SmugMug acquires Flickr

That's about all I know right now. There was a notice at the bottom of the screen when I logged on to Flickr this evening saying that SmugMug had taken over Flickr. I'll post updates as they become available. SmugMug has an FAQ page but I am unable to read it at this time.

 

I received this email from Flickr today:

"We’re excited to announce that Flickr has agreed to be acquired by SmugMug, the photography platform dedicated to visual storytellers.

SmugMug has a long history of empowering people who love photography and who want to improve their craft, making them a perfect fit for Flickr and our creative community. With SmugMug, we’ll continue to focus on you, the Flickr members who inspire us all with your work.

Nothing will change immediately with regard to your Flickr account. You will still access Flickr with your current login credentials and you will have the same Flickr experience as you do now. We will continue to work to make your Flickr experience even better.

We think you are going to love Flickr under SmugMug ownership, but you can choose to not have your Flickr account and data transferred to SmugMug until May 25, 2018. If you want to keep your Flickr account and data from being transferred, you must go to your Flickr account to download the photos and videos you want to keep, then delete your account from your Account Settings by May 25, 2018.

If you do not delete your account by May 25, 2018, your Flickr account and data will transfer to SmugMug and will be governed by SmugMug’s Terms and Privacy Policy.

Read more detailed FAQs about this transition on the Flickr Blog.

We’re happy that Flickr is your home for photography and we look forward to the next chapter in our adventure together as we join the SmugMug family.

Thanks,

The Flickr Team"


Even though they say they won't change anything, but I'm guessing that within a year or two Flickr will disappear. That's the way things seem to go whenever one company takes over another. Well, I guess it's better than Google taking it over.

 

Here is the email I received from Smugmug yesterday:


"SmugMug + Flickr together at last.

Hello,


We are thrilled to announce that SmugMug has acquired Flickr. We couldn’t be more excited to unite two brands that share the same mission, passions, and values.


In a way, our communities existed long before our brands were established. Photographers have always found ways to connect with one another to share their passion, work, and inspiration. Both SmugMug and Flickr were born from a passion for photography and a mission to support the community we were already a part of.


For 15 years SmugMug has built products that reflect exactly what we believe: that photography is the global language of storytelling. Flickr is the other side of the same coin. Since 2004, they’ve established themselves as a home where photographers can go to inspire and be inspired, to share, learn, meet new friends, and share a piece of the soul that unites us all: storytelling.


Together we are home to the creators, the shutter pressers, the doers and makers. We’re home to you. Home is where you can hang your hat and kick up your feet. It’s also where you can go to work on your passion. Relax. Reload. Refine. Bring your authentic self. Dare to risk and grow.


Join us."

I don't think Flickr will go away or completely change because Smugmug has no social aspect at all. Right now it is only a website builder/ photo storage/ sales.
But, does Smugmug have the manpower and financial power to maintain maintain control and development over Flickr?

 

I agree that SmugMug is a far more interested owner than frequently-hacked Yahoo. I'll be happy as long as they don't make too many "improvements." I'm still unhappy about the last Flickr update, specifically the loss of formatting of BBCode links.

Maybe I should just add a tag line to all of my posts that says "I'm an old man who doesn't like change."