Pictures

[FizzyLogician]

Thanks. I think I finally figured it out.

[dit]

This is just a little update concerning Photobucket, as I know a lot of people on here use it. As I wrote on a thread the other day, I received a message from them saying I was about to exceed my allocation and if I did so, I would be cut off for a month (as I understood it). Someone on the thread said she had paid to upgrade to avoid this happening, but others weren't aware that there could be a problem.

I e-mailed to query this, as they say on their website that they offer unlimited storage. I (eventually) received a reply this afternoon that explained it like this:

We offer unlimited storage, meaning you can upload as many photos as you want. The 10gb a month is for linking those photos to other sites to share. When we disable your media it means we replace the links with the picture we describe. All of your media will still be in your album and will be viewable and accessible by you and those on photobucket who search/view your public images.

So the limit for posting pics anywhere is 10gb a month, though heaven knows how we're supposed to monitor that. I just thought it might be useful for people to know that 'unlimited storage' doesn't mean 'unlimited posting of stored pics onto the JMB or elsewhere'.

[devil-may-care]

Interesting, Dit. Thanks for following up with photobucket. That's good information to know. I guess there's no way to know exactly how many gig we've shared on this site. I just checked my account stats. I can see how many albums I have, how many files and what bandwidth I've used, but not a stat for shared photos.

[slashgirl]

So the limit for posting pics anywhere is 10gb a month, though heaven knows how we're supposed to monitor that. I just thought it might be useful for people to know that 'unlimited storage' doesn't mean 'unlimited posting of stored pics onto the JMB or elsewhere'.

Storage is different from bandwidth. Bandwidth is what gets used when you hotlink (ie link directly to something on photobucket) or "share" a picture here on the board. Storage is static and it doesn't use as much bandwidth to load something in your pb acct as it does when it's hotlinked.

The larger the pic, the more bandwidth it uses and the more it's viewed, the more bandwidth that is used. Which is why you shouldn't link from someone's personal webspace to a message board like this--you would be stealing their bandwidth (unless the site itself indicates hotlinking is okay); it's also why some sites disable hotlinking. Sites like photobucket limit bandwidth cus that's the more expensive part of the equation.

As for monitoring usage....if you go under the stats tab in your pb account, then select "view account" (upper right hand side) once that page loads, on the left hand side, it gives you the stats for your account and near the bottom of that box, it shows you how much bandwidth you've used.

/geek out and re-lurking.

[adrianmay]

Oooo, check her out *nudges neighbor with elbow and points at slashgirl*

Very informative. Thank you.

[dit]

Slashgirl, thanks for that. I've been using PB for a while now and hadn't had a warning before, but at least now I know where to look for the stats.

I actually got back to them to ask how long you are 'disabled' for if you go over as their wording is ambiguous, and I found their reply very helpful - just hope it never applies to me!

As for going over 10GB's a month, it will disable linking of the photos for the remainder of the month up to the day you had registered the account, when it will reset to zero. So if you go over 3 days after the 22nd of the month, you will have to wait til the 22nd of the next month for it to reset. If you go over on the 21st, it will reset the next day back to zero.


Edit: actually, I followed Slashgirl's advice and it appears that I've used 12% of my monthly 10GB over the past 2 days, if I'm reading it correctly. Which means I'll either have to drastically cut back on the amount of pics I post or start to pay for the privilege.

[amie8]

Shame you can't upload pics direct from your computer - a feature of proboards I guess.

[FizzyLogician]

Dit, if I understand this all correctly, posting fewer pictures in the future isn't going to solve your problem. It's the viewing of your pics that uses bandwidth. So every time someone here looks at your previously posted pics, that counts as bandwidth use on your PB account.

Can slashgirl or someone else clarify this further?

[dit]

Oh dear. This is not good.

I feel that I may have to part with some money soon. (I'm not giving up putting pics and GIFs on here until I get bored, which may be some considerable time)

[amie8]

Apr 25, 2012 0:02:43 GMT FizzyLogician said:

Dit, if I understand this all correctly, posting fewer pictures in the future isn't going to solve your problem. It's the viewing of your pics that uses bandwidth. So every time someone here looks at your previously posted pics, that counts as bandwidth use on your PB account.

Can slashgirl or someone else clarify this further?

I'm not sure how this would work, as this site actually embeds pics within the posts, rather than just creating a link to Photobucket, so PB can't possibly know how many times a picture is viewed - can it?

I imagine it doesn't help if someone else copies one of Dit's pictures into another post - which is what I sometimes do, for instance in the "1001 uses" thread.

Dit - is there maybe another free site in which you can duplicate some of your pics and divide your loyalties between them, so you're not over-using any one site?

Am I making sense?

[dit]

I see what you mean about running on two sites but I fear I might get confused. I was originally on Phyrefile but that shut down and PB seemed to suit me just fine. I'm quite grumpy about the situation really!

If anyone could suggest another free site I'd appreciate it but, as I said, it's possible I might end up staying with PB and paying. Need to look at how much they charge.



Edit - this is my stats page on PB but I don't actually understand it...

[devil-may-care]

I pay $24.95 annually for PB. I have it set up as an automatic billing.

[dit]

That's about £15. Might be better to bite the bullet and do it. I'll see if any other info comes in first, though - thanks, everyone.

[jacqui]

Ooo look at that didn't know that existed

You must spend your days filling your bucket Dit ;D I have yet to have any issues with PB

[amie8]

I notice your avatar pic has a huge number of views. Do you think it racks up a "view" every time you post something with that picture in it?

[dit]

That might be it, though I can't understand why other people haven't had this problem. I guess I do post a lot of stuff, and perhaps the profile pic does register every time.

The point's somewhat academic tonight anyway, as my laptop won't connect to the internet. I'm typing this on an old computer in a back room that doesn't have sound and doesn't connect to my pictures on the laptop, so no pics from me for a while (unless I find some new ones!)



Edit 11.30pm - I'm back! I failed to sort the problem myself so rang a friend who' s an IT expert. He tracked down the problem by going through various alternatives and it got mended quite quickly. Thank goodness - I hate to be without access to all my "stuff".

[FizzyLogician]

Dit, when you have time, can you explain the issue for us?

[dit]

Which particular one? I seem to be beset by problems at the moment! I'm happy to explain, though.

[FizzyLogician]

I meant the photobucket problem. But now I realize that the issue you sorted was probably the laptop-internet connection. At least you got one thing fixed.

Yesterday, I had to get my cell phone replaced. It literally took all day to get the new one activated, set up, and functioning in a useful fashion.

[dit]

Don't even start about phones! That's a whole different department!

The Photobucket thing - I had a message from them saying that basically I was exceeding my allowance for a free account. I couldn't understand this as others seem to post a lot of pics without this happening, so I contacted them to find out what they meant.

Essentially, it's not a question of how many pics you put up on PB (that's unlimited), it's how they're used after that. If you then post them to a website (e.g. the JMB), that uses some of your bandwidth. Then, if people choose to look at them/download them, that uses up more of your bandwidth allowance. As I understand this, it's continuous, so if someone downloads, say, a photo from January in April it will dig into April's allowance.

So in a sense I'm a victim of my own enthusiasm in posting so many pics and GIFs. I'm not going to give up though, and rather than try to balance PB with another site I'm going to sign up to pay, probably tomorrow. It's not a lot of money and I won't have to worry about it again.

I hope this makes sense and will be useful to others who use PB.


Update, late Thursday. I've paid, so I don't have to think about the problem any more.

Unless PB goes the same way as Phyrefile, that is!

[jmsquared]

Help! My computer seems have become allergic to Photobucket, so I have opened a Flickr account. My question is: How do I put a pic from Flickr onto the JMB? I have tried to find out online, really I have, but I can't fathom it! Have cute James pic, need to share!!

[Wyvern]

I would like to remind members that you are required to credit sources where possible for photographs.

It's not so bad with press shots etc, and it's just good manners to credit the TG website. However, when it comes to artwork, it's particularly important that you at least credit the website you got the graphics from, and ideally you credit the artist fully.

Most importantly though, should the artist get in touch, you must comply with her/his wishes concerning the use of their images on this board. Should they ask you to remove them, please do. If they ask us to remove them, we will be happy to do so.

Thank you.