imgur

[Kappes Buur]

imgur was a great place to upload images.
But now, that imgur has become popular, they are flexing their muscle and have everybody create an account before the upload can proceed.

Is there an alternative upload site which also promises to keep the images up forever?

[Enjay]

I haven't had that experience (yet). I just uploaded a whole bunch of pictures for another forum and I wasn't asked or encouraged to create an account at all.

[Nash]

I just tried to upload this image. Drag and drop on the Imgur front page. No login or account required.

[NeuralStunner]

What's the issue with creating an account, anyway? You can manage/sort/delete anything you upload at will. And the service can better deal with bots and illegal content. Besides, supplying an email address is a tiny, tiny investment compared to outright charging for service.

Frankly, not requiring any verification to consume storage and bandwidth from the service is very unusual. Keeping things "forever" is always going to be an exception, not some kind of norm. Storage is finite and maintenance costs money.

[Kinsie]

Just use ShareX to upload images direct from Explorer... or your clipboard, without having to deal with the Imgur site.

[Enjay]

Keeping things "forever" is always going to be an exception, not some kind of norm.

Agreed, but imgur has been quite exceptional in that regard (to date at least). Pictures that I uploaded many years ago are still live and working.

[leileilol]

I've seen several old images "taken a wrong turn" or "over capacity" permanently (or have a page but don't ever load the image at all), so they're in the imageshacking stages.

[Hexereticdoom]

I've seen several old images "taken a wrong turn" or "over capacity" permanently (or have a page but don't ever load the image at all), so they're in the imageshacking stages.

Seems this also happens with several imgur-ed images on thumbnails, like it shows in certain subforum threads:



I reported it here some time ago, but still not response about it...

[Kinsie]

I've seen several old images "taken a wrong turn" or "over capacity" permanently (or have a page but don't ever load the image at all), so they're in the imageshacking stages.

Seems this also happens with several imgur-ed images on thumbnails, like it shows in certain subforum threads:



I reported it here some time ago, but still not response about it...

Those thumbnails are hosted on the ZDF forums server. For example, the Treasure Tech one's URL is images/thumbs/imgur/mkAEin0.jpg. If you edit that back to the original image URL (https://i.imgur.com/mkAEin0.jpg) you'll find it's still present and working on Imgur's servers.

[Kappes Buur]

I just came to realize that imgur suddenly is balking at me using an ad blocker, which never happened up to a few days ago.

What's the issue with creating an account, anyway?

I do not have a problem when they ask for a valid email account, as Kappes Buur I have several. I draw the line when they want my actual phone number to send me an activation account password. Also my home phone does not have text capability. On the internet I value my privacy.

I usually like to add screenshots when I help someone with a problem. But now that is no longer possible.

[edit]
It looks like that imgbb.com is a good alternative, at least for the short term.

[Kinsie]

I just came to realize that imgur suddenly is balking at me using an ad blocker, which never happened up to a few days ago.

I usually like to add screenshots when I help someone with a problem. But now that is no longer possible.

Just use ShareX to upload images direct from Explorer... or your clipboard, without having to deal with the Imgur site.

[Kappes Buur]

Just use ShareX to upload images direct from Explorer... or your clipboard, without having to deal with the Imgur site.

Is there a manual for ShareX? It is rather confusing.

[Kinsie]

Just use ShareX to upload images direct from Explorer... or your clipboard, without having to deal with the Imgur site.

Is there a manual for ShareX? It is rather confusing.

1.) In "Destinations", set the image upload destination to Imgur or whatever other thing you wanna use, up to and including your own personal webhosting.


2.) In "Application Settings", enable the Integrations that make sense for you.


3.) Set "After Upload Tasks" to "Copy URL to Clipboard"


4.) You can set some hotkeys if you want. I don't really use them.


5.) Upload shit from Explorer, your browser (if you enabled that), dragging-and-dropping or even just directly pasting into the ShareX window from your clipboard like I've done for every image in this post.



6.) Smile in contentment at never having to use the Imgur website again.

[Kappes Buur]

@Kinsie Thank you for the excellent elucidation.

I gave it a try, but I don't see any real benefit from using ShareX. As a matter of fact this program just adds another layer in the process of posting an image, by still using one of the image deposit servers. Or perhaps I did not play with the settings correctly.

Anyways, I whitelisted imgur and no more problem.

[Kinsie]

As a matter of fact this program just adds another layer in the process of posting an image, by still using one of the image deposit servers.

...what?

Anyways, I whitelisted imgur and no more problem.

"This useful program that lets you quickly and easily use an image host while bypassing itsinsistence on shoving internet advertising down your throat sucks because it still uses a service, so instead I'll turn off my adblocker on that service and let it give my computer herpes. This makes sense!"

I give up, I shouldn't have even bothered.