[kjackson2012]

"Oh no, a free web site isn't behaving the way that I want it to!"

I don't know if it's just because I'm old, but people need to stop whining about how free websites are behaving. If we were paying customers, then I believe we should have a voice in how the product works but if we're using it for free, then this feeling of entitlement has to stop.

Beggars can't be choosers. And whoever owns imgur has to make money as well, they're entitled to do whatever it takes to make as much money as they can, and if they lose you as a customer but make more money, that is their prerogative.

[meowface]

Beggars absolutely can be choosers here, because there are tons of competing sites, many of which don't have any of the annoying features that imgur has been adding in recent months.

Imgur obviously needs money to stay afloat, but there are less annoying ways they could have gone about it.

Reddit has been bleeding money for years, probably more money than Imgur has yearly and for a longer time span, but they still have not compromised the integrity or usability of their site to gain money. They rely only on non-intrusive ads, Reddit gold, and donations.

4chan is in an even worse state, and has also only been making money through their 4chan Pass semi-donation feature.

Imgur could have created a new subdomain for the "new" site, or could have setup some entirely different applications that integrate with the main site, instead of detracting from the main product. As a company, they have a right to do what they want to make money, but as users most of us will always keep moving to the best solution once the old ones start shooting themselves in the foot.

Companies whose business model is to provide only a single free service for a massive userbase will always have to balance revenue and user alienation. Reddit and Imgur are leaning on opposite sides of that scale at the moment.

Honestly, I would consider an acquisition (by Google or whoever) to be a much better solution for everyone involved compared to the things they're trying now in desperation to get more revenue.

[kjackson2012]

Then switch. Stop whining about it. If this is as big of a problem as the OP purports, and if people start leaving in droves, then imgur will die. This is the risk that they are taking, and they know this and so do you and the OP. So just switch. Stop whining about it.

[plorkyeran]

Whining about it is switching. Since nearly everyone views far more images than they upload, which image host they spend the most time interacting with is dictated by what other people choose. Complaining about the currently popular choice is perhaps not the most effective way to get people to switch, but it is also not entirely ineffective.

[meowface]

I did switch, and immediately after began complaining about it, because I've been a big supporter and user of Imgur for years until now. I switched to mediacrush weeks ago and am spreading the word to others so they can realize it's a better alternative, and then do the same.