.. and since we did not implement PSM API with them yet (really a shame), we have to issue an update for the application.
Your PSM copy will automatically offer to upgrade to the new version once the upgrade will be available. Do not forget to restart the application after the upgrade.

In this version ProStockMaster starts working with CanStockPhoto via our proprietary PSM API. Thus, from now on you will be able to track your sales and download stats on per-image base for any image uploaded to CSP with PSM.
All the data is transferred over HTTPS, which significantly improves the communication security.

Many thanks to Duncan Enman, CEO of CanStockPhoto and his great team for making this possible.

PSM gets a new Windows installer which works smoother on Vista and Windows 7 machines.
During the installation, the new installer will need administrative permissions (will ask for an admin password, if the user is not an administrator).
This solves this Vista issue.

In this release:

• iStock login fixed again.
• Statistics for 123rf & Fotolia fixed. Note that 123rf stats show up quite slow due to their server speed.
• Fixed: “99% upload – read timeout” error while uploading large files to Panthermedia.
• Removed some internal limitations from the free version.
• Mac: system / hidden folders will not show up in the file tree.
• Mac: some customers reported they could not run PSM 1.7 on their Macs, typically Leopard & Snow Leopard OS. This was caused by improper application packaging for Mac. Get v1.7.1 - it should run OK now.
• Linux releases & Linux support is discontinued from this release on. We prefer to focus on Mac and Win OS only.
• Shutterstock & Dreamstime FTP uploads: large / long batches interrupts fixed

...once again.
So v1.7 can not upload to iStock anymore. We'll fix it in upcoming 1.7.1 as well as a few statistics-related things.

For a couple of days people trying to upload images to Panthermedia got "PSM session error" error message and the upload stopped. This issue is fixed now and the upload is available again.

I am happy to announce the release of new PSM v1.7.0!
In this version:

1.New stock agency added! Integrated upload, total stats and per-image statuses, downloads and earnings info for our new stock agency Pixamba. Expand your sales now!

2.iStock login fixed [again] due to further changes on their web.

3.Various EXIF interpretation fixes, ISO speed is now showing correctly in EXIF tab

-- UPDATE August 23 2009 ----------------------
iStock rolled back their login procedure, removing the new 'pop-up' web interface.
So PSM should be updated with the new release 1.6.5 which will also 'rollback' iStock login. We'll release the software update this week.

In fact, I never understood why the new login GUI was claimed on iStock forums to be 'more secure'.
Both the old login (which is back now) and the new (rolled back) login are the simple sequences of HTTPS POSTs and GETs and they both have exactly the same SSL-based level of security. Making some more GET or POST calls with a 'pop-up'-like 'div' element or adding some AJAX calls to the new iStock login procedure does not make iStock web application more secure. Obviously, iStock guys have their own view on this matter.

-- August 22 2009 ---------------------------
It seems that again there is an issue with iStock login.
Probably the changes that iStock made some time ago were not final and they keep changing their login procedure.
We are checking the issue.

If you are trying to run ProStockMaster on a Vista machine and it fails to start it might be a simple Vista security-related issue, which can be fixed in seconds

Fixes iStock and Alamy login and hopefully makes Alamy bulk upload work

It seems that once a three year we create the next thing, helping you to get some more sales online

Visit Pixamba web site and take a look what we did this time.
Build on an advanced cloud computing infrastructure, Pixamba is probably the world-fastest online stock photography agency today. Utilizing our technological advantage, we plan to add more features and media services soon.

We start with 255,000 midstock collection and we welcome microstock contributors.
At the moment the business model is credit-based and your commissions are $0.40/credit for any non-exclusive submission, which is effectively 40%-53% (depending on the credits package price) of the sale price.

Register now, take a tour and tell us what you think and how we can make things better and more convenient for you.

>>> July 27 2009 - UPDATE: Hurry, just a few days left! <<<

We have started in June 2006 and this month ProStockMaster celebrates 3 years online.
We invite you to celebrate with us and we are happy to offer you a special limited-time discount: 15% off for PRO license. Hurry, this offer ends on July 31.
Redeem coupon 3YEARS here

Did you know that if you do not work with Shutterstock in PSM you can use "Shutterstock FTP" credentials uploading to any FTP-enabled agency? Just keep in mind that what is shown as "Shutterstock" in PSM is in fact your trusted "ABC-stock" agency.

How to do that: go to "Upload->Stock Agencies->Shutterstock" and replace Shutterstock FTP server name with the name of the FTP server for "ABC-stock", adding your FTP credentials for "ABC-stock".

From now on, each time you upload to "Shutterstock" the file actually goes to "ABC-stock". Since Shutterstock keeps blocking their submitters login with the image captcha you can't see your Shutterstock stats in PSM anyway, so it can be used as a placeholder for any other FTP-enabled agency you prefer to work with.

If you did not see it yet somewhere else, worth watching:
a virtual tour in Yuri Arcurs studio, guided by Yuri.
Impressive.

How to fix:

1. Read the post below

2. Make sure you have restarted PSM after the auto upgrade

3. If this did not help, get and install the full archive.
Mac users: be sure to connect to your previous DB with your new PSM copy (more...)

New in this release:

1. Shutterstock uploads switched to FTP. Go to "Upload->Stock Agencies" to change your credentials.

The FTP server name is already filled in for you by the app. Your FTP user name is your email address, which is on file with Shutterstock and the password is your regular Shutterstock web site password.
Since the connection to Shutterstock is now via FTP only your stats for this site can not be displayed anymore.
Here is why...

2. “Export Metadata” dialog added in “File->Export Metadata” menu. It creates a CSV file with JPG IPTC metadata and a few more file parameters for all JPGs in a specified folder. Optionally, it works recursively on all the subfolders of the specified folder. You probably remember this free JPG IPTC metadata dump utility? Now it is an integral part of PSM, available for free with any license. Just open "File->Export Metadata" menu and select a folder to be exported.

3. Fixed an annoying bug causing thumbnails not to be displayed in many cases.
I am sure you faced it at least once - you start PSM, open a folder and there are no thumbnails, just the file names with '...' are displayed. Well, not anymore.
The app still needs some time to draw the thumbnails at the first access, but once the initial processing is done you get all the graphics instantly.

4. EXIF reading is back.
EXIF decided to leave PSM for a few weeks. Now it is back at its full.

5. Manage metadata – copying data between images: verified & OK. Also the dialog will close now when a user press OK in the “applied” confirmation message.

6. Alamy uploads: only one image can be uploaded. The issue is still there.
A quick check shows that the same is correct for Alamay uploads from their web either with their Java applet or with Alamy ActiveX control. Seems to be a problem with their web server. More info...

7. Minor fixes & updates for performance and graphics, here and there

Alamy uploads in PSM are capable to deliver 1 file only, all the rest of Alamy uploads is dropped by their server.
A small investigation shows that the same problem persists if you upload more than 1 file on Alamy web.
This way it looks with Alamy's ActiveX control (MS IE)

And this way it looks when using Alamy Java applet uploader (FireFox and others):

Not too much difference though. The connection is just fine and we can upload tons of images to to other agencies without any problem, so it seems to be a pure server issue at Alamy.
(Well, who else but Alamy uses Microsoft IIS? )
Once they'll fix their web-based multi-file uploads PSM batch uploads to Alamy should also start working again.

Following Dreamstime, now Shutterstock adds captcha to submitter account login:

Server performance they say? Well, it is hard to believe that this is the real reason. I would say that this could be one of the possible reasons for doing that, but definitely not the primary one. Here is why.

Shutterstock is actually designed as two separated web sites, one is for the buyers (www.shutterstock.com) and another one (submit.shutterstock.com) is for the sellers (contributors). These sites seem to be connected mostly by their databases through the offline processes or by sharing the same databases.

Thus, there is no real overhead if a submitting software is accessing Shutterstock contributors' web site - the buyers web site is not affected at all, it's a separate resource.
Furthermore, if an automated software will use FTP (which can not be blocked by its nature) instead of HTTP, Shutterstock will get exactly the same traffic, but now over FTP. Shutterstock FTP servers will still have to handle the same amount of incoming bytes, meaning that they will have to consume more or less the same amount of resources like HTTP servers handling contributors uploads. No costs savings, no time saving, nada.

So, what exactly performance issue does this capture solve?
Look for a better reason and you will easily find it.

Anyway, at the moment PSM can not upload to Shutterstock due to this new interesting feature.
The next release of PSM is going to put Shutterstock uploads back on track.

1. Alamy: While v1.6.2 indeed brought back Alamy uploads, we found that there is still an issue there: only the first image in the batch is uploaded to Alamy. All the rest are not actually land in Alamy.

2. EXIF: EXIF data is not displayed in v1.6.2 due to the issue in Java binaries post-processing.

3. Metadata copying: we were reported that there is an issue with metadata copying between images through Manage Metadata window. We are checking this issue.

Some of these problems are external (Alamy changes) while some of them (#2,3) are caused by internal reasons - changes in our development environment and in the release packaging procedures.

We are going to fix this stuff in the upcoming PSM release.

All message received yesterday by customers support department are treated as April 1-st jokes.