To the Geocaching.com gurus...
Generally, I love your work - and I understand the difficulties associated with maintaining and improving a site with limited funds and a massive number of users.... As a Geocaching lover and avid user of Google Earth, it is extremely disappointed this functionality has been removed. I agree with most other posts - 200 users??? To quote from a great Australian move 'The Castle' ... "tell him he's dreamin!" I often use Google Earth without being logged into the Geocaching.com website (if that makes a difference??). I have completed some of my best spontaneous caching with my little netbook and GPS on the road using this Google Earth Feature.
I think you should have investigated alternative solutions to the performance problems (such as some suggested ie displaying caches at a limited zoom level... or allowing users to manually select type of cache shown or limit number of total GZ displayed in a particular area to a defined parameter - ie 100 or 200 etc...).
Technology is always improving.... as far as I am concerned, there is simply no excuse to disable such a useful tool (nice to have for some, essential for others...).
Perhaps issue a broader communication out of the forums as well regarding your intended plans for improved functionality, timeframes and issues/successess/compromises etc... as clearly you have hit a sore spot with a lot of users.
A suggestion for next time... how about doing some 'voice of customer' investigation - you know, ask the people, particularly those that pay membership fees for premium features like this, what they might want to see.... bang for the buck and all that jazz....
Other than this issue - generally very happy with the services geocaching.com provides
