Yes, but most are not using any plugins. Most want it as easy as possible. Notice I said, "If you are using the standard version of Google Earth with the GC.com KML file to plan a mountain hike, good luck with that." If you are savy enough to go around and look for plugins and apply them, you are savy enough to do a simple drag of a .gpx file into Google Earth as well. When you are down to planning what trail you are going to take to a cache, you are beyond what most people use the KML file for. They do it for general looking around, looking for cache density or general locations. As I pointed out, if you are looking to actually plan a hike, since the KML file did not show the exact location, any planning would be only partially accurate at best.
Yes, the KML had a fudge factor built in. I used it to get an over view, to plan a gross rout to an area that appeared to be to my liking for geocaching. If I needed the exact location of a cache, seldom, I just plugged in the coordinates from that cache.
I've actually managed to work without the KML. None of the work arounds are as simple. I hope that the development staff put serious effort into bringing back this functionality sooner rather than later.
I fully agree. Things are much more complicated now. I won't think of becoming a premium member now.
