easy" upload, resize and embedding anywhere in your posts
      ... which we've all been moaning about since day two of Mayhem!!


Sample from our 'Mayhem Image server',

(http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/Photo_2344a51.jpg) (http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/image/x9w)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on October 11, 2017, 05:56:19 pm
Martin.


  Am I missing something ?  where do I access this upload facility with the size adjusting ability ? I tried an upload using the attachment on the reply box and it told me the attachment was too large   .. Help please.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Colin Bishop on October 11, 2017, 06:04:51 pm
From Martin's post above it would seem that it is still being tested. In the meantime the old system applies.

Colin
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on October 11, 2017, 06:25:11 pm
 
         O0
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on October 11, 2017, 08:10:37 pm
Great but I am having trouble, Using the microsoft resizer in windows 10, I am resizing to "small" 800x600 but the post box is saying the image size is too large.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Colin Bishop on October 11, 2017, 08:15:34 pm
800x600 can still be too large if there is a lot of detail in the image. You need to check the actual image size as 300kb is the limit. Keep reducing until you get below 300kb.

Colin
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on October 11, 2017, 08:55:39 pm
Hi Colin.
 what resizer will give me this option  ?   The ones I have been looking at only give you large med small and no option for anything else and do not let you define the file size.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Colin Bishop on October 11, 2017, 09:04:39 pm
I use Light Image Resizer http://www.obviousidea.com/windows-software/light-image-resizer/ but there are plenty of others. You might need to try the various options to get the desired file size,

Colin
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on October 11, 2017, 09:06:24 pm
I use Paint Shop Pro 7 (free) and aim for a maximum length (OR width) of 640 pixels.  Even with a bit of sharpness enhancement it has not failed yet.   640 is a good size that fits in the browser window (non full screen) and gives plenty of detail.  No point in trying to cram too many pixels anyway as your screen resolution has limits too.

Just check out Martin's excellent photos on the forum.  Great quality, and well within the size bounds.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on October 11, 2017, 10:01:41 pm
Got their in the end but a bit of a kerfuffle. Could not work out where resizer was parking the reduced images.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: grendel on October 12, 2017, 10:47:48 am
I just use an XP powertool image resizer, just right click the image and click resize, and a dialog box pops up, and saves the image as " image name (small)" in the same folder, it has worked since xp and still works in windows 10.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Charlie on October 12, 2017, 11:32:58 am
Dear Mods,
Please correct the typo in the Subject - it's starting to hurt my eyes :-)
Thanks,
Charlie
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on October 12, 2017, 12:42:01 pm

Topic renamed   :embarrassed:
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on October 13, 2017, 12:24:24 am
I just use an XP powertool image resizer, just right click the image and click resize, and a dialog box pops up, and saves the image as " image name (small)" in the same folder, it has worked since xp and still works in windows 10.

As it still does in windows 7  :-)) :-)) :-))
Good tool for novices  O0 O0
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on October 13, 2017, 12:26:31 am
Dear Mods,
Please correct the typo in the Subject - it's starting to hurt my eyes :-)
Thanks,
Charlie

I find this one is easier on the eyes  8) 8) 8)

 %) %) %)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Onetenor on October 13, 2017, 03:07:36 am
I filed all my pics on my laptop and cancelled Photobucket completely..If everyone did that FB would cease to be I think. That would teach the greedy beggars wouldn't it
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on October 13, 2017, 05:06:27 am
I received the same Email as most others telling me of the great new subscription service they where now offering, somehow it completely slipped my mind to respond to them. They form no part in my or I suspect other peoples lives.  After all who would wish further involvement with an outfit who acts as they did.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on October 15, 2017, 02:34:11 pm
OUR FORUM IS BEING MONITORED !


    The same day as my previous post within a few hours I received out of the blue Two promotional emails from Phtobucket inviting me take up their new subscription service. Now that is creepy, OK their software may have flagged up that I have not used them since their mega debacle and corporate suicide of 6 months ago but how did they link my email address to a critical posting on this forum ?
  Anyone else experienced this ?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Colin Bishop on October 15, 2017, 03:06:09 pm
You have your email listed in your profile!

Colin
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on October 15, 2017, 04:27:35 pm



  Does that mean Peebucket have forum membership to access members details ?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Colin Bishop on October 15, 2017, 05:24:19 pm
Publicly posted information can be found by webspiders depending on the software being used. I've no idea if that is the case here - someone else might know.

Colin
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on October 15, 2017, 05:25:28 pm
 
Did you previously have a Photobucket account?

OUR FORUM IS BEING MONITORED !
    The same day as my previous post within a few hours I received out of the blue Two promotional emails from Phtobucket inviting me take up their new subscription service. Now that is creepy, OK their software may have flagged up that I have not used them since their mega debacle and corporate suicide of 6 months ago but how did they link my email address to a critical posting on this forum ?
  Anyone else experienced this ?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on October 15, 2017, 05:57:38 pm

Hi Martin
I had an account with Peebucket but under  a different username, I suffered the same fate as all others with free membership.   I received one communication by email shortly after their debacle to promote their new terms & services, which I did not respond to, but nothing further.  Now having posted on the relevant thread on this site I got two shots a few hours after I had posted. Odd.


Balders.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on October 15, 2017, 09:48:30 pm
 
Very odd....  same thing has happened to me, when buying from ebay.
 Do an AV check and flush your browser cache.



( NB: The Mayhem server is live monitored for virus & malwware and scanned every 24 hours.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on October 16, 2017, 11:43:29 am
 

Looks like Photobucket have now removed the Download Album option!

 Looks if you want your photos back, you have to login and download one-by-one.   >:-o


Quote
    ..... I've found out that there are plugins for Chrome and Firefox to circumvent the Photobucket restriction.
    If you install it in your browser, you should be able to see again the pictures that were blocked when Photobucket made its 'changes'.The links to the plugins are -Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fir...ix/?src=searchChrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/d...flicjjgj?hl=en
 

This has stopped working too.
  Photobucket PR dept. must have all been fired .... probably up against a wall!


Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: SailorGreg on October 16, 2017, 01:33:21 pm


This has stopped working too.
  Photobucket PR dept. must have all been fired .... probably up against a wall!


It still works for me (at the moment!).  I am using Firefox.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: marinemole on November 16, 2017, 07:33:26 pm
Messing about on another forum with my held to ransom Photobucket pictures. Idly right clicked on the ransom demand and selected 'open image in new tab'. Picture displays but, more interestingly, if I come out of the thread and then go back in the ransom note has been replaced by the original image. Tried this out on one of my Mayhem threads http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,34436.msg341071.html#msg341071 (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,34436.msg341071.html#msg341071) and, lo and behold, I can see my pictures in the thread.


Doesn't seem to work if I try it on someone else's images, hangs up.


Is the effect permanent? Let's see tomorrow.


Can other people see the pictures in the thread? Let me know.


Will Photobucket kill my account if they notice?


Andy
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on November 16, 2017, 07:50:11 pm

I clicked on your link & then right clicked on the message. The box that came up doesn't even offer me "open image in new tab". Windows 10 & Edge.
browser.


I clicked everything but no improvement. "Save picture as" just saves the Photobucket image below.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: marinemole on November 16, 2017, 08:25:47 pm
Ah well. Another cunning plan hits the dust, I’ve got the ransom note back too. Guess the effect only lasts for the the one browsing session. Thanks for the feedback.


Andy
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: marinemole on November 16, 2017, 09:05:18 pm
I clicked on your link & then right clicked on the message. The box that came up doesn't even offer me "open image in new tab". Windows 10 & Edge.
browser.
I clicked everything but no improvement. "Save picture as" just saves the Photobucket image below.


Back again, anorak to the death.

I am on Windows 7 and using Chrome. The scenario I described used this setup.

I read and replied to Tug Fanatic's post from my Iphone.

Back on my laptop (rebooted) I could still see the photographs instead of the ransom note but after I cleared my cache I was back to square one with the ransom note. The fix obviously works for me while the image is still in my cache.

All mildly interesting but not of any practical use if I am the only person on Mayhem who can see  the images in the post and am willing to keep a huge picture cache.

Andy
 
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on November 16, 2017, 10:51:31 pm
 

 If you can still see your own photos on the Photobucket site, you now have to download them to you computer, Google photos etc, them re-uploaded them from there.....
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: grendel on November 17, 2017, 05:15:07 am

Back again, anorak to the death.

I am on Windows 7 and using Chrome. The scenario I described used this setup.

I read and replied to Tug Fanatic's post from my Iphone.

Back on my laptop (rebooted) I could still see the photographs instead of the ransom note but after I cleared my cache I was back to square one with the ransom note. The fix obviously works for me while the image is still in my cache.

All mildly interesting but not of any practical use if I am the only person on Mayhem who can see  the images in the post and am willing to keep a huge picture cache.

Andy
 
I went to your link last night and could see the pictures.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on November 17, 2017, 08:49:16 am
I fired up my old computer which runs Vista and Firefox (including the Photobucket "patch") & I can still see your posted pictures. I don't know if this offers any way of downloading them.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on November 17, 2017, 10:26:48 am
I believe that these hijacked photos have disappeared for ever, unless you have the masters you uploaded stored on your computer.  Unless Martin is able to run batch files on individual threads with the name of your file plus the Photo*ucket reference that could be used as a batch-edited replace routine using your command lines and photo originals then having a new Mayhem photo tool is probably about as good as you are going to get for future posts.
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Tug Fanatic on November 17, 2017, 10:43:53 am


I am afraid that I basically agree that Photobucket images are gone has but if anyone has images that are important to them & which they have lost to them & which were posted to a Mayhem thread if they tell us perhaps between us we could download them & repost.


OR is there a list of threads which were of great value that we should try & repopulate whilst we still can?


Obviously this has its limits but it might be important to somebody.


As an example I have attached the photos that were in marinemole post above

Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: marinemole on November 17, 2017, 12:56:20 pm
Thank you to all respondents for your input. I do have all my masters on my computer and backed up to an external HD and to DVD, so don't have to retrieve any. I should have realised earlier that the 'effect' was due to cached images being picked up. Sorry to have stirred up this vexed topic yet again.
I need to decide which, if any, of the threads to various forums I need to reincarnate. I still believe that my  archive on Photobucket is still relevant as it can still be viewed directly and subjects are stored in separate directories. I am keen to ensure that Lachie Stewart's considerable archive of mainly Ferguson built ships is available for general viewing. I'm still scanning.


Andy
Title: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: shipnut on November 28, 2017, 04:57:42 am
Hello
   I cannot for the life of me figure out how to open the photographs that people include with their postings. 
   I'd be most grateful if someone could enlighten me, because then I could see what our posters are talking about!
   Thanks in advance for your help...
            Hugh F. Mowat
   
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: Klunk on November 28, 2017, 07:04:06 am
If you're registered they should show. Check that your pc security is not blocking the downloads from the site.
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: Tug Fanatic on November 28, 2017, 08:36:42 am
You have to be logged in as well as registered.
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: Netleyned on November 28, 2017, 09:18:06 am
Obviously Registered and Logged in to enable posts.
As Klunk says, probably a security setting putting a block on attachments.
Ned
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: Martin (Admin) on November 28, 2017, 09:57:26 am
 
Can you see this image?

(http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2017/11/28/World-of-Warships---German-Battleship-Bismarck-2.jpg) (http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/image/8aDvh)
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: Klunk on November 28, 2017, 10:28:33 am
Yep. Me and you eating all the pie at Warwick lol
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: Neil on November 28, 2017, 10:32:16 am


Can you see this image?

(http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2017/11/28/World-of-Warships---German-Battleship-Bismarck-2.jpg) (http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/image/8aDvh)


was that the beginning of Operation Rheinübung (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Rhein%C3%BCbung), Martin.................not many if any other times that those two beautiful and powerful ships sailed together, and both had unhappy endings.


Sadly an ignominious end for the Prinz Eugen.......used as a guinea pig in the 1946 Bikini Atoll nuclear tests when she capsized and sank
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: shipnut on November 28, 2017, 06:10:46 pm
Hello Neil
   
Yes, I can see the German battleship perfectly.
 The postings that get me are the ones where a member posts saying here's the boat I'm
working on now...and a fellow member replies that they are impressed with what they are seeing. But I cannot see anything!
     My thanks to all who replied in an attempt to help me out.
 However, I am registered and I am logged in. So what next?
     I've added modelboatmayhem to my safe senders list.
               Hugh F. Mowat
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: C-3PO on November 28, 2017, 06:39:30 pm
Hi Shipnut

May help to know what you are using to view the internet:

A) What computer operating system & version are you using?
B) What internet browser are you using?
C) Do you have any additional firewall software installed? - if so what?

C-3PO
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: TheLongBuild on November 28, 2017, 07:03:08 pm


 However, I am registered and I am logged in. So what next?
     I've added modelboatmayhem to my safe senders list.
               Hugh F. Mowat





Hello Neil
   
Yes, I can see the German battleship perfectly.
 The postings that get me are the ones where a member posts saying here's the boat I'm
working on now...and a fellow member replies that they are impressed with what they are seeing. But I cannot see anything!
     My thanks to all who replied in an attempt to help me out.






Are you looking at old threads where photos have been lost , or when we had the great Meltdown, or the recent loss of pictures on a picture hosting site which a few members used..perhaps post a link to one of the threads where you can not see the pictures.
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: madrob on November 28, 2017, 07:34:24 pm

Can you see this image?

(http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2017/11/28/World-of-Warships---German-Battleship-Bismarck-2.jpg) (http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/image/8aDvh)


what a stunning picture

Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: shipnut on November 29, 2017, 02:53:43 am
C-3PO
     I have
   
     A)  Windows 10
     B)  Firefox
     C) I have Adblocker, but don't know if that should have any effect.

   I appreciate everybody's efforts
          Hugh F. Mowat
 
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: tigertiger on November 29, 2017, 05:29:02 am
Shipnut, please copy the link of a thread you cannot view images of.  It may be a thread with images hosted by a company that no longer allows third party image links.
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: C-3PO on November 29, 2017, 08:19:43 am
C-3PO
     I have
   
     A)  Windows 10
     B)  Firefox
     C) I have Adblocker, but don't know if that should have any effect.

   I appreciate everybody's efforts
          Hugh F. Mowat
 

I have W10 / Firefox and uBlock all running without any problem

Why not temporarily try MS Edge or Internet Explorer to see if they will shows the images

C-3PO
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: TheLongBuild on November 29, 2017, 08:44:33 am
C-3PO
     I have
   
     A)  Windows 10
     B)  Firefox
     C) I have Adblocker, but don't know if that should have any effect.

   I appreciate everybody's efforts
          Hugh F. Mowat
 

Yes but have you checked this..


Are you looking at old threads where photos have been lost , or when we had the great Meltdown, or the recent loss of pictures on a picture hosting site which a few members used..perhaps post a link to one of the threads where you can not see the pictures.
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: Martin (Admin) on November 29, 2017, 12:46:52 pm

Shipnut, please copy the link of a thread you cannot view images of.  It may be a thread with images hosted by a company that no longer allows third party image links.

Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: shipnut on November 29, 2017, 04:03:03 pm
TheLongBuild

    Good idea!  I'll try to find a posting where I couldn't see the photos.

          Hugh (Shipnut)
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: shipnut on November 30, 2017, 01:17:03 am
TigerTiger and TheLongBuild

      I briefly tried to find a posting where the photos didn't appear...and I can't find one!
      I'm going to give up now.
      Each time I went to a posting with photos they were there.
      I think, as you say, the possibility exists that I just happened on some old postings and the
      photos had gone.
      Thanks to all for your suggestions
                Hugh (Shipnut)
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on November 30, 2017, 03:18:17 am
TigerTiger and TheLongBuild

      I briefly tried to find a posting where the photos didn't appear...and I can't find one!
      I'm going to give up now.
      Each time I went to a posting with photos they were there.
      I think, as you say, the possibility exists that I just happened on some old postings and the
      photos had gone.
      Thanks to all for your suggestions
                Hugh (Shipnut)

Hugh,

Don't despair had that happen on a current thread.
Everyone could see the pics but me.
Almost gave up but n the end was a gremlin causing the problem, Gremlin now gone and all OK.
There are threads where you will not be able to view the photos because the authors have either removed them or access to that account is no longer available.
Pain in the proverbial
There is a thread on here about photobucket which is worth reading.
Simply put its about posters who don't post directly into their threads but use links to other sources, flickr and stuff and when their accounts are no longer available no pics.
Don't understand it because it stuffs up the build and make sit useless as you say.
It is simple enough to load the pic direct from your computer to the thread.
So that may explain some of your problems.

This link, click on it, is an example of what I call a useless thread and should be deleted.

http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,57498.0.html

You may have come across something similar, there are a few about.
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: Baldrick on November 30, 2017, 09:15:45 am



 It's known on the forum as as the Photobucket syndrome.   The reason a lot of threads are blotted with nasty icons rather than the original images.
Title: Re: Opening photographs on the forum
Post by: Martin (Admin) on November 30, 2017, 10:19:58 am
Hugh,

This link, click on it, is an example of what I call a useless thread and should be deleted.

http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,57498.0.html

You may have come across something similar, there are a few about.

 I think that may be a different issue, looks like Paul has moved or deleted the photos from Photobucket...  {:-{
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on November 30, 2017, 10:29:43 am
 
( Topics merged )

Photobucket, can anyone verify if they can see photos in this post?
I can see them and they are on Photobucket?!?!?

http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4024.msg63617.html#msg63617
 (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4024.msg63617.html#msg63617)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: C-3PO on November 30, 2017, 10:34:57 am
Yes I can see them - how strange......

(http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2017/11/30/MartinMayhem.jpg)

C-3PO
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Bob K on November 30, 2017, 10:45:10 am
Yes, I can see the Bismarck photos from your link.

However, my Photo*ucket photos from earlier this year still show their blocking image

Bob K
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Liverbudgie2 on November 30, 2017, 11:22:25 am
Link works here.

LB
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on November 30, 2017, 01:14:23 pm

( Topics merged )

Photobucket, can anyone verify if they can see photos in this post?
I can see them and they are on Photobucket?!?!?

http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4024.msg63617.html#msg63617
 (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4024.msg63617.html#msg63617)


Negative, says to update your account?
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: TheLongBuild on November 30, 2017, 01:22:23 pm

( Topics merged )

Photobucket, can anyone verify if they can see photos in this post?
I can see them and they are on Photobucket?!?!?

http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4024.msg63617.html#msg63617
 (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4024.msg63617.html#msg63617)





Yes I can see all the pictures , however the thread seems to stop in 2009 for some reason !!! :} :} :} :} %)
Title: Re: Photobucket - your photos held to ransom
Post by: Baldrick on November 30, 2017, 05:26:34 pm
Not if you go to page 4 and on Martins last post click "Here ! "





Quote
Re: Martin Builds the Bismarck!  (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4024.msg146065.html#msg146065)
« Reply #84 on: January 23, 2009, 11:13:12 PM »


Any Advice or comments here please.>>>   
Here!                                                    
 NB: To view the images from now on, you need to join the Forum!-
 
  Martin     
[/b][/color]Report to Moderator (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=reporttm;topic=4024.84;msg=146065)   (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/Themes/core/images/ip.gif) Logged (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=helpadmin;help=see_member_ip)[/size]
Title: Re: Photobucket - our photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on December 02, 2017, 09:46:23 pm
 
NB: Finished 'repairing' my Bismarck build topic'''

           http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4024.0.html (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,4024.0.html)
Title: Re: Photobucket - our photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on February 13, 2018, 11:53:52 am

Photobucket have dramatically reduced their 'ransom demand'!   >:-o


http://photobucket.com/plans/p500/?utm_source=hellobar&utm_medium=modal&utm_campaign=010518_commerce&utm_content=b

3rd PARTY HOSTING.
FOR THE E-COMMERCE SAVVY, FORUM ADMINS & PRO PHOTOGRAPHERS

UNLIMITED 3rd PARTY HOSTING
UNLIMITED BANDWIDTH
NOW WITH HTTPS SUPPORT
DAILY BACKUPS
DEDICATED URL AND SUPPORT
AD FREE BROWSING
STORE ORIGINAL PHOTOS
500 GB STORAGE
$399.99 BILLED ANNUALLY
EQUIVALENT TO
$33.33/MONTH
Title: Re: Photobucket - our photos held to ransom
Post by: imsinking on February 13, 2018, 12:01:41 pm
 :-))  My account at IMAGESHACK has just gone DOWN  :o  from $39 to $19 for the year  O0  can't believe it , paid up before they changed their minds . . .
Bill  %)
Title: Re: Photobucket - our photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on March 11, 2018, 01:19:06 pm
 
 
 
Reposting for info...  :-)


How to post images here on Mayhem using Image Upload button - (http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2018/01/14/Cevereto.jpg) (http://modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/image/BBaWG)

Title: Photobucket
Post by: Corposant on May 29, 2018, 11:10:46 pm
Earlier today I needed to remind myself of a technique I had used during my Northlight puffer build. On looking through the build log, I was surprised to find the pictures had re-appeared (rather than the Photobucket blackmail presentation). None of the videos worked.
When Photobucket dropped their bombshell, mrlownotes posted a link to an add-on fix which worked for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox browsers (very grateful!). I added this add-on to Firefox on a laptop which has a broken case and only works with the power supply plugged in but did not add it to the one I use daily. Hence my surprize when the pictures appeared today!
I think (but cannot be certain) that the videos worked with the downloaded add-on but they are not currently viewable on either laptop.
Has anyone else experienced a change?
Mike
Title: Re: Photobucket
Post by: SailorGreg on May 30, 2018, 06:54:31 am
Well, whadya know?! My pictures are all back as well, on my Android tablet so no special fixes in place. Perhaps the powers that be at Photobucket realised the mess they had made and have tried to rectify things. But I can't bring myself to thank them, and I certainly won't be using PB again  <*<


Greg




Title: Re: Photobucket
Post by: TheLongBuild on May 30, 2018, 07:22:29 am

Well, whadya know?! My pictures are all back as well, on my Android tablet so no special fixes in place. Perhaps the powers that be at Photobucket realised the mess they had made and have tried to rectify things. But I can't bring myself to thank them, and I certainly won't be using PB again  <*<


Greg
Only Temporary for a limited by the looks of things.


 Welcome to the New Photobucket!

 Photobucket has new management, and we are liberating your images!
As of today, your hosted images are live.
Photobucket has a new management team that wants to do the right thing. We are committed to earning back your trust and offering comprehensive and flexible image storage and hosting options for our customers. We’ve taken your feedback and made some changes to our pricing model that allows us to offer competitively priced plans that fit the needs of all of our customers.
For a limited time, our current customers’ hosted images have been restored and Photobucket is introducing a new pricing plan that is built around everyone’s needs.
In an effort to improve our customers’ experience, we’ve also moved away from an advertising-based model and have eliminated a portion of ads from the site. 
Photobucket pioneered the image sharing and hosting market 15 years ago, and our new management team is committed to returning Photobucket to the premier imaging service people had come to know and trust. 
There are more positive changes on the way, but for now we are excited to share this new compelling subscription option, as a testament to our dedication to you, our valued customers.

Title: Re: Photobucket
Post by: SailorGreg on May 30, 2018, 08:00:30 am
 >:-o >>:-( <*<
Title: Re: Photobucket
Post by: Bob K on May 30, 2018, 08:30:50 am
Wow !  My Photobucket images are back, but for how long I do not know.
I have not received any communication from them.
Obviously the site effectively died when the previous owners got mega greedy and resorted to blackmail.

Do I trust them?  Definitely not. 
Title: Re: Photobucket
Post by: Corposant on May 30, 2018, 10:43:22 am
Thanks chaps for your replies. At least I am not going potty - no more than usual that is!
It will be interesting to see what logo the "New Management" come up with when the pictures are removed again.
Too much damage to public relations to ever trust them in the future!
Mike
Title: Re: Photobucket
Post by: Tug Fanatic on May 30, 2018, 11:11:08 am

Learn from history. "Limited time" might be forever or it might be next week.


This is your opportunity to get your photos back & store them somewhere that you control.
Title: Re: Photobucket
Post by: TheLongBuild on May 30, 2018, 11:37:52 am
Don, t think anyone lost access to their own pictures just lost ability to post links to them on social media 
Title: Re: Photobucket
Post by: jaymac on May 30, 2018, 12:14:07 pm
Strange   they have not contacted about GDPR like all the others have
Title: Re: Photobucket - our photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on May 30, 2018, 07:42:15 pm

 Wow!  Good find Greg!

    Grab them while you can!


See if this still works:
http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,58456.msg611157.html#msg611157
 
 
 
Title: Re: Photobucket - our photos held to ransom
Post by: RAAArtyGunner on May 31, 2018, 06:35:11 am



Maybe they are copying Microsoft so you can guess what may come next.  O0 O0 %% %%
Title: Re: Photobucket - our photos held to ransom
Post by: SailorGreg on May 31, 2018, 08:41:19 am

 Wow!  Good find Greg!

    Grab them while you can!


See if this still works:
http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,58456.msg611157.html#msg611157 (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,58456.msg611157.html#msg611157)

It wasn't me Martin, it was Mike (Corposant) who spotted the pictures were back. And I guess most don't need to recover the photos, we probably still have them. But what I can't do is edit the original posts to attach the images directly or from another source. So at the moment they will appear but as soon as PB restricts access again they will vanish again. Is there a solution? I guess none of us are going to pay PB any amount after the recent hoohah.
 
 Greg
Title: Re: Photobucket - our photos held to ransom
Post by: Martin (Admin) on May 31, 2018, 02:27:52 pm
 
Apologies, thanks Mike (Corposant)   :-))




Quote
"But what I can't do is edit the original posts to attach the images directly or from another source."



Easiest way ( for me anyway  ok2 );

1.  Save your Photos from Photobucket to your Laptop, PC, Hard Drive, Cloud service, ModelBoatMayhemImages.co.uk ,etc.

2.  Start a new Topic ( in same section, same name ),

3.  Copy the text from the original posts to a new post,
    ( might be easier if you have each open separate / two browser Tabs )

4.  Re-add the photos to the new posts,

5.  Save new post.

6.  Let me know when you've done them and I'll manually move them across to the old posts.   :-))

   Martin