... about v9.
Why on Earth we got these photo-sharing things???
It looks like significant effort has been put into them, INSTEAD of features much more appropriate for a file manager (and often heavily requested; on the other hand, has anyone ever requested in forums photo-sharing?).
While I can uderstand the choice (top paid (however single percents before others) and top free service), I am lost at the whole idea. I just don't get it.
X.
How do you know what the most requested features are?
We're not privy here to the masses of mail generated via the official support web page and GPSoftwares private email.
A handful of people requesting something here does not necessarily mean it's going to be in the most requested list.
That would mean that forum is not representative at all regarding feature requests.
Anyway, it still feels completely out of place.
X.
I wonder too (and I don't need it, too), but if you have a look at NAS-Systems they all have photo-sharing-features. And a lot of people use it.
In my opinion for DO it's too specific, because this should be a feature of real picture-related programs like ACDSee.
That is quiet possible.
It's also possible that it's something GPSoft wanted to add because it interested them and/or they thought it would attract new customers. Who knows? No much point in all this hearsay though and it's not like they spent the entire 2.5 years adding Flickr support. 
True, but I also think the forums are representative of user input too(and of course they are). I don't think there should be a problem or issue with customers saying they would rather more power-user things were worked on over what some would say are more "youtube" style features, like photo-sharing or the messaging, which I found out the other day that simply by poking around started up the dreaded MS messenger that wouldn't go away until I tracked down the "shaddup" button. brrr 
I also understand that sometimes developers at small companies do what they want to as pet projects, that's cool. You need to keep sane, and sometimes that means doing what you want. However, FWIW I'd like to add that for me anyway, I'd rather see a faster, more robust local image viewer over polishing a remote sharing utility, and I've already added a couple of enhancement requests for that.
FWIW. 
DT
[quote="Xyzzy"]Why on Earth we got these photo-sharing things???[/quote]I would certainly have never requested the feature. However, I have a Flickr account I've rarely bothered to use, but now it is conveniently integrated into DOpus I might (when the small fixes have been done, anyway!). As photo sharing support is neatly tucked in out of the way under file collections, and with the new searchable preferences window, I can't see it being a problem for anyone choosing not to use it. I wonder if developing this motivated the addition of sub-collections? If so, that's an advantage for all users.
[quote="Xyzzy"]... about v9.
Why on Earth we got these photo-sharing things???
... whole idea. I just don't get it.
[/quote]
Although i don´t use Flickr until now, i find it the Imageshack feature very handy. It´s just some sort of button, after all, only it comes prebuilt, so i can´t see no problem. Doesn´t GPsoft react to wishes, made by users? I use Dopus for less than two months & cannot complain.
Guys, they can do what they want, that's cool. The point is when you have a very small developing team, every feature takes time out of a limited amount. Nobody is bitching that they hate having a feature - it's just about customers speaking up about priorities. Also - it's there already - no-one's asking to take anything away! I think the point is about future direction.
In the end, it goes the way it goes. If it ever turned into a big front end for itunes(not that it would), I'd turn away. Others wouldn't. You vote with your money, you offer comments as a customer. Way of the world.
DT
For the record I have been very actively using my Flickr account for almost three years and DOpus 6 since about a year after it came out. When I'm post processing my photos two of the main tools I've been using are Paint Shop Pro 9 and DOpus 6. I have not thought about upgrading from DOpus 6 much as it was fulfilling my needs well, but, when I read about Flickr synchronization in DOpus 9 my eyes lit up and I downloaded it, am now in the middle of trialing it and will in all certainty upgrade to it.
At present I'm about to start exploring the Flickr aspect of DOpus 9 and only happened upon this thread due to searching for all info on the Flickr aspects on this site prior to playing with it. The integration with DOpus knocks spots off all the other uploaders/downloaders that use the Flickr API with features many Flickr users only dream of. I'm sure when news gets out into the Flickr community of this aspect of DOpus we will be seeing many Flickr users trialing it and even buying DOpus for this feature alone and when they realise all the other features in DOpus...well, I reckon they'll be hooked.