an online service created to gather and share digital photos online an online service created to gather and share digital photos online for those who want to share their creativity and photos with like-minded groups and communities for those who want to share their creativity and photos with like-minded groups and communities

Brief overview The service is available from February 2004 and is a product of Canadian company Ludicorp in Vancouver. In March 2005 the site Flickr was bought by Yahoo, therefore all photos were transferred from Canada to the servers in the U.S., which meant that from now on are subject to U.S. federal law. Flickr's reputation has improved as their brand is strong and well-managed.

Flickr as a powerful tool Flickr.com being considered as the most powerful and innovative among free photo-sharing services was started by Stewart Butterfield and co-founder Caterina Fake. The service plays role of an image hosting and video hosting website and online community. Flickr became very powerful blogging tool within social media market. What makes Flickr distinctive is its excellent social networking component. Service provides wide range of options such as searching for friends, subscribing to their feeds, commenting on photos and become part of a community. Flickr.com being considered as the most powerful and innovative among free photo-sharing services was started by Stewart Butterfield and co-founder Caterina Fake. The service plays role of an image hosting and video hosting website and online community. Flickr became very powerful blogging tool within social media market. What makes Flickr distinctive is its excellent social networking component. Service provides wide range of options such as searching for friends, subscribing to their feeds, commenting on photos and become part of a community.Stewart ButterfieldCaterina Fakeimage hostingvideo hostingonline communityStewart ButterfieldCaterina Fakeimage hostingvideo hostingonline community

Flickr Services gained considerable popularity through the use of innovative software solutions that have helped to create a broad and active community of users, as well as new methods for cataloging and searching photos (rich descriptions such as titles, tags, location, people). Flickr is considered as a leading example of a new type of websites and services known as Web 2.0. It also provides applications for iPhone and BlackBerry. In September 2010, it was reported that Flickr was hosting more than 5 billion images. It also allows uploading video up to 90-second long. Flickr Services gained considerable popularity through the use of innovative software solutions that have helped to create a broad and active community of users, as well as new methods for cataloging and searching photos (rich descriptions such as titles, tags, location, people). Flickr is considered as a leading example of a new type of websites and services known as Web 2.0. It also provides applications for iPhone and BlackBerry. In September 2010, it was reported that Flickr was hosting more than 5 billion images. It also allows uploading video up to 90-second long.

Flickr is very reliable and very heavily used which results in a large and vibrant community. Free members can store up to 200 photos and now get 100MB of upload bandwidth (5MB per photo) per month. Those limitations are removed in Flickr’s Pro offering. While the images are resized, the full sized originals are only available for subscribers. Ability to place a licence on each photo is also very unprecedented comparing to other services. Flickr is very reliable and very heavily used which results in a large and vibrant community. Free members can store up to 200 photos and now get 100MB of upload bandwidth (5MB per photo) per month. Those limitations are removed in Flickr’s Pro offering. While the images are resized, the full sized originals are only available for subscribers. Ability to place a licence on each photo is also very unprecedented comparing to other services.

Technologically advanced and convenient plentiful tools might be found more confusing for the novice and for non- technical users. Another disadvantage is that it’s nearly impossible to have a linear view of photos without going through them one at a time, since all photos aren’t necessarily part of a set, and sets may include the same photos as other sets. Moreover, free account holders can only send individual photos to up to 10 groups. Partnership with Picnik allows Flickr users to do basic image edit. Technologically advanced and convenient plentiful tools might be found more confusing for the novice and for non- technical users. Another disadvantage is that it’s nearly impossible to have a linear view of photos without going through them one at a time, since all photos aren’t necessarily part of a set, and sets may include the same photos as other sets. Moreover, free account holders can only send individual photos to up to 10 groups. Partnership with Picnik allows Flickr users to do basic image edit.Picnik

Flickr delivers outstanding service in terms of flexibility and accessibility as the core functionality of the site relies on standard HTML and HTTP features, allowing for wide compatibility among platforms and browsers. Signing up for an account with Flickr or figuring out how to upload pictures is very easy. Detailed information of each step out of the whole process is very pleasant as well as the navigation of the website. Flickr delivers outstanding service in terms of flexibility and accessibility as the core functionality of the site relies on standard HTML and HTTP features, allowing for wide compatibility among platforms and browsers. Signing up for an account with Flickr or figuring out how to upload pictures is very easy. Detailed information of each step out of the whole process is very pleasant as well as the navigation of the website.HTMLHTTPplatforms browsersHTMLHTTPplatforms browsers

Competitors Flickr has many alternative services that competes with such as: Flickr has many alternative services that competes with such as: SmugMug SmugMug Photobucket Photobucket PicasaWeb PicasaWeb Zoomr Zoomr Zoto Zoto

Advantages: Feature-rich free version Feature-rich free version Outstanding community Outstanding community Comments and inline captions and advanced tagging Comments and inline captions and advanced tagging Convenient privacy options Convenient privacy options

Disadvantages Limits on uploads and image size Limits on uploads and image size Free version contains commercials Free version contains commercials Only the last 200 images loaded can be viewed in free version Only the last 200 images loaded can be viewed in free version Might be hard to learn Might be hard to learn