Free Picture Hosts, Features: DIRECT LINKING / THUMBS / ETC.

[BrownBullhead]

I want to make a suggestion... it seems that certain message threads here in which people post images run into problems with either:

#1 - "Direct Linking" or "Hot Linking" --> This is the process where the poster enters the EXACT URL to their image when prompted to do so by the board software... i.e. http://www.myhost.isp/myimages/image001.jpg . Often, the image shows as a "red 'x'" because the HOST (i.e. http://www.myhost.isp/) does NOT allow the board software to "directly access" the image for display within the message thread. The reader has to right-click on the 'x' and click 'Properties' and then copy/paste the URL (i.e. http://www.myhost.isp/myimages/image001.jpg ) into their web browser.

and ...

#2 - Server "Uptime" - The HOST does not run 24/7 ... so reading the post at a time when the server is not "running" (serving file requests) results in the "red 'x'". Their is NO SOLUTION to this issue outside the HOST controls.

I suggest using one of these two PICTURE HOSTS:

1. PhotoBucket
2. ImageShack

PHOTOBUCKET --> PhotoBucket has FREE and PREMIUM accounts.

FREE account allows you to have your OWN LINK (example: http://www.photobucket.com/v245/MyUserName/) and you can set it so people can enter that as a URL in their browser and view ALL your pictures, or you can set it as PRIVATE and they can only view any particular pictures you authorize them to view (i.e. by giving them the direct URL to a particular image).

FREE account also allows you to upload 25 MB of images, but no one image can be larger than 250 Kb. In theory, you can upload 100 x 250 Kb images, 250 x 100 Kb images, etc. A FREE account also allows 1500 MB of "bandwidth transfer"... so to simplify this, assume your 25 MB of images can be viewed 60 times per month (assuming all files were viewed equal no. of times each). If you only have 5 MB of images up, your collective store of images could be viewed 300 times per month.

PREMIUM account removes the BANDWIDTH limit and the 25 MB store limit - you can upload UNLIMITED IMAGES and experience UNLIMITED BANDWIDTH ... this will cost $9 US ($11 CA) for 3 months, or $25 US ($30 CA) for ONE YEAR!

In either case, all of your images follow the forum ... http://www.photobucket.com/vXXX/MyUserName/image001.jpg

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IMAGESHACK --> ImageShack is COMPLETELY FREE... but...

This site relies on the use of a COOKIE to know who you are and for you to retrieve your images. DO NOT USE A HOTMAIL ADDRESS TO REGISTER as the server seems to "FORGET" Hotmail registrations.

I.E. Let's say we register a YAHOO and a HOTMAIL. We upload one image to YAHOO reg. and one to HOTMAIL reg. We then DELETE OUR COOKIE. To get back to our images, we have to go back to the ImageShack home page and "re-register".

We'll use the SAME email addresses we used above.

The YAHOO one will say "Already Registered - Sending Info To Your Email Address." Open the email you at your YAHOO and receive your ORIGINAL REGISTRATION LINK. When you click it, ImageShack opens and you can click "My Images" and see your uploaded image. We repeat the process with a HOTMAIL address.

The HOTMAIL one doesn't say "Already Registered - Sending Info To Your Email Address." ... instead, it thanks you for registering. You click this NEW link (note, it should be the same as your ORIGINAL REGISTRATION LINK, but sadly, it's not). You click this new link, and you have... NO IMAGES! This is a bug in their software that I have described verbatim in their forums how to reproduce but they deny the error exists (by not fixing it!).

If you registered with HOTMAIL and DID NOT keep your ORIGINAL LINK, there goes your images into oblivion! They still exist on the ImageShack servers but you can't get them back!

On a good note, BANDWIDTH is UNLIMITED and IMAGE STORAGE QUOTA is UNLIMITED.

BUT... the URL to each of your images is NOT consistent. AND THEY RENAME YOUR IMAGES!

#1 - http://www.imageshack.us/server45/di...e43xx231gf.jpg
#2 - http://www.imageshack.us/server106/d...3saff231aa.jpg

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I've had poor experiences with IMAGESHACK (see their forums) but they are good for UNLIMITED BANDWIDTH / FILE STORAGE. If you need UNLIMITED USAGE and you don't care about file names or directory structure, and you are not registering with HOTMAIL, use this one.

If you need consistency in image storage, and are willing to pay $2 US ($2.50 CA) per month to get UNLIMITED USAGE, definitely go with PHOTOBUCKET.

BOTH SITES do generate PHPbb code (posting images to message forums is so easy), including HOT LINK CODE, THUMBNAIL CODE, and BLOG code. All images can be DIRECT LINKED on BOTH providers.

Just a review to help those who need image servers with 99.99% uptime AND direct linking!

[phOOey]

I use photobucket, and find it very easy to use.