Losing every flicker of interest in Flickr

Having been snapping away over the last few weekends, I had come to that point where those captured digital moments could be uploaded for viewing.

To safe-guard my original and future activities, I decided it was time to upgrade to the Pro version of Flickr with all its benefits and so on.

Most importantly, it allows me to lodge complaints if I have any and expect prompt, efficient and good service.

I had already gone off Picasa at Google because of the requirement of a Gmail account and the fact that without an introduction the mobile authentication option does not cover Europe.

So here I am with Flickr and I find I have to write the mail below:-

The email

Hello,

I am interested in upgrading to the 2-year deal but have been met with unfriendly and unreasonable interfaces that are frustrating my request.

I first tried to pay with my Amex card and the moment I chose the Netherlands where I live everything switched to Dutch and I lost the Amex option.

OK! I can read Dutch, so I switch to my Mastercard and on entering my information it tries to force me to use the PayPal service to pay up because it matched my email and credit card details to a PayPal service I rarely use.

Yes, I want to pay to use Flickr, No, I do not want to use Paypal if I choice between that and my credit card.

Is there anyway of removing this extra and extraneous web intelligence such that I can make the choices about the language I want, the way I want to pay without being second-guessed by technology?

Thanks for your help.

Regards

I would be lucky if there is any better way to get this done - God forbid that I have to grovel for a Gmail account to get on Picasa - It is a hard life on the web - I sigh!

Paris - from triumph to agreement

No flicker on Picasa

Having taken a good few photographs, I was met with the problem of how to publish them. So, to Google, I went searching for web ablums and I got introduced to Picasa Web Albums, part of the Google behemoth which I think is a play on Picasso the artist.

Easy as everything seemed including the deals and so on, I usually subscribe to any Internet service that would provide me value, performance and service – this goes for my hotmail and blog service.

So, how do I subscribe to the Picasa thingy? I need a Gmail account.

How do I get a Gmail account? I need to be introduced but another Gmail member or get an SMS message sent to my mobile phone. So, I go for the second option.

You cannot be serious, the Netherlands is not in the list, in fact, no European country appears in that list. Well, that is one lost customer for Google and one gain for Yahoo – getting on flickr.com does not involve extraneous and sanctimonious controls – I hate frustrated access – it puts me off and I sure would not be doing Gmail – not ever.

I just have to bear the silliness of greetings like Aloha AkinNLD! on flickr – One is seriously not impressed.

Paris ma belle ville

Anyways, I could offer myself as a mini-tour guide to Paris, I have done it a few times taking friends and relations round Paris and helping them understand that they do not have to see Paris and die.

Usually, my guests only have two nights to spend in Paris, so major attractions like the Louvre Museum are out of the question.

Usually, I concentrate on the views and the landmarks; first thing to do is the Eiffel Tower to the very top – a must, a time out for lunch and a trip on the tour bus. In a romantic setting it would be dinner on the 53^rd floor of the Montparnasse Tower the tallest building in Paris, facing the Eiffel Tower at night.

Alternatively, go up to the Grande Arche in the Place de La Défense and just have a time there.

In other cases, one can walk up or down the Champs-Élysées Avenue between the Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe.

I must confess that doing the Champs-Élysées at night saves you the urge and temptation others have to go into every shop with fools gold and too much glitter especially if you have to adjudge if the ring fits or the necklace design is right.

On a very sunny day, walking through the Jardins des Tuileries from Place de le Concorde to the Louvre is one exciting view – today, I did the Arc de Triomphe to Louvre plod recorded a few things of interest.

I took quite a number of pictures and you can find them on my flickr album.

Just in case you are wondering about the title - it is about my walk from the Arc de Triomphe (triumph) to Place de la Concorde (harmony/agreement).