I will admit that I am not tech savvy enough to understand all the nuances. What I know is what I’ve read which is most likely popular opinion. So I definitely will credit your point.

This is a slight deviation from the topic at hand, but I do want to state that I have been thinking about pre… Web 2.0 I suppose we could call it? That sweet spot when the internet was fairly new but becoming popular enough that plenty of (youngish, at the time) people could navigate it. And there were a lot of challenges to get things people wanted to do. I remember struggling with image hosting so I could put a pretty picture in my signature on the forums I frequented. But where there is a will, there is a way. A lot of people figured out some sort of solution. It took varying levels of commitment and creativity. And I think that’s actually a good thing. I think it taught valuable skills and fostered curious mindsets. I don’t think it would be a bad thing if some of the tools of ease and convenience were taken away and people had to start figuring out alternative solutions, especially younger generations who haven’t been forced to do that.

Would they? I’m not sure. I’d like to be optimistic and say yes. But the pessimistic part of me thinks that if a web service giant were to fall, all it would do is create a vacuum for someone else to take their place. If Imgur were to somehow disappear because they were unprofitable, some other website would pop up in its place, promising everything users want and more, for free no less. Backed by venture capitalist money perhaps. Then, over time, succumbing to the same situation that it feels like every mainstream service does, trying to claw back that investment money and start turning a profit.

This is a bit of a rambling reply, I know, so apologies for making you read all this. I’m not looking to pick a fight. But I do stand by my pithy reaction image. I’m not sympathetic to Imgur. I’m not sure what the ‘best’ solution is, but I don’t think the constant pattern we’ve been seeing is the only one, let alone a good one.