Flickr CEO Stewart Butterfield on whether Google will replicate Flickr’s photo-sharing service…

Flickr is my off site/off Mac photo storage and sharing site. So far, I thought Picasa was a PC application. Does Google have a corresponding network side to Picasa?

In your view, nobody should build and run a business that does anything on the Internet but instead should sell it at first offer because of Google’s (or Microsoft’s?) track record for replicating-and-improving on other peoples ideas?

Do no evil with no passion? Join the borg?

I pay the Flickr pro subscription because I like dealing with people who view Flickr as a photo service, provide a face, and are passionate about this one thing. They let me buy my way out of ads and I can link to my photos from my blog on Typepad.

We need to recognize and support best of breed and not assume that MSN and Google will listen to us and provide a quality service (there really can be a difference between free/cheap and quality).

That being said, if Ludicorp does sell Flickr out – still a reasonable end game – then we have to watch to see if the management team remains (and provides an even better service with more resources), or if they get sucked into “other” corporate priorities.

Over at Infectious Greed, there is an analysis (and rebuttal) of the theory that Flickr F***-ed Up: Paul Kedrosky My working title was “Flickr F***-ed Up”, and it was a tongue-in-cheek look at all the things that Flickr had “screwed…

It looks like flickr is really holding out. I have to believe that they’re just waiting for the right price. It’s a great service for users, but there’s a lot more money in selling out.