I really think Facebook should give this hint up front on the photo upload page, and maybe even point you to some helpful tools. You see, as far as I know, the pictures you and others post to Facebook are only stored on Facebook servers in the size you see them. Often enough, though, the original pictures uploaded are bigger than this. Thus, uploading time is wasted when you could just upload the right sized pictures in the first place. The Picasa Facebook plugin does this, for instance, allowing pictures to actually be uploaded using dial-up. Woot!

To the point, the maximum width your photos are displayed at on Facebook is 604 pixels, the maximum height being 604 also. If you're uploading anything smaller than that, don't bother resizing. But if they're bigger than that, you can save some time. So, use your favorite program to size your photos down to this width or height. Or if you have no idea what to use, try Fotosizer for Windows and RapidoResizer for Mac. Linux users, figure it out (you're supposed to be smart).

And as a side note, I think Facebook should seriously add a real yearbook view, where you could view a spread of thumbnails of your friends, since that's what it's named after (yearbook/facebook - see the connection? Check this ZDNet definition for full info - it's actually a bit different take than I have, and in fact I guess I'm wrong about what it's named after, but I still think a yearbook view would be cool).

P.S. If you have a free Flickr account, the max size your photos will ever be viewable at is 1024x768 pixels, I think (and as I remember, I think you might even have to turn that size on). So, you might be able to save some time the same way there.
P.P.S. I'm wondering if your photos are somewhere on the Flickr servers at a larger size than 1024x768 even if you have a free account - maybe if you upgrade to pro, you could get access to these bigger versions. Just speculating. Take the Flickr tip at your own risk.

Edit: July 25, 2009: I re-registered for Flickr today and contacted them about the original file free account to Pro thing. Speaking about Flickr free, I was told this by Natalie at Flickr Customer Care:

Only smaller (resized) images accessible (though the originals are saved in case you upgrade later).

Bingo. Just what I wanted to know. So upload at 1024x768 with that knowledge - if you go Pro, your photos will only be viewable at that resolution max. So, if you think you might go Pro in the future and think this could be an issue, upload accordingly. I personally plan to upload at 1600x1200 or widescreen equivalents, because that's what I've been doing with my photo blog to save upload time (and download time for viewers, now that I think about it).

Edit: July 27, 2009: I just found a way to get at the originals with a free Flickr account. Who knows how long it might last, but here goes (might make a post out of it later). It's the photostream RSS feed (I haven't tested Atom yet). Just stick it into a feed reader that supports attached media (including Firefox's Live Bookmarks) and grab that attached media. It appears to be the original. Test it out right here on my RSS feed. I'm suspecting that maybe Flickr doesn't mind as much about this, but they just make it easy on Pro and call it a Pro feature. In fact, they start you on your way to finding the originals over here by documenting the photo source URLs.

Actually, I won in the Judges' Choice student category and tied for second in the People's Choice category with Samantha Robbins (who also took second second Judges' Choice with the same picture, it seems, and also tied for third in People's Choice with Ashtin Olsen). In the second annual Chieftain photo contest. To be specific.

Here's the Judges' Choice winner (yes, that's Matthew):

And here's mine from People's Choice second place:

I am told there might be monetary prizes, but I don't remember for sure and nothing has appeared in the mailbox yet.

Last Friday, Hugh Donovan and I put together the computer parts that he had researched and ordered. Below is a rough reproduction of the email he sent out about it. We took plenty of pictures, and kept a log as we worked. From the time I got there to the time I left, it was about eleven hours!

Computer build number two, again educational, and entertaining.

Specs:
Intel Q6600 Core 2 Quad 2.4GHz Kiensfield
Gigabyte EP45-UD3R Motherboard w/ onboard sound
4 GB Crucial Memory
640 GB Western Digital SATA HDD
Sapphire ATI 4850 Graphics
LG 19" Flatron Monitor


The log of events:

4:58:18pm Figured out we were trying to mount PSU upside-down. Thinking of case modifications. LOL!!!

4:59:50pm Mounted PSU.

5:05:53pm Busted out rear I/O panel.

5:10:00pm Synchronized watches.

5:20:36pm Pictures of GPU.

5:22:56pm Removed motherboard from antistatic bag.

5:31:55pm Cut out ethernet port from Gigabyte I/O panel.

5:34:30pm Installed Gigabyte I/O panel.

5:37:30pm Marked paper with motherboard ground holes.

5:58:50pm Decided the discrepancies in standoff type didn't matter.

6:07:09pm Installed motherboard.

6:16:55pm Mounted motherboard screws.

6:21:53pm Figured out how to remove front plate.

6:25:10pm Removed drive bay cover.

6:28:25pm Mounted optical bay and went to eat biscuits.

6:48:23pm Hard drive mounted.

6:49:25pm CPU removed from box.

7:00:00pm CPU clamped into place, despite useless Intel manual.

7:00:15pm Heat sink removed from case; Hugh went to get a plastic bag.

7:07:00pm Applied Arctic Silver thermal compound to heat sink.

7:09:08pm Applied Arctic Silver thermal compound to CPU.

7:18:06pm CPU fan connector installed.

7:19:21pm CPU heat sink mounted.

7:24:09pm First memory module installed.

7:24:29pm Second memory module installed.

7:25:55pm Discovered CPU and heat sink mounting instructions in motherboard manual. (Nice going, Intel.)

7:28:59pm 24-pin motherboard power connector installed.

7:41:14pm Front panel indicators completed.

7:45:20pm Front panel communications completed.

7:57:18pm Video card installed and connected to power supply unit.

8:11:02pm Serial ATA cables installed.

8:14:38pm The zip-tie attack begins.

8:38:00pm Called Gavrik for final check.

8:43:29pm CPU power connector installed... (might be a good idea)

9:02:53pm POST!!!!!!

9:14:27pm Booted Ubuntu, discussed hard drive status.

9:18:03pm Terminated call with Gavrik.

9:34:54pm Hugh attempts to boot hard drive diagnostics.

9:46:55pm Left to get fresh air after starting extended hard drive test.

11:04:09pm Transferring drivers to USB disks for installation.

[Played Wolfenstein for one hour.]

12:05:58am Drivers installed.

12:53:06am Basic applications installed.

12:55:54am Rearranged component wires.

1:30:34am Desk setup initiated.

1:49:43am Desk setup completed.

1:56:24am Network connection established.

1:59:46am Test page printed.

2:03:27am Sound successfully tested.

2:04:35am Computer clock set.

2:16:52am The Witcher installed!!!

Yeah, so I'm sorry for not getting in a huge post about all my computer workings recently, but I expect it will be forthcoming. What I'm here to say right now is that I did a quick mod on my wallet/billfold thing. I bought this little deal at a yard sale out near the Hostetter ranch, on my way back to work, actually. Brian Buck and I saw the sign and headed out to the sale. It's slim, durable, attractive, and holds everything I need it to. Come to think of it, I didn't actually buy it, because they gave it to me for free, considering it's low worth. It's just a plastic wallet for holding papers or something, I guess - one of those cheap courtesy trinkets companies give to their customers/potential customers. This particular one says "Courtney Motors" on it, although the lettering is too faded now to read except at an angle. I picked it up because I figured it could hold my timesheets that I wrote my hours for the day on; it being plastic might keep them dry through the weather and irrigation work. It's taken a beating, that's for sure! I've used it to keep myself from electric shocks while shutting down engines by breaking the circuit, and it's resided in my pocket through all sorts of weather and actions. Finally, the seams started to crack because of the wear. I had been repairing it with layers of clear tape, but they didn't last long....and didn't have the classy look of DUCT TAPE!!! Enjoy the pictures. Sorry they're not more thoughtfully captured, but my camera was running low on battery. (By the way, my camera gets points for surviving a car-rollover.)