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Post 12 Mar 2020, 22:41 • #1 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
Please, do not link to anything hosted on Post Images. Starting in April, if posters don't delete the automatic links to Post Images, I will simply delete their post. I'm tired of the garbage at that site.

Use the forum image uploader!

The problems with Post Images:

Post Images still adds garbage spam links along with your images. I delete them when I see them, but I don't always see them.

If a forum members clicks to see a full size image, they are taken to a site that randomly serves ugly sex ads. I got the image below by clicking on a photo in a recent thread (this particular page is tame). As the Post Images account holder, you won't see the ads. As a rod builder, that page is what viewers will see. Is that what you want? You will look like a chump. Delete the automatic url links.

Worse still, the Post Images serves trap ads (the viewer can't get back to the glass forum) that can't be avoided on mobile devices. Almost half of the members use mobile. For clicking on your photo, a member is not only embarrassed, he/she is angry. To me, this is a reason to delete your post if you don't clean it up.

Note: if you are posting here and trying to be a professional you should have a domain name, an email address linked to your domain name, a basic website, and a way to store and serve photos. If you don't have the ability to serve your own photos, use our forum image uploader. If you need to post to multiple sites, use Imgur. Don't give yourself a black eye with Post Images. That's bad business.


Tom



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Post 13 Mar 2020, 03:18 • #2 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/12/17
Posts: 390
Location: SW B.C.
I posted in the For Sale sub-forum recently with Postimage-hosted photos because of the file size restrictions of the site downloader. I don't have a Postimage account and test the functionality of the links before posting, but are you saying that spam links are there under my nose?
I will remember to turn down the resolution of photos on my phone and camera in the future, so I don't have to spend time resizing them. Thanks for your patience!


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Post 13 Mar 2020, 04:07 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/10/07
Posts: 1632
Location: The Netherlands
Tom this doesn't makes sense. Posting pictures using the 'direct link' will show the picture in full size with no ads. We've talked about this here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=67819


See here, no ads. Just full size picture so no need to click.
Image


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Post 13 Mar 2020, 05:40 • #4 
Administrator
Joined: 12/31/69
Posts: 966
Shrimpman wrote:
are you saying that spam links are there under my nose?

Yes, they can be. Perhaps you use a custom hosts file, ad blocker script blocker or similar?

Tom's screenshot is just a photo with ads around it. I recognize mgid. A site that I frequently used to use added their ads to the pages, as part of an aggressive attempt to earn money to cover their expenses. I immediately blocked it, because it was more than undesirable. I do not recognize the ads on the right.

Ads used to be a way to pay a site's expenses, or even to create an income, but this model has been failing for a number of years now. Reputable ad companies check the adverts for any malicious code, and even still, bad ads can slip through.

While "native" ads have become more popular again, to try and circumvent ad blockers, ads are usually served in iframes (short for invisible-frame). This effectively puts the content from a different site on the viewed page. This other site can do what it wants, once you have connected with it.

Any links to postimages, can be hijacked by themselves for their own purposes. This is in fact what is happening, when linked thumbnails or bbcode versions are used. It does not happen all the time.

ibookje wrote:
this doesn't makes sense.

  • What makes no sense is aggressively defending a spamahost.
  • What makes no sense is spamming this board with connections to a known spamahost, which in turn decreases this site's reputation. A posted image, is also a connection or link.
  • What makes no sense is continuing to use such a disreputable company, who very well may change what content it serves when the image link is requested by a browser. We cannot trust them not to do this.
  • What does not make sense is consuming forum staff's time to clean up posts.
  • What does not make sense is consuming forum staff's time trying to argue or debate this.
  • What does not make sense is continuing to mention PostImages name all over this forum, to PostImage's gain and FFR's loss.

Everyone was asked nicely to stop using PostImages.

Now, everyone is being asked a bit more firmly to stop using PostImages.

In one line of code, I can prevent PostImages from being used here. If people continue to be resistant, I believe this is the simplest option. At this point, I can transfer all existing PostImages hosted images to this forum's own hosting.

There is too much talk, and not enough action. Tom has been more generous than I would be. You have the privilege of being able to post here. Please comply with the request.


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Post 13 Mar 2020, 13:18 • #5 
Guide
Joined: 11/23/17
Posts: 314
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
For clarity Tom,
Are you asking us to go back to our past posts, and then delete the pictures we placed into our posts using Post Images?

Thanks,
Jeff


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Post 13 Mar 2020, 13:20 • #6 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/12/17
Posts: 390
Location: SW B.C.
OK, that makes sense—I am running AdBlockerPlus on Chrome, so I'm not getting any ads tagging along for the ride.


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Post 13 Mar 2020, 13:29 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/10/09
Posts: 1651
Location: US-OH
Just to reassure those who have continued to use postimage, the posting procedure using the forum's new feature is very easy - and I'm no computer geek. If you were able to figure out how to host your photos on postimage, you'll be able to follow the instructions for attaching photos here. It took me about 5 minutes to successfully use it the first time.

To the admin - If photos hosted on third party sites can be easily blocked, I say go ahead and do it.


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Post 13 Mar 2020, 13:35 • #8 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/19/14
Posts: 3924
Location: USA - Illinois
PENZZZ wrote:
For clarity Tom,
Are you asking us to go back to our past posts, and then delete the pictures we placed into our posts using Post Images?

Thanks,
Jeff


Jeff, Admin wrote: " At this point, I can transfer all existing PostImages hosted images to this forum's own hosting."

I think this will handle the situation, but Admin and Tom may wish to clarify more.
Best,
John


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Post 13 Mar 2020, 15:44 • #9 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
I'm saying moving forward, please clean out the links when you post. I'm sure Post Images will take care of the old images by losing them sooner or later. If at all possible, use the forum image uploader rather than Post Images.

Most of all, please keep an archive copy of your photos. Don't trust any of the online sites to do that for you.


Tom


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Post 13 Mar 2020, 15:50 • #10 
Guide
Joined: 11/23/17
Posts: 314
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
Thanks Tom, I’ve only used the uploader since it’s inception. Will take no action on past posts.


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Post 13 Mar 2020, 16:13 • #11 
Administrator
Joined: 12/31/69
Posts: 966
We do not want to lose photos or images.

  • We lost, because people reacted badly to PhotoBucket's attempts to hold them to ransom.
  • We lost because TinyPic - a sister company to PhotoBucket - decided to cease operations.
  • We are losing, because slowly and steadily images hosted on TapaTalk, Yuku and one other, whose name I forget at the moment, are silently deleting your old images.
  • Post Images shows all the signs of a company, which will soon be out of business. Yes, there is a high risk that we will lose all PostImages hosted images, just like TinyPic.
  • For those using Imgur, then there is a 1000 image limit. Imgur do not currently delete images, but they have done this on several occasions in the past.

The truth is that no free 3rd party image host can be trusted or relied upon to continue to host and serve your images. It looks like PostImages will be one of the first ones to bite the dust.

@PENZZZ: No, Tom is not asking this. It is not even possible. Posts are locked from editing after they become more than 30 days old.

Tom is saying that people are unwittingly adding undesirable links to undesirable content, and he is tired of having to clean up after them.

Tom is also saying that linked thumbnails are also a problem because the PostImages pages are full of disreputable (and sometimes disgusting) adverts.

We are both saying that PostImages links are sometimes used to serve pop-under (or similar) full page adverts or affiliate sites - which could be porn, gambling, etc. - from which there is no way to return to the original FFR page.

Tom is asking for people not to post links of any sort along with their PostImages images.

This means:
  • Do not use thumbnails.
  • Do not use any other link other than the direct link, to which you will have to add the img bbCode yourself.

But, it is easier and better just to stop using PostImages altogether.

It would be nice of you could/would replace any PostImages hosted images that you have posted within the last 30 days, but this is not necessary.

@tiptop: Thank you. The idea was to be both simple and robust. We want to preserve the photos posted on FFR and protect both members and visitors from malware, adware, and otherwise negative experiences. We are also trying to give FFR a good reputation, and maintain it.

@jhuskey: I would very much like to move all PostImages hosted images over to FFR hosting, but this is a bit pointless, if people continue to use it. It's just making more work, and honestly, there is more than enough other things going on.




Do you all remember how you first discovered FFR? Google? Yahoo!? Bing?

For these people, they will not likely land on a current discussion. They may land on one, which is entirely relevant, but is more than 10 years old. How do you think they will react when they see missing images, or worse, something undesirable being shown in their place?

This is not good for FFR's reputation or for gaining new members.

Google, etc, sees all. Google determines FFR's reputation. Google can promote or demote FFR as it sees fit. It wants to provide a reputable and authoritative source.

Please think a little more than the current discussions. These are only what human visitors who enter by the front door see. The bulk of this forum's information is in the past. The past has to look good too.


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Post 05 Jun 2020, 11:53 • #12 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/19/08
Posts: 1218
Location: Branson, Missouri
" Tom this doesn't makes sense. Posting pictures using the 'direct link' will show the picture in full size with no ads. We've talked about this here: " viewtopic.php?f=1&t=67819

" In one line of code, I can prevent PostImages from being used here." " I believe this is the simplest option... "

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I say nix Post Image. Just do it.

Please do something and tell us how to get back to enjoying the board by doing exactly how you wish... what works and is fun.


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Post 09 Jun 2020, 12:48 • #13 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
Brian Shaffer wrote:
Please do something and tell us how to get back to enjoying the board by doing exactly how you wish... what works and is fun.

If you are adding photos to a post - use the Forum Image Uploader!

If someone uses the Postimages thumbnail, those link to the Postimages site (complete with the nasty ads and mobile device traps). If someone uses the 'direct link' option, those go back to the Postimages site and throw in extra spam links. All that garbage gets posted here, unless the user actively deletes it. Deleting the garbage violates the Postimages TOS. Postimages is a no win situation. It is time for it to be done. We'll put up the script to block them in a day or two.

If you really have to post via a separate host, at the moment the most benign service appears to be Imgur Of course, I used to say that about PhotoBucket. Imgur thinks of themselves as a social media company - not an image host. They also have unstated limits on how many photos you may have on their server.

Instead of paying for photo hosting, perhaps renting your own server space is a more cost effective option.

tl;dr We are going to block PostImages from loading at this site.

For the new year, I will also unplug TapaTalk. I'm not sure it will even be running at that point. TapaTalk causes more headaches here than it solves.


Tom


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Post 08 Nov 2020, 22:14 • #14 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
I'm really tired of finding Post Images links, especially on the For Sale pages. For those that don't get it, that means I will delete any posts with Post Images photos or links. I don't care what is in the post, it will be deleted.


Tom


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Post 09 Nov 2020, 14:28 • #15 
Guide
Joined: 12/28/19
Posts: 129
I've held off til now to say something but free advertisement and cant follow the rules , really ?
You know , it seems to me like a bunch of these rod pimps take advantage of your good nature . I'd start charging them but hey , thats just me . Good luck .


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