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Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

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Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#61
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"direct" links to an image uploaded sometimes/usually redirect to imgur page, with lots of ads and shitty content, obnoxious, animated overlays that block out part of the image on mobile, etc

Weird. I've never experienced this or heard of it.

Happenned just this week to me; I was wondering if I had not copied the wrong link somehow. Annoying enough to look for another image host.

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#63
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"direct" links to an image uploaded sometimes/usually redirect to imgur page, with lots of ads and shitty content, obnoxious, animated overlays that block out part of the image on mobile, etc

To be fair, bandwidth isn't free. Imgur can't serve hotlinked content for free, forever.

Then they should never have started. Why does every 'free' service on the Internet inevitably devolve into an ad-laden, tracker-enabled shitfest?

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#64
post #54
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What dark patterns are they implementing?

On iOS, they override the swipe-from-left-to-go-back gesture and instead use it to cycle you through new images.

That's an OS gesture. It can't be overridden. If it cycles you to another image, you did't begin your swipe far enough to the left.

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#65

Having a third party host Reddit's images gave away a bunch of control to the point that imgur has its own community based upon the site . At the time Reddit didn't have the resources to make a competitor but this seems to be a good move now that imgur is doing dark patterns.

I want to know whether Imgur's dark patterns are because the site isn't profitable, or because it isn't profitable enough . Because they've sort of cut their own throat here, and it would be interesting to know whether it was from necessity or greed.

Lots of image upload sites does this, start out good and eventually add a lot of crap to monetise.

Does it mean they cut their throat or does it mean the creator just set himself up for a life of money? Genuine question, maybe this is just a way to become rich, maybe these shitty upload sites make enough money that they simply pick this way instead of keeping it pure.

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#67
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably not the right answer, but I only upload to imgur with a CLI client. You get a direct link back that has never shown that behavior. Also if the client only outputs the direct link you can pipe it to `pbcopy` on Mac to put the link in your clipboard.

No, you get a link that looks like a direct link (eg https://i.imgur.com/whatever.png ) but it's not (always) a direct link. This is what people are complaining about. Sending that link to people sometimes results in them getting redirected to the ad-laden imgur page.

Like I said, that hasn't happened to me ever in the couple of years that I've used that method. The people I send links to would complain. I do believe you though—sounds like something they'd do.

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#68
post #25

Having a third party host Reddit's images gave away a bunch of control to the point that imgur has its own community based upon the site . At the time Reddit didn't have the resources to make a competitor but this seems to be a good move now that imgur is doing dark patterns.

What dark patterns are they implementing?

On mobile, Imgur has the most distracting, obstructive, and bewildering modal window I've seen. I'm not being hyperbolic; it's worse than the dark patterns on Forbes.com.

It's in the form of a cat's claw, animated – sliding and extending from the top of your screen almost to the bottom – and slow, making users either click it accidentally or wait in frustration until it can be closed.

Despite having seen it countless times, I still don't even know what it's designed to do or what action it's prompting me to take (e.g. login, capture my email address, etc.).

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#69

Having a third party host Reddit's images gave away a bunch of control to the point that imgur has its own community based upon the site . At the time Reddit didn't have the resources to make a competitor but this seems to be a good move now that imgur is doing dark patterns.

it's funny that imgur is turning into the sites it was replacing in the first place

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#70
post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably not the right answer, but I only upload to imgur with a CLI client. You get a direct link back that has never shown that behavior. Also if the client only outputs the direct link you can pipe it to `pbcopy` on Mac to put the link in your clipboard.

No, you get a link that looks like a direct link (eg https://i.imgur.com/whatever.png ) but it's not (always) a direct link. This is what people are complaining about. Sending that link to people sometimes results in them getting redirected to the ad-laden imgur page.

The "direct links" only ever redirect to the non-direct version on mobile for me. Doesn't happen on desktop though.
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