And I just raised mine. I used to have trouble uploading them. Now something has been "improved", and it seems I can upload anything. Are you seeing more large files now?
I will lower mine back to a 10 immediately!
Will that help both of us? Financially, I mean................no I am not that selfish, not in public, forget that I asked.
We get a lot of JPEG 12 images, which means they basically have no compression. If we stored them as JPEG 10, they'd be 1/3rd the size. Research shows that no one, not even with a fine eye, a lupe, and images with hard lines, can tell the difference between a print made from 10 or 12.
Guilty as charged!:D Everything I've read says that compression is a :nono for JPEG. Also each time a JPEG is saved, compressed, data/detail is lost.
Seems as though saving at 12 vs 10 for larger prints would make a difference.
Maybe more education for the unknowing (me) is in order.
Greg
(emoticons, especially , provided for Winn)
Greg "Tis better keep your mouth shut and be thought of as an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"
ginger_55, before you mentioned that yoru paying for a webshots account that you dont use, just to not loose what you have there. You could always go view each picture at the original size and right click/save as and copy each back to your hard drive, if you cant find the cd that they were uploaded from. This way you would have them and can canccel that account, if you wanted.
Some people are saying that $100 or $150 isnt that much money for the pro account, for what you get. which can be true, but there are different people here. For some this is a great price for what they are using it for. They have possibly hundreds of gb's of pictures being stored *over estimating* and use almost all thier bandwidth each month. They sell a ton in prints and a fraction of the print sales actually pays for the account. Then there are others that probably dont even have 1gb stored, barely use a fraction of thier bandwidth a month, and dont even sell prints. They got the pro so they could link a domain to it, or customize it. For some perhaps just to add the watermark. So the extra $50 is rather expensive for this group of people.
As to the guy that has the pro account simply for the watermarks, *sorry, your name is on the previoius page so I cant easily get it from this screen* why dont you just add the copyright/watermark to the images yourself in photoshop or some other program?
I remember that jpeg thing and 10 vs 12 being discussed, and probably here, as indistinguishable, but I just thought it was an interesting fact.
Not a financial reality. It would be nice to cut costs, if no one minds.....
Sometimes, if something is cut that is not needed, or is avail but not used unless really wanted for reason, there are fewer complaints than when costs are raised.
The jpeg size is not that important to me. To others it might be, so it maybe should be there, but it would not bother me at all to use 10, as I had been before uploading became so easy.
Some of us need to be hit over the head with the practical use of facts, like if you keep doing this we are going to double your rates. My decision making skills might come into play then. Now if you take away the black background, or my Christmas banner...................there might be a problem.:D (emoticon for me) (as a tool for communication)
Kind of like me sitting here saying I am thirsty and hoping my husband decides to get me a drink.
I'd like clarification on the "grandfather" issue.
1) I understand that only current users who renew their account will be grandfathered So even though I just renewed a few weeks ago, I'll have to renew again to keep my "grandfathered" status, right?
2) Are new users who sign up within the new 30 days eligible to be grandfathered? If so, will they have to turn around and renew their account just like any "current" user?
2) Once a user become grandfathered, are they grandfathered for all account levels, or just the one they renewed?
3) I know a few people who have Smugmug account and never read this forum. How will they be notified of the price increase, and will they also have an opportunity to be grandfathered?
I'm glad you mentioned it here. I saw an earlier mention you made of this, and changed my jpeg settings accordingly.
I have been uploading JPEG 9 images for quite some time now. Faster upload and no visible loss of quaility to my eye. I have prints up to 16x20 that look fantastic with a 6MP camera. Not an issue for me, but I don't really have a sense of what kind of reaction you might get from your varied customer base. Likely not a really big issue for most I would guess.
I'd like clarification on the "grandfather" issue.
1) I understand that only current users who renew their account will be grandfathered So even though I just renewed a few weeks ago, I'll have to renew again to keep my "grandfathered" status, right?
2) Are new users who sign up within the new 30 days eligible to be grandfathered? If so, will they have to turn around and renew their account just like any "current" user?
2) Once a user become grandfathered, are they grandfathered for all account levels, or just the one they renewed?
3) I know a few people who have Smugmug account and never read this forum. How will they be notified of the price increase, and will they also have an opportunity to be grandfathered?
We've gone over this before, so maybe we're not making ourselves clear. We want to be clear, so here's another attempt:
All smugmug accounts will be grandfathered, for as long as we can do it (years, at the very least), at their current level at the time of the price change.
If you sign up now, upgrade now, etc, you're "locking in" that price so that next year, when renewal time comes, you renew at your current rate, not the new rate.
If you sign up or upgrade *after* the price increase, you'll have to pay the new prices.
Even if it wasn't clear as mud, I wouldn't dare ask another question at this point. Sorry I didn't get it before.
Thank you for your response.
Yikes! I think you misunderstood me.
If you've got more questions, bring them on! That's why we posted here, so our hardcore customers could ask the hard questions (and set us straight!) as they do all the time.
If you sign up now, upgrade now, etc, you're "locking in" that price so that next year, when renewal time comes, you renew at your current rate, not the new rate.
Don
And I just paid my yearly 2 months ago! So this means I have to pay $99 again before May 30th in order to lock it in at that price?
I'm afraid that I may have to cancel my account next year at the $149 cost. :cry
If you're a current customer, you're grandfathered in at your current level. It doesn't matter when you signed up or when you renewed.
If you're not yet a customer and you sign up after the deadline, or you upgrade your current account after the deadline, you are subject to the new prices.
However, note that I'm just a customer, I don't speak for Smugmug.
If you're a current customer, you're grandfathered in at your current level. It doesn't matter when you signed up or when you renewed.
If you're not yet a customer and you sign up after the deadline, or you upgrade your current account after the deadline, you are subject to the new prices.
However, note that I'm just a customer, I don't speak for Smugmug.
I hope you are right!
Wish Baldy or others associated with Smugmug would clarify this for me.
All smugmug accounts will be grandfathered, for as long as we can do it (years, at the very least), at their current level at the time of the price change.
I don't see any other way to interperate this other than 'ALL smugmug accounts'.
We've gone over this before, so maybe we're not making ourselves clear. We want to be clear, so here's another attempt:
All smugmug accounts will be grandfathered, for as long as we can do it (years, at the very least), at their current level at the time of the price change.
If you sign up now, upgrade now, etc, you're "locking in" that price so that next year, when renewal time comes, you renew at your current rate, not the new rate.
If you sign up or upgrade *after* the price increase, you'll have to pay the new prices.
Did I miss the post where you mentioned what day the prices are going to rise?
I read "in the next 30 days or so". It's the "or so" part that concerns me. I am seriously considering a pro account and will out of town during much of the time between now and the 28th (the 30 days), so do I need to decide NOW or can wait until I get back?
BenV
0
BaldyRegistered Users, Super ModeratorsPosts: 2,853moderator
This has already been stated several times, but...
I think increasing the normal user's rate will decrease the # of new customers dramatically.
I have no problem paying an extra $10 a year now that I am a smugmug user, but I believe a year ago when looking for a service I would have not accepted a $40/year fee and chose pbase or one of several others.
A lot of my friends who take photos use the freebie services (webshots, photobucket), and it's hard enough as it is with the current price to convince them it's worth paying over the freebie sites. I know once they join and use the service for a while they will understand, but cost is usually the determining factor on something like this. I even offer to kick back my referral savings in cash to some of my friends to try and convince them to join.
Introductory rate?
I have to agree with dirtbikejunkie about losing potential new ones because the price is out of reach - especially for those ones that are used to getting everything for free.
If prices are going to rise irregardless, how about an introductory rate for the newbies? This could be limited to the standard user but it would help attract the pro and power users, but I would guess that would be less successful.
This thread is quite long and I haven't read every post so I hope this wasn't being repeated.
This has already been stated several times, but...
I think increasing the normal user's rate will decrease the # of new customers dramatically.
I have no problem paying an extra $10 a year now that I am a smugmug user, but I believe a year ago when looking for a service I would have not accepted a $40/year fee and chose pbase or one of several others.
A lot of my friends who take photos use the freebie services (webshots, photobucket), and it's hard enough as it is with the current price to convince them it's worth paying over the freebie sites. I know once they join and use the service for a while they will understand, but cost is usually the determining factor on something like this. I even offer to kick back my referral savings in cash to some of my friends to try and convince them to join.
when's the price effective?
Don,
I am a newbie here and tempted to sign up with SM as trial to begin with, but, after 7 days, (I guess the new subscription fee takes effect June 1st?!) what price will I be getting? (I am thinking of getting power user account)
We've gone over this before, so maybe we're not making ourselves clear. We want to be clear, so here's another attempt:
All smugmug accounts will be grandfathered, for as long as we can do it (years, at the very least), at their current level at the time of the price change.
If you sign up now, upgrade now, etc, you're "locking in" that price so that next year, when renewal time comes, you renew at your current rate, not the new rate.
If you sign up or upgrade *after* the price increase, you'll have to pay the new prices.
Don,
I am a newbie here and tempted to sign up with SM as trial to begin with, but, after 7 days, (I guess the new subscription fee takes effect June 1st?!) what price will I be getting? (I am thinking of getting power user account)
more questions to be answered, pls....
I am confused........Andy.....
here's more of my questions,
When I first do the 7 day trial (how does the system know which subscription do I want? e.g. standard or power?)
What happens to the following scenarios:
Assuming new rate starts June 1st:
if I sign up today, May 28th, after 7 day trial, tial ends over on Jun 2nd and what rate will I get
a) if I decide to go with standad package?
b) powe user?
I am confused........Andy.....
here's more of my questions,
When I first do the 7 day trial (how does the system know which subscription do I want? e.g. standard or power?)
What happens to the following scenarios:
Assuming new rate starts June 1st:
if I sign up today, May 28th, after 7 day trial, tial ends over on Jun 2nd and what rate will I get
a) if I decide to go with standad package?
b) powe user?
Hi to all,
I'm not registered with smugmug yet, but this increase got me by surprise as well. Wanted to register for a Pro account.
After thinking over, here is my "analysis" on the current price situation.
If to divide $150 by 12 months, you get $12.50 per month.
Now, if you compare this price with regular webhosts' plans, $11-$13 give you a good plan with quite many features, including a shopping cart, static IP(not everybody),...etc.
If to compare the features that Smugmug offers and continued improvements, $12.50 looks like a very good offer.
On the other hand, to pay $150 at once, it's not an easy thing to do for many of us.
So, what I propose to smugmug, is to offer what all webhosts do: TWO ways of paying - slightly higher monthly payments, say, $13-$13.50 OR quarterly payments of $50.
This way it will be much easier for everybody.
I think it's a win-win proposal.
When will the increase take effect? My dad will most likely be signing up (hurray! another converted) and I told him "sooner than later before the prices rise!" how much time does he have to sign up before the prices jump?
I think the last post to mention it in this thread said that they had become too busy to implement the price hike when they had originally planned so that we are all safe for now. I hope and expect that they will send out a general announcement (that is, to the thousands of members who don't know about this thread) with plenty of notice before they pull the trigger. Given their past record of integrity I am certain they will let everyone know well in advance, but of course I can't speak to what exactly they're going to do.
Comments
I will lower mine back to a 10 immediately!
Will that help both of us? Financially, I mean................no I am not that selfish, not in public, forget that I asked.
g
Seems as though saving at 12 vs 10 for larger prints would make a difference.
Maybe more education for the unknowing (me) is in order.
Greg
(emoticons, especially
"Tis better keep your mouth shut and be thought of as an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"
Some people are saying that $100 or $150 isnt that much money for the pro account, for what you get. which can be true, but there are different people here. For some this is a great price for what they are using it for. They have possibly hundreds of gb's of pictures being stored *over estimating* and use almost all thier bandwidth each month. They sell a ton in prints and a fraction of the print sales actually pays for the account. Then there are others that probably dont even have 1gb stored, barely use a fraction of thier bandwidth a month, and dont even sell prints. They got the pro so they could link a domain to it, or customize it. For some perhaps just to add the watermark. So the extra $50 is rather expensive for this group of people.
As to the guy that has the pro account simply for the watermarks, *sorry, your name is on the previoius page so I cant easily get it from this screen* why dont you just add the copyright/watermark to the images yourself in photoshop or some other program?
-winn
Not a financial reality. It would be nice to cut costs, if no one minds.....
Sometimes, if something is cut that is not needed, or is avail but not used unless really wanted for reason, there are fewer complaints than when costs are raised.
The jpeg size is not that important to me. To others it might be, so it maybe should be there, but it would not bother me at all to use 10, as I had been before uploading became so easy.
Some of us need to be hit over the head with the practical use of facts, like if you keep doing this we are going to double your rates. My decision making skills might come into play then. Now if you take away the black background, or my Christmas banner...................there might be a problem.:D (emoticon for me) (as a tool for communication)
Kind of like me sitting here saying I am thirsty and hoping my husband decides to get me a drink.
g
Ian
1) I understand that only current users who renew their account will be grandfathered So even though I just renewed a few weeks ago, I'll have to renew again to keep my "grandfathered" status, right?
2) Are new users who sign up within the new 30 days eligible to be grandfathered? If so, will they have to turn around and renew their account just like any "current" user?
2) Once a user become grandfathered, are they grandfathered for all account levels, or just the one they renewed?
3) I know a few people who have Smugmug account and never read this forum. How will they be notified of the price increase, and will they also have an opportunity to be grandfathered?
TML Photography
tmlphoto.com
We've gone over this before, so maybe we're not making ourselves clear. We want to be clear, so here's another attempt:
All smugmug accounts will be grandfathered, for as long as we can do it (years, at the very least), at their current level at the time of the price change.
If you sign up now, upgrade now, etc, you're "locking in" that price so that next year, when renewal time comes, you renew at your current rate, not the new rate.
If you sign up or upgrade *after* the price increase, you'll have to pay the new prices.
Clear as mud?
Don
Thank you for your response.
Yikes! I think you misunderstood me.
If you've got more questions, bring them on! That's why we posted here, so our hardcore customers could ask the hard questions (and set us straight!) as they do all the time.
Hit us with whatever you've got.
Don
And I just paid my yearly 2 months ago! So this means I have to pay $99 again before May 30th in order to lock it in at that price?
I'm afraid that I may have to cancel my account next year at the $149 cost. :cry
If you're a current customer, you're grandfathered in at your current level. It doesn't matter when you signed up or when you renewed.
If you're not yet a customer and you sign up after the deadline, or you upgrade your current account after the deadline, you are subject to the new prices.
However, note that I'm just a customer, I don't speak for Smugmug.
I hope you are right!
Wish Baldy or others associated with Smugmug would clarify this for me.
I don't see any other way to interperate this other than 'ALL smugmug accounts'.
-winn
I too am just a user, but... Here is what onethumb said in an earlier post.
Hope this helps
Mitch
I read "in the next 30 days or so". It's the "or so" part that concerns me. I am seriously considering a pro account and will out of town during much of the time between now and the 28th (the 30 days), so do I need to decide NOW or can wait until I get back?
BenV
I think increasing the normal user's rate will decrease the # of new customers dramatically.
I have no problem paying an extra $10 a year now that I am a smugmug user, but I believe a year ago when looking for a service I would have not accepted a $40/year fee and chose pbase or one of several others.
A lot of my friends who take photos use the freebie services (webshots, photobucket), and it's hard enough as it is with the current price to convince them it's worth paying over the freebie sites. I know once they join and use the service for a while they will understand, but cost is usually the determining factor on something like this. I even offer to kick back my referral savings in cash to some of my friends to try and convince them to join.
I have to agree with dirtbikejunkie about losing potential new ones because the price is out of reach - especially for those ones that are used to getting everything for free.
If prices are going to rise irregardless, how about an introductory rate for the newbies? This could be limited to the standard user but it would help attract the pro and power users, but I would guess that would be less successful.
This thread is quite long and I haven't read every post so I hope this wasn't being repeated.
-J
Jerri takes on the order of 1000 pictures a weekend and we store 80 percent on SM.
Doug
Don,
I am a newbie here and tempted to sign up with SM as trial to begin with, but, after 7 days, (I guess the new subscription fee takes effect June 1st?!) what price will I be getting? (I am thinking of getting power user account)
Thanks for the clarification in advance.
HamsterGirl35
you'll get the old rate.
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
I am confused........Andy.....
here's more of my questions,
When I first do the 7 day trial (how does the system know which subscription do I want? e.g. standard or power?)
What happens to the following scenarios:
Assuming new rate starts June 1st:
if I sign up today, May 28th, after 7 day trial, tial ends over on Jun 2nd and what rate will I get
a) if I decide to go with standad package?
b) powe user?
urgent help would be good...^_^
HamsterGirl35
urgent? then email help@smugmug.com
but it's pretty clear... just sign up and you'll get the old rate, no matter which account you choose, standard or power.
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
thanks Andy.
HamsterGirl35
I'm not registered with smugmug yet, but this increase got me by surprise as well. Wanted to register for a Pro account.
After thinking over, here is my "analysis" on the current price situation.
If to divide $150 by 12 months, you get $12.50 per month.
Now, if you compare this price with regular webhosts' plans, $11-$13 give you a good plan with quite many features, including a shopping cart, static IP(not everybody),...etc.
If to compare the features that Smugmug offers and continued improvements, $12.50 looks like a very good offer.
On the other hand, to pay $150 at once, it's not an easy thing to do for many of us.
So, what I propose to smugmug, is to offer what all webhosts do: TWO ways of paying - slightly higher monthly payments, say, $13-$13.50 OR quarterly payments of $50.
This way it will be much easier for everybody.
I think it's a win-win proposal.
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