Swagger

My point's been made. Thanks to everyone who responded - I'm slamming this one shut...

So, by your logic, if I started a website which provided the largest database of, for example, postal codes, it would be the "official" postal code resource. Since it's the official resource, I would then be able to start changing the codes, reorganizing them as I saw fit, right? "Nope, don't like those pesky 9-digit codes. We're going to a 7-digit instead..." "Why aren't these people using english? No more of those funny characters for these asian countries!"...

There have been a few reasonable responses to my post(s) (you know who you are - thank you for being serious, even if we disagree) and a lot of silly ones. I stand by what I said and know that the majority of you feel that I'm overreacting and/or that my position isn't justified. That's fine - it's a free country. I'm known among my friends and family as being very passionate about some things, at times taking things to the extreme. There's nothing wrong with that. In order to change something, extremism is often required. Heck, this country was founded by a bunch of extremists... I've seen a few replies to this topic which suggest that there's others who agree with me (at least in principle). If that's the case, then maybe I'm on to something and I'm not just a crackpot trolling the forums for attention... although I know that it would be easier for a lot of you to simply dismiss my post than to actually think about it and agree that I might have a point ("can't rock the boat, we might fall out"). Anyhow, I have to get back to work... Maybe I'll even have lunch today. I'll check on this thread in a while, but I think my point's been made and that the majority of different opinions on the matter have been voiced, so I'll likely close it down by this evening.

I'm not trolling. I posted the original message while drinking my morning coffee, then got ready for work and drove there (here). Here's most of a response to an e-mail I received from another cacher. It pretty much covers what I didn't mention when I was still half asleep: With that said, let me give you a scenario where their self-designation could actually hurt them. Let's say that someone from RenegadeCaching.com buries a cache in a national park. Joe Ranger catches someone digging it up and shoos them away. Afterwards, he sees the cache, opens it and reads a note inside saying that the box of knives and firecrackers is a geocache. He googles the term and finds the "official" geocaching website. Since it's the "official" site, the people running it must be responsible for the box he found, right? It'd be easier for TPTB to disassociate themselves from these types of caches if they weren't the "official" geocaching site. Are problems like this scenario likely to be a big issue? Probably not. But as time goes on, gc.com restrictions tighten, other sites (including renegade sites) pop up, GPSrs become less expensive and more people (including undesirables) get on the bandwagon, the potential increases. If they want to be the "official" caching site, they should help with the formation of an international geocaching association and submit their site as a candidate for the designated listing site. They'd probably get it. Of course, if they were to do that, they'd have to play by someone else's rules and I don't think they'd be willing to do that.

I considered posting this in the gc.com website forum but believe it belongs here, as it has nothing to do with the functionality of the site. The title of the home page for geocaching.com is "Geocaching - The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site." Says who? I don't know of any association or government agency that even has the authority to designate any one site as the "official" geocaching site, so it appears that TPTB have taken it upon themselves to make that designation. This is certainly the most popular caching site, but it's not the only one. Promoting it as the "official" online home of the the game is misleading and just plain false. I suggest that they remove that designation from the title of the home page and anywhere else it appears.

Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree?, 483 miles

'98 TJ

The model phone I have is a couple of years old. This is straight from the manual: The GPS locator allows you to share your location information with network services other than emergency services, (such as 911), in markets where service has been implemented. Sharing your location allows the network to detect your position, which permits your service provider to offer you additional services. My service provider is Verizon, btw. There's no user access to the GPS functionality, though. There's not even any mention of it in the SDK (software development kit) for the phone.

Just for the record, it's the mascot for geocaching.com, not the sport/hobby of geocaching. There are other geocaching sites, though none as popular.

"Detachable Member"

An operating system that never should have been released. Make sure your system has all the current updates ( http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com ), particularly the IE updates. Then reinstall EasyGPS. If you're still having this problem, consider upgrading to 2000 Professional (if you can find it) or XP (if your hardware can handle it).

I bought a pair of Vasque hiking shoes after the insoles in my tennis shoes gave up. I discovered that they gave up after a 5-6 mile hike - I could barely walk. Once they were back to normal, I perused this thread (which was well timed ) and decided to look mainly at Vasque and Merrill. I liked the Merrills, but the store didn't have them in my size so I got my second choice, which was a Vasque model. I love 'em.

I've been wearing my Leatherman just about every day for over ten years. It's indespensible. I don't use it often while caching, but when I need it, there it is!

My recommendation: 1. Become a premium member. 2. Get a cheap PDA. 3. Set up Pocket Queries. 4. Use either Spinner/Plucker or CacheMate to maintain cache info in the PDA. 5. Throw out the notebook full of dead trees. Premium membership is $3/mo or $30/year - not too expensive (skip the double latte one day each month and it's paid for). PDAs can be had for around $30 on eBay. Spinner and Plucker are both free; CacheMate is only $7. Carrying around a PDA is a lot easier (and lighter) than a notebook with 300 pages in it...

I love my Camelbak MULE. Next to my GPSr (and my Jeep ), it's the best caching investment I've made. I have never experienced the plastic taste that BrianSnat spoke of. I have with other water containers, but never with my Camelbak.

What Leo said. One thing to add, though. If you're a premium member, you can set up and use Pocket Queries, which can give you all the information on a cache page in a file similar to the .LOC files you're downloading. Once you have that file (which can contain data for up to 500 caches), you can use a tool such as GSAK to organize, sort and export the waypoints. You can even change the waypoint names (e.g. GC4E3D) to something more recognizable, such as an abbreviated version of the cache name.

Yes, but did you take into account the fact that it all runs on Windoze? Heck, you practically need a server farm just to host the O/S!

MapSource Edit: Here's an example profile. This is from a 4wd trip I went on and is from a 264 mile track.

I hear it'll be available at the same time as Office for Linux and Exchange for Solaris. Unless a court tells them to, they're not likely to be writing any software for a competing operating system...

Public domain geocaching logos

EasyMPS - http://www.iancowley.co.uk/caching/ GPS Babel - http://gpsbabel.sourceforge.net/

Spinner/Plucker gives you what is essential a palm-ized version of the cache page. There's no note taking or other metadata - it's a read-only solution. Cachemate has a 'log' field, which you can use to take notes. If you want info from a log that's not in your GPX pocket query, you'll have to write it down somewhere (the Notepad in your Palm would be a good place).

Nope, just a small one. Usually it's a film cannister, altoids tin or other similar size.

Google is your friend. http://www-libraries.colorado.edu/ps/map/LINKS/laerial.htm

I can access my mail from any PC with an Internet connection. Or any HTML/WAP enabled cell phone with Internet access. Or any telephone, without Internet access.