[TB tracking# posted in the online log]

Thanks for bringing up this topic. I've seen others do it, and I started doing it myself.

 

I'll go back and edit my logs now... Thanks for the lesson!

[Recipe for fun]

As a newbie cacher, I find myself enjoying larger than micro caches more often. In an urban environment, even though many hides might be 1/1, I still enjoy the technique and eye for placement that many of the cachers here have. Also, I enjoy finding TBs and geocoins when they are out there - just to read some of the history, or admire the artistry of the coins. With the younger members of the family team, they love trades - they really fall into the "treasure hunt" aspect, and to them there isn't much treasure to it if all that exists is a log book.

 

So for getting started purposes, yes, I filter out micros. Later down the road I might add them back in.

 

Since most of my caching is done with family, easier terrains and hides let the younger ones get more into the hunt than would some of the tougher terrain/more difficult hides.

 

I also try to read the cache write-ups. I enjoy caches that have some meaning to the cacher. If it has a good story behind it, I want to see it. This again also eliminates many of the micros - many of which in my area seem to have no more driving factor behind them than "there wasn't a cache within .1 mile."

 

I found my first nano the other night. It slipped by in my PQ because it was listed as an "unknown" size. It was in a nice little area, the CO wrote a brief but nice write-up on it, and it seemed fun. Didn't mind that one at all.

 

Finally - if all else fails, a quick drive-by may tell me whether or not I'm interested. If it doesn't look at all interesting, doesn't have a decent write-up, and the location makes me uncomfortable, then I'm moving on to the next one.

[Do you cache for "the stats" or for "the love of it".]

 

Your objection to my confidence and certainty, then, leads me to ask the obvious question: Do you, derangedlunatech, disagree with my claim that Geocaching is not intended to be a competition?

 

 

My disagreement comes only from the way that you assert some of your statements, as I illustrated.

 

And I will restate - there are too many people who seem to be self appointed judges of how the game should or should not be played, and I object to that in and of itself. The rules, such as they are, leave much open to allow for different styles of play - all of them equally valid, and all should be accepted in a "live and let live" way. That's all I'm saying - and I think that is all that you are saying also. You're just saying it more....pointedly.

 

I don't really care if someone is comparing their numbers to mine and laughing. I don't care if someone DNF'd a cache the same day that I found it, and think I'm cheating. I really don't care whether someone likes my log or not. All 3 are completely insignificant to me, and I refuse to get my knickers knotted over them, or even grace their position with any of my time.

[Do you cache for "the stats" or for "the love of it".]

Again – and for the third time – that doesn’t mean I have to participate. That doesn’t mean I have to even care if one of them looks at my numbers or my cache logs and questions whether I’ve been “cheating.”

 

And again - you care enough to post about it...

 

Who says anyone is comparing themselves to you?

The people in this thread who have expressed concern over the legitimacy of other cachers’ stats. The people in this thread who have implied that logs which do not comply with their personal standards somehow ‘cheapen’ the game for everyone else.

 

If they think someone is "cheating" then it may indeed cheapen the game for them. If you are not playing their game, then where is there grounds for concern?

 

They’re not just comparing themselves to me. They’re comparing themselves to you, me, and everyone else. That is their right, of course; I just don’t understand the urge to try to compete with non-competitors, or to insist on seeing cheating where there is none.

 

What do I care if someone is comparing themselves to me? How does it affect me or my enjoyment of caching at all? The simple answer is that it doesn't. But it is pretty apparent that it bothers you quite a bit. What I don't understand is why it should bother you if you haven't been challenged, called out, or even accused? If someone accuses me of somehow "cheating" at this then that is a personal issue between them and me - I don't take kindly to being called a liar, even more so when I have no reason to lie. If someone gets their underoos all knotted up over a find that I made, or the way that I wrote my log - that is their problem, not mine - and maybe I will just choose to solve the issue by disassociating myself from that person. It's them stressing out over it - not me, and personally my enjoyment of this game is not worth risking for someone concerning themselves over my logs or my finds. I know the truth, and that is all that matters to me. I have a pretty decent grasp of the rules, and I don't feel that it is anyone's place (other than TPTB, of course) to institute additional arbitrary rules on me. As such, I will ignore them and continue to play the way that I play, within the confines of the official rules.

 

No place. I never said anyone claimed I was cheating.

 

Then why get so uptight about the issue? If you are not playing the game, and you have not been accused, then this entire thing is really a complete non-issue to you. In legal terms, it would be ruled that you have no standing.

 

My concern in this issue and similar are that some people seem to appoint themselves to be The Official Keepers of The Right Way To Play and feel that they are somehow entitled to tell me (or others) that how I play, or log, or anything else is "right" or "wrong." As long as something is not violating the official guidelines, then it's really none of anyone's concern how I play. And that goes for everyone else playing as well.

 

Wow. Where did all that come from? You’ve apparently got me confused with someone else.

 

Nope - pretty sure I was replying to your post...

 

I never said anyone claimed I was cheating.

 

The previous question stands then. Why get so uptight over it?

 

I never claimed my opinion is the correct one.

 

No, but you made a lot of statements in absolute terms of what exactly geocaching is and is not. for instance, you have several times stated in an absolute fashion that "geocaching is not a competition." As I said before, to you and I and maybe most cachers this is true. But it is certainly not true for all.

 

When you make statements in the absolute, rather than as the expression of opinion, then you are, in essence, saying "this is how it is." And really, the only thing that you can base your "this is how it is" statement on is you preferred way of playing.

 

I never said anyone playing any way different from me is wrong.

Geocaching is not a competition. The people you describe are doing things in which geocaching plays a part, but strictly speaking they are NOT “geocaching” – they are each playing a fun, yet artificially contrived game. They are competing against each other in a way that merely happens to utilize geocaching.

 

In other words, if they are not playing your way, then they aren't really playing. A seemingly very clear statement, although to be fair it may not have come across as intended. Perhaps what you meant to convey was that they are indeed geocaching, but their side competition is not in and of itself geocaching?

 

If you believe I DID say any of those things, please correct me by linking or quoting one of my posts.

 

Done and done.

 

Better yet: if you're looking for a debate, why not counter some of the things I actually posted, instead of making things up?

 

Exactly what I have been doing the entire time.

 

***Edit meh - somehow I screwed up all my quote tags, and I'm too lazy to fix 'em. It's readable enough as it is.

[Do you cache for "the stats" or for "the love of it".]

Now it’s my turn to fear. I fear you're falling into the trap of thinking that “some people out there view this hobby as a competition, therefore I need to be careful how they perceive my caching activities lest I be accused of ‘cheating.’”

 

You would be grossly mistaken in thinking that. I "play" this based on my own preferences and enjoyment within the confines of the guidelines. Whether anyone considers anything I do to be "cheating" or not I really don't care about.

 

There is NO such competition inherent to Geocaching.

 

Again - for you perhaps not. Many people are competitive by nature, so the look for competition in whatever they do.

 

Geocaching is no more inherently competitive than piano playing, nose picking, shoe tying or sunset watching. Even if I were to choose to keep a running tally of the times I have successfully participated in those activities, that number in itself is not inherently competitive either. If some insecure yay-hoo decides on his own, without my consent, to race against me in his efforts to rack up successfully viewed sunsets or successfully mined boogers – and further decides to judge the accuracy of my own records and accuse me of “cheating” because I counted a moonset as a sunset, or counted a fly as a booger – then where does it say that I have to care what he thinks?

 

Who says anyone is comparing themselves to you? Where was it claimed that you were somehow cheating? You obviously care enough about the matter to step into the thread to state conclusively that your opinion is the correct one, that anyone playing any other way is wrong, and to declare to the world that you don't care what anyone else thinks. Well - some people may see the game differently, and might think that you are some "insecure yay-hoo" and they don't care what you think. Just think about it.

 

I’m not arguing with you. I’m fairly certain you and I are in almost 100% agreement. I just wanted to clarify.

 

I think we are in how we play. But I think the difference is that I realize and understand that the guidelines of this "game" leave a lot open for people to adapt it to make it the way they want it to be. And I personally wouldn't want it any other way. I know I sure wouldn't want someone who's style of cache planting is yelling "PULL" as they throw a magnetic key box out their window every .1 mile telling me that I am playing the game wrong because I choose not to do the same, and try to minimize my time spent looking for such "hides." (And yes, I know I have no hides yet. I have 6 made up and ready to place, but I am being very selective and doing a lot of legwork to try to make the locations where I plant them worthwhile). I know I wouldn't want anyone telling me that I am playing wrong because I don't drop everything and run out to get a FTF every time someone posts a new cache. (Yes, I have 1 FTF - I didn't trumpet it in the logs, as the best part of it for me was being the firs to sign the log and see what the CO put in it initially) And I know I certainly wouldn't want someone telling me that I'm playing wrong because I don't have enough finds. (It has only been a couple of weeks - I mostly cache with my family, and we try to take the time to enjoy the hunt and the scenery. Most rewarding to me so far is seeing all the little parks right near me that I didn't even know existed) I would expect that sort of consideration - and therefore I hold myself to the standards of extending the same consideration. In other words, if it isn't against the rules - who am I to tell someone else that they are doing it wrong?

[Do you cache for "the stats" or for "the love of it".]

I am amazed by those who insist on seeing competition where there is none.

 

The word “cheating,” as it applies to a cacher’s total number of caches found, is meaningless. There can be no cheating without competition, and Geocaching is not a competition.

 

Competition is everywhere. Just because there is no competition to you doesn't mean that there's no competition in the eyes of others.

 

Personally I happen to agree with you. I really don't care what your numbers are, or whether you even found any of the ones you claim. Heck, I don't even really care what my numbers are (aside from, as I mentioned, wanting to see that I am getting better at finding those pesky caches!). But I fear you're falling into the trap of thinking that "my way of playing is the only way" - and that's just not true. Some people do set challenges for themselves (and heck - there are even "challenge caches"). Some people like to race for FTFs. Some people may actually be in competition with others (granted, that's a side thing to the main game itself). These are all forms of challenges, and there very well can be "cheating" going on in the eyes of those people playing that way.

 

It's like this (and pardon the implication - I mean no comparison aside from the basic concept) - I just wrapped up a short season of coaching t-ball for a group of 4-6 year olds. The rules of the game were very loosely applied as compared to anyone even playing softball in a bar league. If your focus was on competition, then there was tons of "cheating" going on. But that wasn't the focus of most of us - the focus was to teach the kids the basics of the game (like running to first base instead of third when you hit the ball).

 

Same kinda concept here I think. Whether there is cheating or not depends on what your focus is.

[Highway "Right of Way" Caches]

We are just expected to blindly accept the decisions of people who happen to be selected by TPTB?

 

I'm sorry - I don't accept this in any other aspect of life, and I certainly wouldn't accept it here.

 

Seems to me that you absolutely do not have to accept it. If you disagree with the rules, you can take your ball and go home.

 

Most rational and intelligent people understand that for a society (or any subset thereof) to function, there have to be rules, and that those within the society (or aforementioned subset thereof) need to follow them.

 

Considering that when we are talking about geocaching, we can be talking about issues personal safety, legal and ethical responsibilities, and liabilities, we have to be pretty careful about what we do and how we do it. I think most people would agree that it is better to err on the side of caution rather than risking the safety of others and the integrity of the game. Just because you may not like the rules does not give you the right to ignore them, demand that they be changed, or throw temper tantrums about them. You might want to consider acting a little mature and responsible about it, and consider "the bigger picture" rather than just your own personal inconvenience.

[Potholes Found while Geocaching]

I was browsing through the caches in my area this morning and came apon this one:

 

 

Was that big orange thing the cache container?

[Off your Rocker]

"There are 599417 active caches worldwide.

In the last 7 days, there have been 400910 new logs written by 57357 account holders. "

 

Do you think 57,000 people might have an effect on their bottom line?

Not that I'm pushing for a boycott or anything.

I just wonder if they know the popularity?

 

I think that most people understand that many businesses might be concerned about the types of activities that might take place on their property, the impact that it might have on their business volume and perception, and the realization that in a society where everyone wants to sue someone for the slightest thing, that a business might say no to activities that are not a part of their business, might negatively impact their business, and may leave them open to lawsuits.

 

That said, I don't think that most of us are going to change whether or not we patronize Cracker Barrel just because they don't want your cache on their property. Even if I did eat at Cracker Barrel (when was the last time that I ate at one?) I wouldn't let the fact that you are throwing a tantrum over it change my point of view.

[Advanced Nuvi Macro]

 

It works like it's supposed to on my 250W can't say for the other models.

 

Something is definitely different on my 200w with the tourguide.

 

I wiped everything from my POI Loader folder, then loaded 2 DB's - one called "Home no micro" and one called "Home all"

"Home no micro" is set to proximity alerts for 2500 feet. "Home all" is set for no alerts.

 

I have alerts showing for caches that only exist in the "Home all" db.

 

Nothing I can't live with (I usually load the "Home all" PQ with all caches in my area, so I can do a quick check to see if anything is nearby when searching for potential planting sites, and the "home no micro" is my PQ filtering out various caches I don't want to bother with right now).

 

This did function properly back in 3.3.11.

[Do you cache for "the stats" or for "the love of it".]

 

If someone logs a find on a cache it's basically impossible to determine if the cache went missing BEFORE or AFTER they logged their find as there is no log to validate the potentially bogus entry with. If the cache is missing it's impossible to tell when it went missing. So really it's a physical impossibility to determine if the log was bogus if the cache is actually missing unless the log was entered after the owner validated that it was missing.... and if that was the case then it's back on the owner for not logging that fact online.

 

 

I think the point is, though, that if I see someone logged a find on a particular cache yesterday, then I have a pretty high expectation that the cache will be there today when I look for it. However, if the last find is 6 months ago, there's a greater chance the cache may be gone.

 

Might not make much of a difference in some areas - but in more urban/heavily trafficed areas, I can see where it might make a bigger difference.

[Advanced Nuvi Macro]

I do think I've run into another potential issue, but not as severe (to me) as the last one.

 

Looking at the DBs I loaded, I have a different tourguide alert distance set for one particular DB (For my regular DBs I set the to about 2500 feet for alert, then the earchcache one I set for like 5 miles). It looks like it is now alerting me on everything within 5 miles, no matter which DB. Is this a known issue that we'll just have to deal with (POI loader problem maybe?)

[Advanced Nuvi Macro]

I'm happy to report that 3.3.4 fixed the loader problem. Loaded a total of 5 DBs (including the problem one that was throwing the errors yesterday) and it seems that they all loaded error free!

 

Out of curiosity - was it the special characters causing the problem?

[Advanced Nuvi Macro]

I have attempted the following as troubleshooting steps on this problem:

 

1. Completely deleted and recreated all GSAK databases.

2. Completely deleted the contents of the /POI Loader directory.

3. Recreated the POI files from the new GSAK databases into the empty /POI Loader directory.

 

Same error message, same spot.

[Advanced Nuvi Macro]

 

What have I done??? Created a monster.....

 

I'll fix it. I need to do some testing. Give me 24hrs. Thought we finally had a stable product.....

 

If there's anything I can do to assist, please let me know.

 

Also - as a request - could you post a link back to 3.3.11 (or whatever the last before 3.3.2 was)?

[COINTEST: Why do *you* deserve a free coin?]

All I will say is that if you knew me, you would know why I deserve it. *bigcheesygrin*

[Advanced Nuvi Macro]

 

2. I get "The file C:Program Files\GSAK\POI Loader\Nuvi/Traditional Tourguide.gpx is invalid. Do you want to want to continue?" Note the "/" is not a typo!!. Also the "want to want" is verbatim. Choices are Yes and No. No cancels. Yes allows it (POIL) to continue and the rest of the files load. I reloaded the database from scratch without a fix. Due to size, I'll try a much smaller version and see if that fixes it. I'm thinking "bad record" again - one of the "Traditional" caches.

 

 

I am getting the same error. Although the waypoints seem to load to the Nuvi, I notice that all my different DBs actually contain the same waypoints. 3.3.2 and 3.3.3

[Mulit Cache Found with only 4 Coordinates?]

I'm just a noob - but isn't the point of a multi to collect all the stages?

[The lost art of logging]

Ok, I'm working on it. It's not much, but this is probably one of my better ones so far...

 

Latest

[Stolen Camo - MIA Hides Pop Up Somewhere Else?]

I would think that if something like this happened, and you had ample evidence of it, then that should be reported to someone...

[Do you cache for "the stats" or for "the love of it".]

You don't sign the bird you saw

 

That should be an ALR

[GSAK problem .. help please]

I'm getting really frustrated now...

 

My shiney ( not so ) new laptop just refuses to run GSAK, it lets me download it, appears to install it but when I try to start it it freezes and locks , the only way to turn it off is through task manager.

 

I'm running VISTA HOME PREMIUM on this machine and have had to resort to using my old machine running XP Pro in order to use GSAK., where it works fine

 

This applies to any version I try to run

 

I've tried numerous things from te GSAK forum but nothing seems to work so PLEASE PLEASE ....

 

Any suggestions welcome

 

TA

 

I know this isn't very helpful - but it is working fine on my Vista Home Basic laptop.

 

I assume you've tried a complete uninstall and reinstall?

 

That's the limits of my suggestions - sorry

[Advanced Nuvi Macro]

 

When you get the message that says Navigate....download....save...return here etc. don't click OK until after you download and replace the macro in ...\gsak\Macros. That might help. In the meantime I'll look into this further when I have some time.

 

In my case it seems to make no difference at all how long I wait (which makes me suspect network blockage, so don't concern yourself with it too much until I can troubleshoot a bit). I never see any progress at all, even letting it try to run overnight. Like I said - no big deal to me, in light of all the other benefits of this macro, manually downloading it is a minuscule concern to me.

[[Request] Pocket Query Difficulty Levels]

This is minor, but I've encountered a possible site usability problems a few times over now. When selecting attributes for difficulty and terrain while setting up a Pocket Query, it seems the default setting is assumed to be "less than or equal to" when, in fact, it is defaulted to the opposite.

 

If the community agrees, could the default for this setting be reversed to "less than or equal to"? My feeling is that the setting is most commonly used by travelers who are visiting a particular area, and have no time for 5/5 adventure caches and extremely lengthy hikes. That being said, the group that is interested in such caches should be able to switch the setting, much as the hypothetical majority flip it to "less than" now.

 

Anyway, just an observation I thought I would share.

 

-bhoard

 

Doesn't bother me either way, but I think the thinking on it is just the opposite. I think there are probably more cachers who want to eliminate the "1/1" gaches in favor of those more chalenging.

 

Just my opinion - add a dollar to it and you can buy a cup of coffee

[Advanced Nuvi Macro]

jj,

 

Just to echo what others have said - thanks for all the work on this fantastic macro. It has so greatly enhanced my caching experience that I don't know if I would ever want to live without it!

 

Now that the sucking up is done I just wanted to note that I (like some others) am having problems with the update portion of the macro. t just seems to hang - trying to "stop" it tells me that it will terminate after completion of the next command - but it never seems to complete the next command, and I have to go to task manager to kill GSAK and restart it.

 

Not a big deal - I have the site bookmarked and do my downloads/installs manually. It might be something in my network security (I'll see if I can download from another connection sometime and see if that makes a difference). Just thought I'd let you know.