Flickr!

March 12, 2004 9:47 AM

Flickr! First launched during the week of no-metafilter, Flickr is a new kind of social software application (in the tradition of Friendster or Orkut) - but, after making friends and forming groups, it actually gives you something to do! Created by a team led by Mefi's own sylloge, Flickr is also a collaboration focused Flash-based application that allows you to share picture files with friends, comment on them and post them directly to your weblog. An exposed set of services is also leading to a host of interesting ideas.
posted by vacapinta (16 comments total)

i like the flickr people, but dont really like metafilter being used to promote products and services...
posted by specialk420 at 9:59 AM on March 12, 2004

Flickr is awesome. It's a shame how difficult it will be to get the whole internet to sign up for yet another 'social software' site.
posted by scottq at 10:04 AM on March 12, 2004

I played with it, but I just can't bring myself to love a site that requires Flash to do the best of what it does.
posted by pzarquon at 10:23 AM on March 12, 2004

I adore Flickr.
posted by dreamling at 10:55 AM on March 12, 2004

I use Flickr to chat with someone who can't download IRC or any of the IM products. It works like a dream for that.

(And I found out about it from Ask Mefi)
posted by Danf at 11:09 AM on March 12, 2004

The idea is good, but the interface is a bit overwhelming.
posted by Outlawyr at 11:30 AM on March 12, 2004

But, the question is, is Flickr blue and does it vibrate?
posted by Stynxno at 11:34 AM on March 12, 2004

I agree with specialk420

It's a press release ... now it's an FPP,
just doesn't seem like the right place.
posted by milovoo at 11:55 AM on March 12, 2004

Metafilter: PressReleaseFilter
posted by Stynxno at 12:10 PM on March 12, 2004

Understood. I originally meant to post about this after it was unveiled at the O'Reilly conference. But metafilter was down that week and so I didn't. They have been adding so much cool stuff lately, I figured I might as well post anyways.

I have no affiliation with them in any way other than as an enthusiastic user of their stuff. I apologize if it has the sound of a press release. Hopefully some people here will find this interesting and useful.
posted by vacapinta at 12:27 PM on March 12, 2004

I just can't bring myself to love a site that requires Flash to do the best of what it does

Why is that?

(Not trying to pick a fight here, genuinely asking.)
posted by gleuschk at 12:46 PM on March 12, 2004

So why only photos? I can see the integration of social network software, IM and file-sharing apps being a natural one, and on a technical level, it's interesting to see Flash used as an app platform, but I'm sure people want to share a lot of non-photo media as well. Of course, depending on how it works, storage and/or bandwidth could be an issue, and the RIAA/MPAA are likely to rear their ugly heads, but those should only be secondary concerns...
posted by arto at 3:20 PM on March 12, 2004

no matter how many social networks you join, your friends are still going to hate you.
posted by Satapher at 3:29 PM on March 12, 2004

Thanks for the link, vacapinta -- (and there were several other mefi-ites involved, not sure me). Sorry to those who didn't like the tone - :\ - but, then, well, try it anyway and you might like it.

Arto - it is only photos right now because we only got started on it in December. Flash can handle a lot of media types, streamed and otherwise. And we have plans. (A dream app inside of Flickr (for me) would be a real-time multi-user step sequencer, sort of like a stripped down Garage Band, but with lots of people using it).

Outlawyer: yeah, the UI needs a lot of refining. Making things simple is complex, if you know what I mean, but we are working on it every day :)
posted by sylloge at 7:35 PM on March 12, 2004

A service can be "something cool on the web", I think. Flickr is really groovy, and I don't see the harm in someone sharing it with others provided it is not a self-link, which this isn't.
posted by nthdegx at 2:49 AM on March 13, 2004

I first read about this here. I've never been into social network stuff, but I like flickr a lot.
posted by Utilitaritron at 9:26 AM on March 14, 2004