Images - Talk to me Goose

[jenn314]

We keep running out of space for images.  We only have a set amount of space for people to upload images directly here, and each time we run out, I have to delete images to make space.  One of the former admins offered to pay for more space a while back, but she's no longer here.

So we have a few options.  Let's discuss.

Option 1)
I keep deleting images.  I used to check to see what they were and would only delete stuff that could be found online again (like memes and such) but now I just start at the top (oldest things) and delete down.  It takes up too much of my time to do it any other way and I'm the only one who can do it with the magic Admin account that's linked to my screenname (so no, I can't share the login info with the other admins because then they could post as me - I made a mistake in setting up the forum so we can't change it now without creating an entirely new one).

Option 2)
We let it fill up and once it's filled, everyone else is out of luck.

Option 3)
We turn off uploads.  We post instructions on how to use tinypm or another site.  I've seen other forums do it this way.

Option 4)
Someone offers to pay for more space.

[jenn314]

My opinion:
I'd really like to stop deleting images, but if that's what everyone wants, I'll do it. I just don't have the time to keep on top of it.

I personally have seen Option 3 work in other places and I think it could work here. We just need to make sure we provide instructions. Let someone else host our stuff

[snippet17]

My opinion, whatever is easiest for you since you are the one that has to delete the images. Which I can see either 2 or 3 being the easiest. Tinypic and photobucket are both free and anyone can upload the picture on there.

[LINGERLONGER]

I vote Option 3. We have explained how to post images ad nauseam here and people still continue to upload them. I think we should nip this shit in the bud right now and turn off uploading entirely.

I think it's a complete and utter waste of someone's money to pay for us to have more space for uploads. We will eventually run out again anyway if people don't start figuring out how to use photobucket and tinypic.

[annathy03]

Question: would option 3 delete all existing uploads? If so I might prefer #2, but either way I agree it's a waste of your time to be deleting and a waste of money when photobucket/tinypic are free.

[LINGERLONGER]

I would like to make one point, though. If we're going to turn off uploads does that mean we lose everything already uploaded? If so, I think we should give a little bit of warning in case someone has something uploaded here that they don't have another copy of and that they'd like to hang on to (not that this would have been a smart thing for that person to do, but hey, you never know.)

[jenn314]

I'm also concerned about losing everything.

In the past, we've warned people that if they chose to upload, we can't guarantee that the image would stay around because I do have to go through and delete stuff. Personally, I'd like to keep what we do have, and then just disable. I'm going to look into it tonight though and see if I disable, do the rest of the pictures just go *poof*

[LINGERLONGER]

If they do, jenn314, I say we just go ahead and let it fill up. In the end it's all the same. People won't be able to upload pictures. We'll just get a few more questions about why it says there's no space left. No big deal.

[southholli87]

Kind of late to this, but is there a difference between actually uploading a photo here versus adding an image with an image URL? Does that take up a lot of space too?

[LINGERLONGER]

I can honestly say I've never even tried to upload something here.