Just about a year ago I posted “WordPress, have you been naughty?” It was about a screenshot disappearing from my media library and thus from the post where it appeared, “Ouch, WordPress lesson learned.” The post was critical of the way WP inserts ads into our posts. I was frustrated, puzzled, and maybe a little paranoid about having been censored. Eventually I came to accept that probably I was just imagining things, and after fixing the post I forgot about it. After all, the files stored by WordPress must number in the billions, and it probably isn’t too unusual for images to occasionally go AWOL.
So I ask you now … what are the odds the same image would go missing again? Because this morning I noticed it was gone. Again. I’ve uploaded it again and fixed the post. But it seems mighty strange that just that one image keeps disappearing.
Is WP deleting it? Are Google and/or the advertiser hacking WP and taking it? Is the file corrupted in some way that makes it keep disappearing? Are more of my images missing and I just haven’t noticed yet (readers, please, if you ever notice an image missing from one of my posts, let me know via the contact form.) Am I just having a “senior moment”? (And was I also having one the last time the image disappeared? Uh oh … )
Come on, WordPress. Or Google. Or somebody. Be nice to an old lady. If you really object to that screenshot being posted, how ’bout dropping me a private note so we can discuss it? I’ll even make room for you to do a guest post here to explain the whole thing. Because I’d really like to know what’s going on.
And such is my paranoia that the image is now stored as a Photobucket file. Maybe they can take better care of it.
Paranoid? Maybe. Maybe not! I know that when I discovered that the new post notifications via email from the blogs I follow had all been reset to “none,” I imagined a whole WordPress “drunken party” scenario where the plucked them off one by one while wagering on how long it would take this old fool to notice! 😯 😳
BTW, I’ve often wondered what I’d to when my free media space is all used up. That Photobucket site looks like a good alternative, but I wonder if I’d lose the ability to do galleries and slideshows?
I know it’s human nature to immediately think someone or something else did it when we or our devices screw up. But I can’t think of any good explanation for why this one particular image has now disappeared twice. It’s not like I’m so inept that I constantly lose or delete files. I also couldn’t think of any explanation for your stuff disappearing.
Photobucket was suggested in a comment by Gabriel the last time this happened. He keeps all his image files there. I imagine Flickr would work too. But I’ve no idea how you’d set up galleries if the images aren’t in your media library.
I started out using Imgur, Photobucket and I think a different one (not Flickr). Then I just started uploading to my media folder. I figured I was going to run out of space so I upgraded. Ha! I haven’t even used up my free space and I’ve been paying for the upgrade!
Izaakmak… Photobucket is actually pretty cool site. And they have a very cool online photo editor which I use sometimes rather than Photoshop as I like the built-in effects. To create the same effect in Photoshop isn’t easy… usually a bunch of different layers. So it’s just easier to use the free online editor. And it’s just plain ol’ fun!
PT… have you emailed WP support?
I didn’t see any point in reporting it to WP support since I was able to fix it.
Just curious to find out if it is WP and what they’d say.
Hmmmm. Several bloggers are talking about issues today.
I’ve noticed a couple of times in the past, some of my ranty blogs were never in the “showcase” under any of the categories it was tagged with or the post mysteriously appeared shoved back with posts a day or two old…WP murmured something about oh, too many posts being posted at one time….or to try a less popular time to post…odd….but WP is sort of like that wizard behind the screen in OZ
Well, if the wizard has issues with my stuff, he needs to man up and talk to me about it. Common courtesy and all that. Of course in this case the wizard is probably some computer …
Use the wrong group of word or phrases in and ZAP?
Something like that. How else could they keep an eye on umpteen blogs?
Not possible NOT to get paranoid …
Yep, it still looks fishy all these months later.