Holy smokes, SOMEBODY out there is bad at keeping secrets!!  Yes! We can finally confirm that Yahoo has made a definitive agreement to acquire Flickr and us, Ludicorp. Smack the tattlers and pop the champagne corks!

Woohoo! What does this mean? It means that we’ll no longer have to draw straws to see who gets paid, schedule conjugal visits between trips to the colo….wait! That’s not what you want to know. This is what you want to know:

What is going to happen to Flickr?

Flickr will be continuing on the path it’s on — to Flickr 1.0 and beyond. We’ll be working with a bunch of people that Totally Get Flickr and want to preserve the community and the flavor of what is here. We’re going to grow and change, but we’re in it for the long haul, with the same management and same team.

You’re not going to become a bunch of suits?

No, no, no! The precious DNA we’ve got — that of the Ludicrew — is on side and revving up for building Flickr. Having the team building out the team’s vision for Flickr has been stressed as our number one priority, and keeping us around — in spite of our wiseassery, tomfoolery and tendency to hoot spontaneously — is crucial for preserving the Flickrness that is Flickr.  They’re not going to replace any of us with suits, nor induce us to wear them. Lapel? I don’t know what you mean.

Are you going to become Yahoo Photos?

No. Yahoo Photos will get a lot of Flickr features, and there are alot of other areas around Yahoo that will also be Flickrized where Flickrization would be good. Yahoo Photos and Flickr have different kinds of users with different needs, and will remain separate for the foreseeable future. Flickr would also suffer from a sudden deluge of LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! omg! so we’re going to grow it carefully.

Do I have to have a Yahoo ID to use Flickr?

No. In the future, you’ll be able to log into Flickr using your Yahoo account, but you can continue logging on as before.

Will Terry Semel do the Developers Developers Developers shtick?

The fabulous Flickr API will continue to be open wide as all the outdoors, though we really gotta work on those commercial use licenses. Terry, alas, does not dance. It messes up his hair.

I liked Flickr BEFORE you even heard of it!

You shall be recognized for your discerning taste in web sites!! I bet you also liked the Flaming Lips before they appeared on Beverly Hills 90210, and for that we salute you. Pro account holders will get super mega bonuses, to be announced soon.

But I never upgraded!

Free accounts will have more storage and uploads —  pro accounts too — AND they’ll be cheaper.

Waaaaaaaah!! I don’t want Flickr to change!

Don’t forget to breathe. It’s not the end, it’s the beginning! As the wise woman who taught us The One True Way of Flickr Massage says, the only thing permanent is change. But we’re going to stay true to our vision and to the people who made us what we are — that’s you, the Flickr pioneers. Thanks for making the first year of Flickr so wonderful.

Of course, we will be happy to answer questions, accept backslapping, and do deep breathing exercises with the Flickr community at Flickr Central.