3 ms·

To be fair you've left out the thing they seem frustrated about "you gave ZERO notice"

toomuchtodo 9y ago
If you're not paying for the service, notice is not required. It's free. There is no compensation changing hands. People never learn.
- mgkimsal 9y ago
  of course it's not required. it's a big component of goodwill, however.
  - toomuchtodo 9y ago
    Goodwill doesn't pay the server bills. Backup your Gmail account. Backup your Flickr account. Backup any free service you're using. Otherwise, you have no one to blame but yourself when the rug gets pulled out. Edit: or start paying for them, as a sibling comment said.
    - acveilleux 9y ago
      It doesn't but the method they used might hurt their conversion ratio from free to paid accounts.
      - mgkimsal 9y ago
        obviously, this is what I was getting at. a 1 week notice, with a, say, $40 plan (or even just $40 for the first year with a higher rate later) would probably have had a lot of grumbling, but people who wanted their images back 'on' various sites would be more inclined to pay $40 to make the problem go away. For many folks, $400 is just... beyond their ability to pay immediately.
    - warent 9y ago
      Goodwill keeps customers however, which do pay server bills
    - drrotmos 9y ago
      Or start paying for them.
- jfoster 9y ago
  If you don't give notice about a service change prior to asking for money, then you get called an extortionist. You can still do it, but that's what people will call you.
- swsieber 9y ago
  Your right, it's not required. It's still a super jerk move though. I'd complain too. I'd also complain if I walked through a really shady part of town with expensive stuff on and got mugged though.
  - toomuchtodo 9y ago
    Terrible analogy. You left your stuff on someone's lawn, they said you could do so for free, and then they started charging for the privledge.
    - matt4077 9y ago
      Great analogy. In almost any universe, that would be considered a valid contract, and any court would at least help you to get your stuff back.
namdnay 9y ago
I agree, the zero notice and high price is very cheeky... I imagine if gmail pulled the same stunt I'd be pretty pissed. But I wouldn't consider that using a free service for 10 years makes me entitled to anything

If you're not paying for the service, notice is not required. It's free. There is no compensation changing hands. People never learn.

mgkimsal 9y ago
of course it's not required. it's a big component of goodwill, however.
- toomuchtodo 9y ago
  Goodwill doesn't pay the server bills. Backup your Gmail account. Backup your Flickr account. Backup any free service you're using. Otherwise, you have no one to blame but yourself when the rug gets pulled out. Edit: or start paying for them, as a sibling comment said.
  - acveilleux 9y ago
    It doesn't but the method they used might hurt their conversion ratio from free to paid accounts.
    - mgkimsal 9y ago
      obviously, this is what I was getting at. a 1 week notice, with a, say, $40 plan (or even just $40 for the first year with a higher rate later) would probably have had a lot of grumbling, but people who wanted their images back 'on' various sites would be more inclined to pay $40 to make the problem go away. For many folks, $400 is just... beyond their ability to pay immediately.
  - warent 9y ago
    Goodwill keeps customers however, which do pay server bills
  - drrotmos 9y ago
    Or start paying for them.
jfoster 9y ago
If you don't give notice about a service change prior to asking for money, then you get called an extortionist. You can still do it, but that's what people will call you.
swsieber 9y ago
Your right, it's not required. It's still a super jerk move though. I'd complain too. I'd also complain if I walked through a really shady part of town with expensive stuff on and got mugged though.
- toomuchtodo 9y ago
  Terrible analogy. You left your stuff on someone's lawn, they said you could do so for free, and then they started charging for the privledge.
  - matt4077 9y ago
    Great analogy. In almost any universe, that would be considered a valid contract, and any court would at least help you to get your stuff back.

namdnay 9y ago

I agree, the zero notice and high price is very cheeky... I imagine if gmail pulled the same stunt I'd be pretty pissed. But I wouldn't consider that using a free service for 10 years makes me entitled to anything