Flickr.com is a free social networking and online image storage and management website of the Web 2.0 world initially based in Vancouver, Canada. It was launched by Ludicorp in February 2004 to support its web-based Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) named Game Neverending. Today, Flickr host more than 3 billion images uploaded by Flickr users across the web.
Flickr was created by the former game designers Stewart Butterfield and Caterina Fake. In 2005, Flickr was acquired by the search engine giant Yahoo! from Ludicorp for $35 million and changed its database headquarters to the United States.
In the following years, improvements were done such as the March 2006's Flickr Beta to Flickr Gamma edition of the website, December 2006's Flickr free account of 100Mb storage space increase and January 2007's Flickr and Yahoo account association.
Flickr offers several other features of the website such as uploading of video contents. Users can upload up to 150Mb sized videos and 90 secs in length into the Flickr database.
Flickr Map is a good feature of Flickr where users can see Flickr account and images using an interactive map. Users can also search in the Flickr Map.
Users could access Flickr using their mobile phones through the Flickr Mobile Version. Flickr Mobile Version is very easy to use and doesn't require any downloads. Users can search, explore and sign-in into their Flickr accounts.
The Flckr Blog is the showcase of wonderful images uploaded by Flickr users. Flickr Management compiles and select some of the best images on Flickr Database. Being on Flickr Blog would be an awesome opportunity for everyone.
Flickr's popularity created a company that helps users "Do Fun Stuff with their photos" using the Bighugelabs tools. Users can create customized jigsaw puzzles of their images/photos. Airtightinteractive.com has also created a Flickr Related Tag Browser that allows searching of flickr photos by tags. Metaatem.com created an application where users can spell with Flickr photos. Idee Labs Inc., created an API for Flickr that allows searching of Flickr Photos using colors. The Flickr Leech is also available to the public's use. More Flickr Web Services are regularly updated in the Yahoo! Developer Network.
Flickr had reached the mobile arena and popularity have increased. Blackberry introduced Flickr for BlackBerry Smartphones. It is a very good feature that makes your image uploading in BlackBerry easier and faster.
Users can also print their flickr photos easily using MOO.com's services. They will send you the ordered photo at your desired location anywhere on Earth and they are based in London, England.
Photographers and artist should upload their images into Flickr. There should also be photo competition every month on different categories to make the website more lively and interactive.
In Flickr, i have found a photostream that presents various condition of the people living in the Philippines. Flickr has become an output stream for photographers who wanted to share their expertise and products to the world.
As part of Yahoo!'s move to cut expenses, Yahoo layoff 3 Flickr.com employees in December 2008. One of which was George Oates who was responsible for Flickr.com's minimalist design.
