Rock it with Flickr

Flickr started out as a place where each member of the website could upload photos and share them with a friend or with the other members. Photos can be organized in sets and have tags according to the photographer’s mood or preferences. There’s nothing extraordinary so far.

Commenting photos is another option provided. Comments can bring members closer to each other but again this feature is just OK. The real fun begins with other features such as notes (special spaces onto photos where comments can be added), connecting photos with places via maps and the feature of groups where a lot of members can share the same virtual space and upload images around a specific subject.

Did I say images? Yes. Flickr is not about photos only. Acting like a huge repository of any type of images is the best thing about it. Flickr now is a place concerning anything which can be shown in a computer screen: wallpapers, screenshots from applications or games, illustration, tutorials, thematic areas, you name it.

Actually, Flickr has become something much larger and important than a photo album. It’s all because of its users. It doesn’t matter if you call this Web 2.0 or Web 3.0 or Web 100.0. What is important is the power of users. At the same time people who run Flickr (you can call me Yahoo!) stayed focused on what we call “visual communication”. They could add tones of irrelevant features but they didn’t. This is the second best thing about it.

On the other hand Flickr created dozens of services concerning its users. Now anyone can show his Flickr images at his own website. He can have any image printed in a book or in a postcard or practically anywhere. It only takes a registration and a few bucks.

Latest news: Flickr introduces Places a virtual space which shows photos from one place e.g. the Eiffel Tower. There’s more: just yesterday Flickr announced online image editing. Try it, it’s free and intuitive.

What’s next? I have no idea but it must be fantastic!