Possible reasons for no bulk downloading

Haigh

I´ve seen many people ask for the availability of bulk dowloading of entire galleries (as a zip file for example) for visitors (respecting password and privacy settings). These come mainly from standard users sharing photos with family and friends. I know there is a workaround but it is only available to the logged in owner.

I can see a few possible reasons why SmugMug does not implement this and would love to hear an official explanation. That way we´ll stop bothering you with requests.

1) It violates the company strategy. SmugMug is an image hosting site for viewing and purchasing prints and products and a file storage/backup solution for the image owner. It is not a file sharing service. There are specific products/sites for that. Bulk downloading reduces revenues with print and dvd sales. (Fair enough, if this is the case I won´t ask for the feature again)

2) It´s too expensive. The traffic would explode increasing costs and the buisness model and pricing were not devised for that. If you want file sharing seek specific products/providers. (Also fair enough.)

3) It´s technically dificult to implement. (I don´t believe this.)

4) We have other prioriteis and will not work on this now. (The number of requests suggests it maybe should be a priority.)

5) It´s on our wish list and we will get to someday (Great, we´ll keep bothering you until you do it! :wink )

If it were implemented I suggest it obviously should respect the gallery settings for security/privacy and size limitations. I would also include an additional setting to enable/disable bulk downloads for each gallery and an option for pro users to put a price tag on the download.

Robert

Baldy

#5.

We've been working on cleaning up tools, the new cart, coupons, interfacing to a pro lab for printed products, saving originals when you're logged in, etc.

Andy

Haigh wrote:

I know there is a workaround but it is only available to the logged in owner.

AlbumFetcher and FriendSync I believe do this, for visitors.....

Haigh

That was a fast response!!!!

Great news Baldy and Andy. I´ve been here for only a week and am already very impressed with your responsivness to customer feedback and speed in improvement/functionality delivery.

Great to hear you have no strategic objections to bulk downloads and they will eventualy be addressed. We´ll keep reminding you we want them.

I´m now a happy camper and can go to bed and dream sweet dreams. I´ve opted for the Power user and can´t wait to start bulk uploading and customizing.

All I would love now is a response to my ideas on multiple passwords and categorys posted in these threads:
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=79593&page=46
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=97689

(The problem with your responsiveness is that you set yourselves very high standards and create spoiled customers )

Tks
Robert

JoeG

Haigh wrote:

1) It violates the company strategy. SmugMug is an image hosting site for viewing and purchasing prints and products and a file storage/backup solution for the image owner. It is not a file sharing service. There are specific products/sites for that. Bulk downloading reduces revenues with print and dvd sales. (Fair enough, if this is the case I won´t ask for the feature again)

I disagree with your comment about SmugMug NOT being a photo sharing service.... maybe the pro account holders use smugmug for other purposes, but I'm a Standard account holder. I am paying specifically so that I can share as little or as much as I want.

Even smugmug says that the account is use for sharing, with unlimited traffic.



I can't say that my friends/family will ever buy a print. But, in my eyes, since I'm paying a yearly fee for the service, they shouldn't need to. I would understand had I gone with a free service though.

Plus... a bulk downloader feasibly would save bandwidth on SM. They will no longer need to serve unnecessary graffics, CSS, or other files. Just the images being downloaded.

The freedom we're allowed (due to the premium we pay) is a huge reason that the standard account holders are here.

Haigh

Joe,

I didn´t SAY Smugmug wasn´t a foto sharing service. I was just imagining possible reasons for why smugmug wouldn´t want to implement bulk downloads for visitors and asking them which one was the correct one.

Baldy answered #5 so that means they also don´t think it is not a sharing service and will eventually implement bulk downloads. And I think that´s great because I would love to use it.

Robert

bloomanchoo

Bulk Downloads, pretty please

Andy wrote:

AlbumFetcher and FriendSync I believe do this, for visitors.....

Unfortunately, it seems us mac nerds are left out in the cold for both of these applications.

Daly

What I would like is the ability to only download photos with certain keywords that I assigned. I don't want to download the whole gallery.
(Yes, I realize I could just copy the keyworded photos into a new gallery and use that...but that doesn't really simplify or speed up the process much!)

I have tried 3 times (unsuccessfly) to use Album Fetcher. Doesn't it only download the whole gallery....?

Ugh, this is the biggest headache that SM gives me.

Otherwise I am extremely satisfied with SM

chuckinsocal

There's another program called NitroDesk that will download your albums plus do all kinds of other things like sync your SmugMug albums with your hard drive. I have it but haven't used it a lot but what I have used seems to work very well. I'm surprised there's not any discussion on this program. I found it on the dgrin wiki board. I'm not connected with it in any way, just passing the info along.

JEphotography

bloomanchoo wrote:

Unfortunately, it seems us mac nerds are left out in the cold for both of these applications.

Diddo here for a downloader for mac.

Thanks

Jonathan