A lot of people out there on the Interwebs apparently didn't read our article about Kodak Gallery, and their photos were deleted from Gallery starting two weeks ago if they didn't either pay up or make a photo print purchase. Many customers were fully aware of the deadline, but since Kodak provided no easy way to export full-size photos from the galleries, they were forced to download thousands of files one. at. a. time.

My favorite comment on the subject came from Twitter user jaztuck:

kodak (ofoto gallery) deleted photos of my life I had for the last 15 years. They win biggest online asshole award.

Matthew Knell found the situation with Kodak unacceptable, and complained about the situation on his blog:

So, Kodak, are you serious? I have 3000 photos and now you're telling me the only out I have for free is to download them all ONE AT A TIME? This is bush league. I'd be perfectly content to give your storage back and never give you another penny of my money if you gave me a legitimate option. But now I'm left to wonder, is this the example you want to set in a world powered by user-generated content? For a company trying hard to reinvent themselves in the digital age? In an environment where you're losing market share to newer, nimbler and smarter companies? To be the one to put doubt in customers' minds about storing things in the "cloud"?

Yeah, what he said. Shutterfly is taking the demise of Kodak Gallery as an opportunity, which is great for them, but an unhappy ending for customers who couldn't get their pictures out in time and lost them.

PREVIOUSLY:
Kodak Gallery Improves Its Photo Storage Policies, Becomes A Valid Option Again
Kodak's Overpriced Photo Site Will Delete Your Photos If You Don't Spend Money

Shutterfly Aims for Kodak's Customers [WSJ]
Dear Kodak…. Stop holding my pictures hostage [Tagsmith]
Kodak risks major PR fail after purge of the free [eConsultancy]

(Photo: pmarkham)