I find it extremely annoying that old images that didn't sell on Dreamstime are marked by default as "donate free" if you don't get to them in time. I would much prefer "disable" as default. The fact that these images didn't sell on DT doesn't mean they are not (sometimes actively) selling on other sites. I hope DT realizes they are not the fastest-selling site out there.
But fine, if they don't want to keep images for longer than certain time, it's their choice. But don't offer my work for free! I don't work for free!
And yes I know to avoid that I need to check my messages and delete old images as they come up.... but here is another newsflash - my life doesn't revolve around DT... maybe it's hard for them to imagine, but it's true.
Frustrating at the least.

Somewhere or other there is a way of switching the default to delete, as that is what I have done. But I can't remember how you do it.

Well said.  I think they are making a critical error with contributor relations by doing this.

Here's the thread on the how-to - http://www.dreamstime.com/thread_19796

Donated without consent - how do I disable/delete free images

Basically, you get a notification by email and in your comments 30 days prior. Once you click the box to delete rather than move to the free section it becomes the default for any future images.

How long does it take before unsold files fall into the trap?  I'm a compulsive editor with an itchy delete finger.  I wanna mark my calendar!

Quote from: cuppacoffee on March 03, 2011, 18:27
Here's the thread on the how-to - http://www.dreamstime.com/thread_19796

Donated without consent - how do I disable/delete free images

Basically, you get a notification by email and in your comments 30 days prior. Once you click the box to delete rather than move to the free section it becomes the default for any future images.

Ummm, it doesn't for me. I keep clicking "delete" and the default is still "donate".

Quote from: trek on March 03, 2011, 18:40
How long does it take before unsold files fall into the trap?  I'm a compulsive editor with an itchy delete finger.  I wanna mark my calendar!

It used to be 4 years, now it's 3. Soon they'll start giving away your images for free after a couple of months....

Quote from: Elenathewise on March 03, 2011, 19:06

Quote from: cuppacoffee on March 03, 2011, 18:27
Here's the thread on the how-to - http://www.dreamstime.com/thread_19796

Donated without consent - how do I disable/delete free images

Basically, you get a notification by email and in your comments 30 days prior. Once you click the box to delete rather than move to the free section it becomes the default for any future images.

Ummm, it doesn't for me. I keep clicking "delete" and the default is still "donate".

Seems to work for me - I went to http://www.dreamstime.com/oldfiles.php, clicked "click here" and got to http://www.dreamstime.com/oldfiles.php?setdefault=D

And yes was a bit annoying for me too and I am thankful that link was provided

I've hit "disable" many times but my default is still "donate". 

FWIW, here's what Achilles said in the above linked thread:  "The default cannot be changed, at least not for now."

Admittedly, that thread is over a year old, but if something has officially changed I don't see where. 

In the section where the images are waiting to be dealt with the last line of text says:
Currently your default action is set to disable the images. Click here to set your default action to donating the images to the free section.
I "clicked (t)here" and was able to change the default from donate to disable.
Doesn't that work for you?

Quote from: lisafx on March 03, 2011, 20:05
FWIW, here's what Achilles said in the above linked thread:  "The default cannot be changed, at least not for now."

he says a few posts down that it's possibe and gives the link to http://www.dreamstime.com/oldfiles.php

I tried it and it worked. And the page now says "Click here to set your default action to donating the images to the free section" instead of "click here to set default to disable"

What do you see if you simply go to address http://www.dreamstime.com/oldfiles.php?setdefault=D ?

Thanks for clearing that up Balderick and Miklav

I don't currently have any pending old files, having just dealt with them a couple of days ago, so I can't test out your method.  I will have to remember to do it next time I get a notice.

Hey Lisa, you can still do that - I just did (I don't have any old files pending either). You go to http://www.dreamstime.com/oldfiles.php and the last sentence you see before "No images found" contains a link to click on to change the default. Hope that works.

Thanks everyone - this is very helpful!

Quote from: Elenathewise on March 03, 2011, 21:53
Hey Lisa, you can still do that - I just did (I don't have any old files pending either). You go to http://www.dreamstime.com/oldfiles.php and the last sentence you see before "No images found" contains a link to click on to change the default. Hope that works.

Thanks everyone - this is very helpful!

I click on that link ("Click here to set your default action") and absolutely nothing happens.

Quote from: Elenathewise on March 03, 2011, 21:53
Hey Lisa, you can still do that - I just did (I don't have any old files pending either). You go to http://www.dreamstime.com/oldfiles.php and the last sentence you see before "No images found" contains a link to click on to change the default. Hope that works.

Thanks everyone - this is very helpful!

Worked for me!

Thanks Elena!  Very useful thread and advice

Quote from: stockastic on March 03, 2011, 22:03

Quote from: Elenathewise on March 03, 2011, 21:53
Hey Lisa, you can still do that - I just did (I don't have any old files pending either). You go to http://www.dreamstime.com/oldfiles.php and the last sentence you see before "No images found" contains a link to click on to change the default. Hope that works.

Thanks everyone - this is very helpful!

I click on that link ("Click here to set your default action") and absolutely nothing happens.

The link doesn't go anywhere, the sentence changes. The first part says what your default is set to. It was confusing for me because I expect a link to go somewhere and it didn't.

Thanks for the heads-up, did not know about this policy.

Quote from: visceralimage on March 04, 2011, 01:31
Thanks for the heads-up, did not know about this policy.

+1 I didn't know that either thought Fotolia was the only one with that policy.  I went ahead and set mine to disable eventhough it'll be 2 years with this agency come this May.

Quote from: Elenathewise on March 03, 2011, 19:35

Quote from: trek on March 03, 2011, 18:40
How long does it take before unsold files fall into the trap?  I'm a compulsive editor with an itchy delete finger.  I wanna mark my calendar!

It used to be 4 years, now it's 3. Soon they'll start giving away your images for free after a couple of months....

Is it 3 years?  Everything I see in the thread and the oldfiles page say 4+...  I still think it should default to delete rather than donate as well, but at least they let you change it ahead of time now...

Mine are set to disable by default, but you don'e have to worry because of the 30-day alert mentioned here.

I never heard of this and haven't been around long enough to have images donated/disabled, but on oldfiles.php it seems my default is disable, and not donate

Quote from: Elenathewise on March 03, 2011, 19:35

Quote from: trek on March 03, 2011, 18:40
How long does it take before unsold files fall into the trap?  I'm a compulsive editor with an itchy delete finger.  I wanna mark my calendar!

It used to be 4 years, now it's 3. Soon they'll start giving away your images for free after a couple of months....

Have you seen the free image section: http://www.dreamstime.com/free-images_pg1.  It's got 8044 pages of 20 images which comes to 160,880 images.   

Quote from: traveler1116 on March 04, 2011, 12:57

Quote from: Elenathewise on March 03, 2011, 19:35

Quote from: trek on March 03, 2011, 18:40
How long does it take before unsold files fall into the trap?  I'm a compulsive editor with an itchy delete finger.  I wanna mark my calendar!

It used to be 4 years, now it's 3. Soon they'll start giving away your images for free after a couple of months....

Have you seen the free image section: http://www.dreamstime.com/free-images_pg1.  It's got 8044 pages of 20 images which comes to 160,880 images.  

At that rate, nothing will sell anymore, everything will be moved to the free section. I would think DT would put a limit on this. Aren't they shooting themselves in the foot as well as us in the back?  

Quote from: cclapper on March 04, 2011, 13:32
At that rate, nothing will sell anymore, everything will be moved to the free section. I would think Dreamstime would put a limit on this. Aren't they shooting themselves in the foot as well as us in the back?  

It is certainly something to be concerned about. Checking out famous destinations I am finding some very, very good shots that have obviously simply been buried by similars and are now downloading by the score, while the files for sale are picking up one or two sales if they are lucky ... and some of the unlucky ones will presumably end up joining the free section and then collecting downloads.

Try a search for Antelope Canyon and see what you can get for free.

The saturation of collections and files getting lost in the search means that there is no guarantee that outstanding work will every get sold.

I wonder how many people in the free section know their work is there and how many have been trapped by the "donate" default.

Quote from: traveler1116 on March 04, 2011, 12:57

Quote from: Elenathewise on March 03, 2011, 19:35

Quote from: trek on March 03, 2011, 18:40
How long does it take before unsold files fall into the trap?  I'm a compulsive editor with an itchy delete finger.  I wanna mark my calendar!

It used to be 4 years, now it's 3. Soon they'll start giving away your images for free after a couple of months....

Have you seen the free image section: http://www.dreamstime.com/free-images_pg1.  It's got 8044 pages of 20 images which comes to 160,880 images.   

Yikes!!! This is scary and very disturbing. Dreamstime is turning into free images site. I too wonder how many people (like me) didn't realize their images were offered for free. I deleted mine yesterday but not before some of them had over 100 free downloads (!). This is unacceptable and shouldn't be allowed - like "black billing".