Flickr’s New ‘Wallet Assaulting Tentacles’

“Old Skool” Flickr members are being forced to switch to/merge with Yahoo! IDs to access the popular photo sharing site (Read their rants here). I think the issue here is summarized perfectly by ScrewDriver, a representative from Flick Off, an anti-Yahoo Flickr User Group.

Here’s what Screw had to say:

The dissension here in part is a resistance to change and a deep-rooted distrust of mega-corporations possessed with wallet assaulting tentacles. (from BBC)

I am an avid Flickr user. I check my account countless times throughout the day, and every image I post to this blog is hosted on Flickr. I use Flickr to share logo ideas as well as photos from my digital camera. I would consider myself a Flickr early adopter, but I joined post-Yahoo-acquistion, so I just used my Yahoo ID to sign in. Therefore, I don’t have such an issue with the change, plus I really like Yahoo (and Yahoo mail). I can, however, completely related to the uproar because of something I keep in my wallet.

I have a Disney credit card that earns Disney Dream Dollars that I can use towards Disney vacations. I’m a big fan of Disney and I like the card for that, but I also like the card because it says “Charter Member” on it. Charter means that I was one of the first to get a Disney credit card, and that’s something special to me. Credit cards have come and gone from my wallet, but Disney will stay there because [1] I want to keep earning Disney dollars and [2] again there’s something special about being a charter member. I get no extra benefits, in fact nothing extra, but that’s ok.

I am sure Old Skool Flickr users are feeling the same thing. They are losing their home, it would be interesting to have someone else come along and offer them a new place to roost.