Since using Photobucket is no longer an option, and having a virus attempt on my computer using another internet photo sharing site, can anybody steer me into the right photo sharing site, that can be trusted? I miss not being able to post new threads, and answer others. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I started using Postimage.org and have had no issues. Which site were you using when your pc got bit?

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Don't You Ever Wash That Thing

I also have been using Postimage.org.

No problems of which I'm aware, but instructions are somewhat sketchy - at least for an almost old-fart.

I use Zenfolio
Karl

Postimage.org. It's very easy to use.

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Dave Brown
SWCA #3279

None of the free sites have a sound business model and tend to be sketchy. At some point images posted on one of these sites will all be lost so make sure you have the original somewhere safe on your computer as well as in the cloud. Providing server space and bandwidth so we can post pictures without a way to get ad revenue or charge a fee is no way to run a business and is not sustainable.

Being a photography enthusiast I broke down after PB changed their policies and bought the $48/year plan at SmugMug. No ads, fast website, great user interface and my photos will probably still be there long after whatever free websites available today have gone under or started charging like Photobucket did.

But if I was not into photography I would not be willing to pay that much. I would probably use one of the free sites others have mentioned but only access them through a VM, if the free version of PB is typical they have more malware and cookies than a sleazy porn site.

I am using postimage.org.

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Mike
S&WCA #3065

I've never had any issues with PhotoBucket and viruses. Although, it may be because I only use the best anti-virus out there, Kaspersky Internet Security.

Another thing that I'm slightly confused about and haven't looked into it further, but it seems like everyone's old PB pics were removed from threads and posts. I know why they were.

However, all of my pictures are still viewable in old threads and posts, plus, I'm still able to use PB to post pics, all of this with a free account.

So I don't know if maybe I've been a member of PB for such a long time (2011) I'm grandfathered in? But my free PB account still works and functions for me. Just posted a pic the other day here, and have been ever since the PB fiasco started.

Still, it's better to upload them directly from your computer, because they will always remain here permanently. If you want to preserve knowledge, you want them here to stay. Normally that's how I post them, but on this sight I haven't been able to figure out how to make them large and not need zoomed in. They always end up small thumbnails you have to hover over for them to expand and get full sized for viewing.

Would be interested if there was a way to make them full size automatically when uploading direct from PC? If I could do that, I would avoid PB, but I like my pics big so folks can see them without effort.

I never actually got a virus from PB but it was not for a lack of hackers trying. Most of the attempts seemed to be aimed at people with no anti-virus software and their browser set to allow scripts to run without permission. But I was worried someone might start using a more sophisticated piece of malware that could make it through.

I eventually broke down and paid PB $15 for a year of ad free service. The ads were making the site unusable. I am not sure if it is because I paid them or because I did not exceed some secret limit on bandwidth and storage space but all my photos are still visible. Maybe they only cut off people after they have so many images posted it will be a real chore to switch and let low volume users post for free hoping to nail them with the $399 fee later on. I hate that I paid them and have already made sure they will NEVER get a single penny from me directly or even ad revenue.

Forums adding storage for images is the best solution. That way as long as the forum exists so will the images.

But I do like the option of full size images appearing in the thread where I want and at the size I want. Even if they disappear a few years from now. Most of the pictures I post are part of a conversation and having them appear the way I want right now is much more important than preserving them for all time.

I host the pictures I post here, here on the S&W Forum's own web site. For my needs, I see no point in hosting them on a separate third party site.

It costs nothing, and there's no concern that they might go away. For if this site did close one day, there would be no point for the pictures to exist, anyway. Of course, I keep copies of everything elsewhere on device I have control over. Storage is cheap.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

I too went with a paid SmugMug account. I have all my family pictures on that site. The originals are on my computer so I guess SmugMug is the offsite, cloud based backup. Having all family pictures there I can bring them up anytime, anywhere to show off guns, grandkids or house renovations.

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Semper Vigilantes

I use a browser addon called Rehost Image. You don't need an account on any image site, but you can use an account if you have one.

By default it just copies the image to imgur.com anonymously, then copies the image url to your clipboard, ready to paste into your reply.