[Guide] Image Hosting - The Easy Way

[Soopahfly]

After seeing people having issues recently with Imageshack, Photobucket, Flickr etc, I've decided to write this guide to help you host images for free.

You will need :

A Computer running Linux, Windows or OS X.
The Internets
Dropbox
Some cool pictures.


Guide.

Download and install Dropbox on your computer.
You can either google for it or use the link I've provided above.
I'd appreciate it if you used my link, as it classes as a referral and I get 250mb more space each time!

Once Dropbox has installed, you will have a folder on the computer under Documents.


In here you'll see a folder called Public.



Drop your pictures in there, and you'll see a blue circle. Wait until this goes green, then it's synchronised with Dropbox online.


Right click on the image, go to Dropbox, then public link.


Paste that link on the forum using the usual img tags, and you have free hosting.

[JminiSPRITE]

what a great guide about time someone thought of this!

never heard of dropbox before, looks way more user friendly than photobucket!

[Soopahfly]

It's really useful. You get 2gb for free and the more people you get to sign up, the more space you get up to a maximum of 8gb.

You can install it on multiple computers and it will sync the dropbox between them.

[rmad]

It looks like a useful solution. It does require a certain amount of trust in the program/hosting provider though as you seem to be installing something on your computer which has quite a lot of access rights.

Is there advertising on dropbox? What is their motive for acquiring lots of users?

[tofufi]

Apr 25, 2011 11:37:39 GMT rmad said:

It looks like a useful solution. It does require a certain amount of trust in the program/hosting provider though as you seem to be installing something on your computer which has quite a lot of access rights.

Is there advertising on dropbox? What is their motive for acquiring lots of users?

You can (I believe) use it as a host without installing software onto your computer. I had similar reservations, so I've not installed anything on my laptop.

I believe the no-install feature is aimed mostly at people on work computers who cannot install anything...

[popuptoaster]

me and my friends use dropbox to host files we want to share between us, have been using it for a year or so with no issues, never thought about using it for image hosting.

[Soopahfly]

There's no advertising, it's a pre-cursor to the premium application.

A bit like some Antivirus makers having a free, cut down version to entice people onto the paid product.

The only access rights it has are surrounding the Dropbox folder. If you don't want to share something, don't put it in. Nothing else gets put online.

It's used by some charities I support, and I believe it's approved by the NHS. They use it at the hospital my Wife works at anyway.

[tri]

I've never really had any major problems with Photobucket, but my bandwidth normally gets exceeded quite quickly.

Thanks for the introduction to this (used your link). I'll install it when I get home from work and see how it goes.

Cheers

[Soopahfly]

Thanks to the one guy who's signed up and installed the desktop client, and hopefully the two other gents will install theirs too.

I'm up to 4gb, and once the other two chaps install, 4.5gb.

Edit.

Cheers tri

[Garry]

Also works with the iPhone app so you can get your show snaps online without using iTunes or a data cable.

[Rusted Pistons]

Struggling posting pics. Photobucket broke. New image host about to delete pics. Google brought this thread up so I got Dropbox but the pics won't show on here? Am I doing it wrong or does RR not like dropbox any more?