Author Topic: Istockphoto Down For Maintenance or Hacked? (Read 62034 times)

ShadySue · « **Reply #25 on:** November 27, 2011, 13:45 »

Quote from: dhanford on November 27, 2011, 13:33

Also, I think the moderators are caught by the short hairs, so you cannot expect ANYTHING from them.

They're only forum moderators, they're not officially go-betweens, so you're right.
I'd imagine that Kelvin and Pink must be as frustrated as we as wearing their contributor hats.
Lobo doesn't have a contributor hat, so probably doesn't care. (Though if it were me, I'd be embarrassed to be a public face of such a company.)

Noedelhap · « **Reply #26 on:** November 27, 2011, 14:04 »

So, to get things straight:

- They have had a maintenance that was not announced in time
- They failed to properly communicate this downtime to its contributors (just a forum post, no e-mails)
- They put up a "Jay is working on it" page instead of a professional looking "Maintenance" page
- They offered a 10% discount out of our pockets to compensate for their clients
- They still haven't fixed ANY of the important bugs we currently encounter
- They fail to give contributors an ETA for their missing royalties payment

Seriously. One would expect more from a big multi-million dollar company like this. Why are these amateurs still in business?

Sheridan · « **Reply #27 on:** November 27, 2011, 14:16 »

Wooyay! Ooops, sorry wrong thread.

dhanford · « **Reply #28 on:** November 27, 2011, 14:17 »

Quote from: ShadySue on November 27, 2011, 13:45

Quote from: dhanford on November 27, 2011, 13:33
Also, I think the moderators are caught by the short hairs, so you cannot expect ANYTHING from them.
They're only forum moderators, they're not officially go-betweens, so you're right.
I'd imagine that Kelvin and Pink must be as frustrated as we as weating their contributor hat.
Lobo doesn't have a contributor hat, so probably doesn't care. (Though if it were me, I'd be embarrassed to be a public face of such a company.)

Agreed

rubyroo · « **Reply #29 on:** November 27, 2011, 14:34 »

Quote from: Sheridan on November 27, 2011, 14:16

Wooyay! Ooops, sorry wrong thread.

Brilliant comic timing there!

ShadySue · « **Reply #30 on:** November 27, 2011, 14:49 »

Quote from: Noedelhap on November 27, 2011, 14:04

So, to get things straight:

- They have had a maintenance that was not announced in time
- They failed to properly communicate this downtime to its contributors (just a forum post, no e-mails)
- They put up a "Jay is working on it" page instead of a professional looking "Maintenance" page
- They offered a 10% discount out of our pockets to compensate for their clients
- They still haven't fixed ANY of the important bugs we currently encounter
- They fail to give contributors an ETA for their missing royalties payment

Seriously. One would expect more from a big multi-million dollar company like this. Why are these amateurs still in business?

Oh, plus some things that were working before maintenance are now broken. So far I've noticed:
- the balance is jumping back and forward between yesterday's and today's total (noted on forum)
- if you only select e.g. 'photos' it doesn't stick on a new search (that worked before)
- if you select a sort by, e.g. 'age', it doesn't stick on a new search (that worked before)

KarenH · « **Reply #31 on:** November 27, 2011, 14:57 »

Quote from: ShadySue on November 27, 2011, 14:49

Quote from: Noedelhap on November 27, 2011, 14:04
So, to get things straight:

- They have had a maintenance that was not announced in time
- They failed to properly communicate this downtime to its contributors (just a forum post, no e-mails)
- They put up a "Jay is working on it" page instead of a professional looking "Maintenance" page
- They offered a 10% discount out of our pockets to compensate for their clients
- They still haven't fixed ANY of the important bugs we currently encounter
- They fail to give contributors an ETA for their missing royalties payment

Seriously. One would expect more from a big multi-million dollar company like this. Why are these amateurs still in business?

Oh, plus some things that were working before maintenance are now broken. So far I've noticed:
- the balance is jumping back and forward between yesterday's and today's total (noted on forum)
- if you only select e.g. 'photos' it doesn't stick on a new search (that worked before)
- if you select a sort by, e.g. 'age', it doesn't stick on a new search (that worked before)

Sitemail is apparently wonky for some too.

FD · « **Reply #32 on:** November 27, 2011, 15:17 »

Quote from: Noedelhap on November 27, 2011, 14:04

Why are these amateurs still in business?

Is this a rhetorical question? (ask Jay!

)

ShadySue · « **Reply #33 on:** November 27, 2011, 15:25 »

Quote from: karenhermann on November 27, 2011, 14:57

Sitemail is apparently wonky for some too.

I couldn't possibly say.

lisafx · « **Reply #34 on:** November 27, 2011, 16:23 »

Quote from: Noedelhap on November 27, 2011, 14:04

So, to get things straight:

- They have had a maintenance that was not announced in time
- They failed to properly communicate this downtime to its contributors (just a forum post, no e-mails)
- They put up a "Jay is working on it" page instead of a professional looking "Maintenance" page
- They offered a 10% discount out of our pockets to compensate for their clients
- They still haven't fixed ANY of the important bugs we currently encounter
- They fail to give contributors an ETA for their missing royalties payment

Seriously. One would expect more from a big multi-million dollar company like this. Why are these amateurs still in business?

Thanks for that excellent summary. I was trying to explain what's been going on at IS to my husband, who wondered what all my groaning was about, and your post came in very handy in summing it up

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #35 on:** November 27, 2011, 17:30 »

Quote from: lisafx on November 27, 2011, 16:23

...
Thanks for that excellent summary. I was trying to explain what's been going on at IS to my husband, who wondered what all my groaning was about, and your post came in very handy in summing it up

iStock has jumped the shark from my husband's point of view. Short of them staging an alien invasion, massive explosion or revealing they're all really zombies, he really doesn't want to listen any more, even to a well crafted summary

cobalt · « **Reply #36 on:** November 27, 2011, 17:42 »

" Short of them staging an alien invasion, massive explosion or revealing they're all really zombies"

...just give them enough time...istock can do anything...

They certainly have "DRAMA" baked into the company DNA.

But when we always ended the year in growth it was more fun.

ShadySue · « **Reply #37 on:** November 27, 2011, 17:51 »

Quote from: cobalt on November 27, 2011, 17:42

But when we always ended the year in growth it was more fun.

Oh, I'm having fun wondering whether I'll earn more this year than last. Barring a supadupa EL it's going to go right to the line.
Maybe I'd make more money by laying a bet somewhere ... [OJ]

klsbear · « **Reply #38 on:** November 27, 2011, 18:48 »

I can picture the November sales tread now - everyone will be posting that they have no idea what their November sales are because the but still isn't fixed and the numbers are jumping all over the place and they haven't received their e-mail telling them what the adjusted amounts are for the timeframe with the lower commission rate.

lisafx · « **Reply #39 on:** November 27, 2011, 19:14 »

Quote from: klsbear on November 27, 2011, 18:48

I can picture the November sales tread now - everyone will be posting that they have no idea what their November sales are because the but still isn't fixed and the numbers are jumping all over the place and they haven't received their e-mail telling them what the adjusted amounts are for the timeframe with the lower commission rate.

Oh God. I hadn't thought of that. You're absolutely right!

pancaketom · « **Reply #40 on:** November 27, 2011, 19:36 »

Quote from: klsbear on November 27, 2011, 18:48

I can picture the November sales tread now - everyone will be posting that they have no idea what their November sales are because the but still isn't fixed and the numbers are jumping all over the place and they haven't received their e-mail telling them what the adjusted amounts are for the timeframe with the lower commission rate.

the people who do that will be banned for not staying "on topic"

gwhitton · « **Reply #41 on:** November 27, 2011, 19:56 »

Quote from: lisafx on November 27, 2011, 19:14

Quote from: klsbear on November 27, 2011, 18:48
I can picture the November sales tread now - everyone will be posting that they have no idea what their November sales are because the but still isn't fixed and the numbers are jumping all over the place and they haven't received their e-mail telling them what the adjusted amounts are for the timeframe with the lower commission rate.

Oh God. I hadn't thought of that. You're absolutely right!

Next think you know the "numbers climbing" will turn out to be a bug. And when you thought you really had $5k coming to you this month its actually $500. LOL!

SNP · « **Reply #42 on:** November 27, 2011, 19:58 »

Quote from: cobalt on November 27, 2011, 17:42

They certainly have "DRAMA" baked into the company DNA.

lol, this is quite true...well put

gostwyck · « **Reply #43 on:** November 27, 2011, 20:57 »

stockastic · « **Reply #44 on:** November 27, 2011, 21:18 »

We assume our sales and earnings numbers at other microstock sites are correct, simply because they're stable. But we have no way to actually verify any of these numbers. Nor could an independent auditor do so, even if he were allowed to walk around freely in the offices and look at any files he chose. Only the IT people could meaningfully 'verify' these numbers, and if asked to do so, they'd simply re-run the database code and queries that drive the site, and point to the output. But is it 'correct'? Or does that code contain a couple of subtle, undetected bugs that have had the effect of losing track of a significant percentage of downloads, and underpaying commisions, for the last 4 years?

In a business that sells physical products, there are invoices, receipts, delivery and shipping records. I can demonstrate that I gave a retailer 100 widgets to sell, and only 20 can be found in inventory, therefor I'm owed commission on 80 unless the retailer can document some explanation for their disappearance other than sales.

A microstock agency is really just a set of programs running on a set of computers... and so is a bank, in today's world; but systems procedures have been developed to independently audit a bank's transaction history.

gostwyck · « **Reply #45 on:** November 27, 2011, 21:35 »

Quote from: stockastic on November 27, 2011, 21:18

We assume our sales and earnings numbers at other microstock sites are correct, simply because they're stable. But we have no way to actually verify any of these numbers. Nor could an independent auditor do so, even if he were allowed to walk around freely in the offices and look at any files he chose. Only the IT people could meaningfully 'verify' these numbers, and if asked to do so, they'd simply re-run the database code and queries that drive the site, and point to the output. But is it 'correct'? Or does that code contain a couple of subtle, undetected bugs that have had the effect of losing track of a significant percentage of downloads, and underpaying commisions, for the last 4 years?

Why specifically '4 years' out of interest? What happened in 2007 to arouse your suspicions? Was everything rosy before then?

Anyway we do have the power to audit, at least to some degree. We can arrange an 'MSG Auditing Commission' from which a group of like-minded souls contribute to a fund which buys credit packages from the various agencies and buys images from said members' portfolios, reporting sale price and commission received amongst each other. I've been thinking of suggesting such an organisation for some time.

SNP · « **Reply #46 on:** November 28, 2011, 01:21 »

lagereek · « **Reply #47 on:** November 28, 2011, 01:42 »

Gotswyck!

If this was my sole agent, put my trust and faith in, I would have been long gone or as Stan-Kanney, used to say: if they cant produce, f##k em.

cobalt · « **Reply #48 on:** November 28, 2011, 08:41 »

Quote from: gostwyck on November 27, 2011, 21:35

Anyway we do have the power to audit, at least to some degree. We can arrange an 'MSG Auditing Commission' from which a group of like-minded souls contribute to a fund which buys credit packages from the various agencies and buys images from said members' portfolios, reporting sale price and commission received amongst each other. I've been thinking of suggesting such an organisation for some time.

Most photographers I know do a mix of assignment work and stock, i.e. they'll shoot something specific for a client but the client has to buy it via istock (because we are exclusive). With thousands of images being sold this way every year, I think we would notice pretty fast, if these sales were not recorded.

I am sure many independents do the same.

Or you just direct customers to your portfolio because they want to buy your images.

So personally I have never seen a sale not recorded, if I sent someone a link to an image or to my lightbox.

You could of course come up with an independent auditing agency, but for me this real life solution works well.

cobalt · « **Reply #49 on:** November 28, 2011, 08:45 »

The copy cats are my biggest concern. I have lost thousands of dollars because of them. I sincerly wish that istock follows the Getty example one day and removes them from the site.

Or at least gives me a "privacy" option to protect my work. This includes hiding total donload numbers on my artist page.

At least give me the choice.

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Author Topic: Istockphoto Down For Maintenance or Hacked? (Read 62034 times)

ShadySue

Noedelhap

Sheridan

dhanford

rubyroo

ShadySue

KarenH

FD

ShadySue

lisafx

Jo Ann Snover

cobalt

ShadySue

klsbear

lisafx

pancaketom

gwhitton

SNP

gostwyck

stockastic

gostwyck

SNP

lagereek

cobalt

cobalt

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