Barry John Williams' Blog

I read this earlier this weekend and didn't think much of it until I realised that I rely on two of Yahoo!'s products- Flickr! and del.icio.us. I used to have a hotmail account in '97 and found it to be very good, then when Microsoft acquired it, it when progressively downhill to the point today where my hotmail name is different to my original because it expired and I use the account only very rarely to log in to MSN Chat.

I don't want Microsoft to get their hands on either as the first thing they'd do is move it over to Windows based systems which will undoubtedly cause severe trouble - although, perhaps they've improved since Hotmail! del.icio.us works pretty well now, I don't want to have my account tied in to an MSN passport and then have my bookmarks progressively integrated with Windows Live services. I just want it the way it is. I was pretty reluctant to sign up with a Yahoo! account for flickr!, but I decided there wasn't much to lose and the Flickr! staff had announced they wouldn't be making any serious changes - good enough for me so I have one. There hasn't been any mention from the flickr! staff about what could or will happen, perhaps because it's speculative at the moment. I know one thing for sure. I don't want Windows Live Photos!

I did read somewhere that they may sell off Flickr! and del.icio.us. I don't know who'd buy either - perhaps Google would buy both. I've already mentioned a Google takeover of del.icio.us would be cool.

MS could do something very cool with Flickr!, something Apple has yet to do properly. MS could release an IPhoto type application for Windows Vista and tie it in with Flickr! with synchronisation. You alter the photo in "MS Photo", the alteration gets synced with Flickr! similarly you tag a photo in Flickr! it gets synced back to "MS Photo". That would be a great product and if done right, a great iPhoto competitor. Although, maybe, just maybe, Apple will buy Flickr! and add this capability to IPhoto as an extension to it's .mac services. I did notice a Flickr! viewer on screenshots of the new Apple TV take 2...

BBC NEWS | Business | Microsoft wants to purchase Yahoo

Labels: apple, flickr, internet, microsoft, yahoo

A flickr! contact (letskyce) invited me to join a flickr! group called 'Pick Your Best 12 from 2006'. I think this is a great idea to use fd's Flickr Toys' Mosaic Maker to form a single image with your 12 best shots from 2006. I've created a flickr! set of my best pictures from 2006 and created a single mosaic of these pictures which is posted above and on flickr!

Labels: aboutme, flickr

Flickr! has a cool 'Easter Egg' which allows you to draw a santa hat and beard as notes on any image on flickr! I've added a santa hat to one of my photos of Bruno and a photo of me (pictured).

All you need to do is add a note 'ho ho ho hat' for instant 'hatisfaction' or 'ho ho ho beard' for instant beardification!


Found this on BoingBoing

Labels: christmas, flickr, humour

Champagne on Arrival
Originally uploaded by barry_williams.

Louise and I spent the last weekend (1st, 2nd and 3rd December) at the Rowardennan Hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond and foot of Ben Lomond. We were on an 'all inclusive' package to celebrate our first wedding anniversary together.

The hotel allowed us to take our dog Bruno at no additional cost and they were extremely accomodating for him! The food was lovely and so too was the champagne in our room on arrival and the open bar in the evenings!!

Despite the rain and wind (December in Scotland after all) the weekend was very enjoyable and we did do some short walks around the hotel including an hour up the West Highland Way and back again.

We both would highly recommend the Rowardennan Hotel, it is situated in a lovely area, the staff are very friendly and helpful, the food is lovely and the rooms are comfortable!

Thanks again to the staff at the hotel!

A flickr! set is available for a selection of the photos taken that weekend.

Loch Lomond Flickr! Set

Labels: aboutme, flickr