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I was recently taking a look at which data is mandatory and which is optional when people sign up to some common social networking and file sharing websites.

The attached table summarises what I found.

We all sense that a website should collect only the data it needs, and that the more data it tries to collect the more it may turn off potential users (concerns of privacy, etc). But as business people we also have to balance this with the need to add value to user signups (i.e. more data to help us profile users and deliver to them info and offers that are relevant).

It seems like the amount of mandatory data varies between 2 and 6 items (from simple email and password, to things like zip code, town, gender, country, DOB, occupational status).

The marketeers want as much data as possible, the technicians and user advocates want less. One would think that well-known sites are probably able to ask for more data and people will still not be put off, but younger sites who do not yet have repuation may need a more softly softly approach to data collection. Perhaps one way to satisfy both user and business needs is to take only minimal (eg email and password) at signup, but then incentivise the user to add more info, not with monetary reward but perhaps by unlocking site features.

As I predicted many months ago, now all the UGC and SN websites are levelling up to similar function sets, its no surprise to learn that Yahoo!-owned Flickr is adding video to its service.

Well, why not.

I found this here

Its a very good summary of the various online photo and video archive/sharing websites, and has a neat summary table of features.

Photo-dedicated Online Storage

PhotoShelter – PhotoShelter is for professional photographers and press agencies. Sportsshooter.com and the National Association of Photoshop Professionals are among its clients. In addition to archiving photos, users can buy and sell images through the site. The site supports 400 file types including RAW files. Users can customize and integrate their PhotoShelter account to fit their existing online portfolio. There are packages available for individual photographers or multiple users.

Sharpcast Photos - Sharpcast’s motto says it all: “Sync, because uploading blows.” Sharpcast automatically backs up photos by syncing several devices: compatible cell phones, work and home computers. Sharpcast Photos also includes image editing tools such as auto colors and red-eye correction. Any edits made to an image are automatically updated across devices, according to the company website. Users can share their photos in real time with Sharpcast features such as Group Albums and Photo Chat Buddy List. Interestingly enough, more than half of users of the initial beta testing of Sharpcast were over the age of 50, according to Sharpcast representatives, indicating that it appeals to the traditionally less tech-savvy.

Photo and Video Storage

Phanfare – Phanfare is dedicated to archiving both photos and videos. Phanfare offers unlimited storage for photographers and has an emphasis on online-sharing. Users receive a personalized URL (eg. http://yourusername.phanfare.com) and can customize their online galleries. The site uses what it calls “background uploading,” an automated uploading system that synchronizes a users PC and their Phanfare account.

Phanfare albums can be integrated with existing photo-sharing sites such as Snapfish, Kodak EasyShare Gallery, and Shutterfly. The system displays images at 700 pixels wide, but stores full-size images on its server, which users can download.
Phanfare offers monthly, yearly, and lifetime membership plans. The company also offers an additional backup system. Phanfare will burn recovery DVDs of your photos for $25 per disk for those on the free and yearly plans. Lifetime members receive one free recovery DVD.

For Everything Digital

Box – Box offers storage for photos, videos, and documents. Users can upload files up to 1GB if they have a paid plan and 10MB per file if they use the free plan. Users can create shareable online galleries, a Box widget tool for linking photo collections to MySpace and blogs, and access their account using their mobile phone if they have a Business plan. The Business Plan also comes with 15GB of storage and 20 sub accounts, allowing multiple people to access the same account.

Carbonite – Carbonite is a Windows-based online storage system that provides unlimited storage of documents, photos, and audio files. With one click, users can back up an entire hard drive, excluding application and temporary files. Users also have the option to designate which files to back up. In addition, Carbonite notifies users if data hasn’t been backed up in the past 24 hours by displaying a lock icon on the PC toolbar. Carbonite expects to release Mac compatibility in August, according to the company website.

iBackup – This Windows and Mac-enabled online backup system stores photos, music, and documents of any file type, according to a company representative. Users can share their online photo collections using Media Gallery. iBackup also offers sub-accounts for multiple users.

iStorage – Offered in Home and Professional editions, iStorage is a basic backup solution for PC and Mac users. iStorage’s 15GB storage (Home edition) or 25GB (Professional edition) limit may suffice for some photographers, but may not be adequate for heavy shooters. Unlike some of its competitiors, iStorage does not offer a photo-sharing feature. iStorage also includes a feature aptly named “WhaleMail” that allows members to share large files through iStorage rather than through e-mail.

Mozy – Mozy offers 2GB of storage for free and unlimited storage for under $5 a month. Although Mozy is not photo-dedicated, it can handle different types of image files. Mozy advises that users backup only their essentials, and not use it as a replacement for an entire hard drive. Mozy supports Windows 2000 and higher and now includes a Mac OS X beta.

Xdrive – Xdrive offers 5GB of free storage. Xdrive supports multiple types of photo, video, music, and document files. Users can drop and drag their files onto the online server and share files, folders, or postings.

Software companies are responding to the desires of users to be able to publish/host and use images as they wish without the limitations and censorship of sites like Flickr and Photobucket.
Check out BAYimg which lets you upload, host then use (i.e. link, embed, etc) your photos without the censorship that the big guns apply.

I sense the beginning of a bcklash towards ‘those that would control our media’, afterall, it’s our’s, can’t we use it as we wish.