Around the end of January I cast doubt on the ability of the Flickr Commons to persist, which I based on the message they had posted on their page that had accepted requests to participate. Although the message is still there, stating that a backlog of registrations is preventing them from accepting any more through 2010, it’s clear they are still adding participants from their backlog.
For example, the National Archives and Records Administration joined early last month and they were soon followed by the University of Washington Libraries.
So it’s fairly clear that the Flickr Commons is alive and well, and that their hiatus in taking sign-ups may be only that. I apologize for taking that as a sign that it might be "simply the first step in a process to decommission what Yahoo may feel is a costly distraction." Although it remains true that "They can choose, at any time, to take their ball and go home and there is nothing we can do about it", it is also true that they haven’t yet, nor have there been any clear signs that they will.
Flickr Commons team: I’m sorry that I had doubts. I wish you and your partner institutions long and fruitful success, as I always have.It’s just that now I have more faith than I had in January. Long may it last.
About Roy Tennant
:)
I love the Commons (it’s part of my job, so I’m a lucky gal).
I hope you enjoy the rest of what 2010 will bring, and we look forward to a revamped registration down the line.
Cheers!
From my seat the Commons team has only become _more_ responsive since the announcement. We’ve had a collection in the queue for over a year, with more progress in the last three weeks than the previous six months. Go Flickr!