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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

#311

Imgur forgot its roots as a dumb image host, rapidly crufting-up its service with things that were not only annoying but interfering with its basic function . If you can’t easily see an image as soon as you click on it — on mobile or otherwise — then the image service has completely failed. The sad thing is, they could have added non-intrusive ads. DaringFireball does it; write a single line of text such as “This ima…

There's a difference between serveing mostly text content and mostly image content. Just the difference in bandwidth/server cost makes this a bad comparison.

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#312

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Daring Fireball does it" has to be the worst possible comparison imaginable. Gruber has super differentiated, high editorial value content that folks will pay a premium to put their message next to. Imgur is about as far away from that as possible. They have to try to make money, it's crazy to sit here and think you know better than they do on this. Don't you think if they could make enough money doing what you thin…

I was referring to the way that DaringFireball does ads. I was not talking about any other aspect of DaringFireball. If Imgur wants ads, there is a way to make ads sane and still make money. For what anecdotes are worth, DaringFireball’s method is about the only form of ads that has ever worked on me. I actually read what he says about these companies, and I often am curious enough to go learn more. And he’s charging…

>If Imgur wants ads, there is a way to make ads sane and still make money.

There is also "a way" to win at the Olympics.

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#313

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Daring Fireball does it" has to be the worst possible comparison imaginable. Gruber has super differentiated, high editorial value content that folks will pay a premium to put their message next to. Imgur is about as far away from that as possible. They have to try to make money, it's crazy to sit here and think you know better than they do on this. Don't you think if they could make enough money doing what you thin…

I was referring to the way that DaringFireball does ads. I was not talking about any other aspect of DaringFireball. If Imgur wants ads, there is a way to make ads sane and still make money. For what anecdotes are worth, DaringFireball’s method is about the only form of ads that has ever worked on me. I actually read what he says about these companies, and I often am curious enough to go learn more. And he’s charging…

The way that Daring Fireball does ads is a product of the entire way that Gruber runs the site - you can't only talk about ads. Not to mention the point that Gruber can do whatever he wants with his site and does not need to maximize revenue or provide a venture-scale return. He certainly makes a lot of money with ads the way they're set up - he could certainly make more with "better" ads. He deserves a lot of credit for valuing his readers so highly.

Can you point to a single Imgur-like property using the sort of ads you cite to generate any kind of significant revenue to the point where they could possibly offer a return on venture cash? I don't know of a single major web property running that style of ads that does so successfully. In fact, we see progressively worse ads are what publications are choosing to run instead (looking at you WaPo, running inline "videos" on mobile that are really huge GIFs). I agree that it sucks - certainly no argument there. But I am unaware of anywhere where what you're suggesting is working competitively with unobtrusive options.

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#314

> I saw that multiple times here on HN now that people misuse the term. It's a pity, the original idea is something to be aware of, and diluting what dark pattern means hinders that awareness. Sorry long post TL/DR Fighting people on word definitions is frustrating and words change meaning when one aspect gets popular. I have fought this war over and over again over the following words: Troll - Everything is a troll…

Trolling, in its original Usenet definition, was still more subtle than that: it was making a provocative posting solely to stir up responses. The troll probably didn't agree with the sentiment they were posting, they were just doing it to cause trouble. "The old definition of a Troll is one who posts to generate the maximum number of follow ups. These are a very minor irritation, and can be considered to be advantag…

You are 100% right! I am guilty of the same thing even though I lived in those days.

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#315
post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've seen it. It depends on the referrer. When coming from Reddit, visitors will not be redirected.

test link: http://i.imgur.com/PhY2HUP.jpg is this happening for anyone in thread? maybe try holding down CTRL and hammering the link to see if it's a probability thing? I have never seen the behavior being described.

Interesting. The first click brought me to the imgur page but a second click brought me directly to the image.

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#316

Imgur forgot its roots as a dumb image host, rapidly crufting-up its service with things that were not only annoying but interfering with its basic function . If you can’t easily see an image as soon as you click on it — on mobile or otherwise — then the image service has completely failed. The sad thing is, they could have added non-intrusive ads. DaringFireball does it; write a single line of text such as “This ima…

> Imgur forgot its roots as a dumb image host, rapidly crufting-up its service with things that were not only annoying but interfering with its basic function. Imgur is my main form on entertainment and the app currently lives on my homescreen. Mindless fun and good vibes unlike reddit which makes me angry/sad/depressed. Imgur would have been dead with this Reddit move if they had not evolved, they obviously saw it c…

I know there is some kind of community on Imgur, but I wonder what percent of it (or the content it enjoys) only exists because it was the unofficial image host for Reddit.

Once Reddit is largely gone, will the community survive?

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#317

Imgur forgot its roots as a dumb image host, rapidly crufting-up its service with things that were not only annoying but interfering with its basic function . If you can’t easily see an image as soon as you click on it — on mobile or otherwise — then the image service has completely failed. The sad thing is, they could have added non-intrusive ads. DaringFireball does it; write a single line of text such as “This ima…

DaringFireball does it;

John Gruber needs to feed and house himself, his wife, and his kids. I'm just guessing here, knowing nothing about the internal workings of the company, but I'm pretty sure Imgur has a few more mouths to feed than a single founder's immediate family.

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#318
post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even at Amazon's cheapest posted bandwidth tier you're paying $50+ per terabyte for bandwidth. Any dedicated hosting company (OVH, Hetzner, etc...) will cost less than 3% of that (and that's on the high end). Bandwidth is cheap, but AWS marks it up roughly 30x-50x what you'd pay in a dedicated environment.

Then why isn't anyone running an AWS-like service focused for bandwidth-intensive applications hosted on "OVH, Hetzner, etc..."?

Many people do. S3 is convenient though. It handles durability, replication, uptime, etc... and even with the insane markup on bandwidth many startups / companies can afford a $10k/mo bandwidth bill because it's cheaper than hiring some devops and a team to build out the appropriate infrastructure.

Re: Reddit launches image uploads, ditching alliance with Imgur

#319

Imgur forgot its roots as a dumb image host, rapidly crufting-up its service with things that were not only annoying but interfering with its basic function . If you can’t easily see an image as soon as you click on it — on mobile or otherwise — then the image service has completely failed. The sad thing is, they could have added non-intrusive ads. DaringFireball does it; write a single line of text such as “This ima…

The mobile experience was horrible. They were doing some weird scrolling thing where it would really mess up my viewport.
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