/dev/null/kevin

Creating something from nothing, or maybe the other way around

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Monday March 31, 2008

Flickr Collections: Mostly Worthless?

Computers

Is there any real value in flickr collections? Please tell me what I'm missing.

A flickr set is a group of pictures. I can view a set together, make a slide show, and edit the set together. It's a very useful feature.

A flickr collection is a group of sets and it provides some organizational structure for sets that are related. I can add or remove sets from a collection, as well as add a description. The collection also gets a special mosaic badge made up of images from the various sets.

However, other than those very basic features (which I admit, have some value), it seems that collections should allow me to do so much more:

No collection tools - With a set I can perform multiple actions on the whole set, but there are no actions for a collection.

I can't view the whole collection as a slide show.
I can't edit the whole collection.
I can't add tags to a collection.
I can't view the whole collection as a stream.
I can't load a collection into the flickr organizer.

Collection mosaic icon is useless.

The mosaic's URL changes if I edit the mosaic (select different images) - This means I can't use the mosaic for anything like a thumbnail for a link to the collection's page. If something exists, but I can't use it, does it have any value?
The mosaic icon doesn't even appear on the collection's own page!

If you're wondering why my panties seem to be extra bunchy regarding these collections, it's because "sets of sets" was the most requested feature on flickr for years. When flickr finally implemented them people rejoiced and sang of their virtues. I'm just here, keeping it real, by saying, "what was all the fuss about?"