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spockske

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Posts posted by spockske

    Publish Logs (Tab: Geocaching.com API access) - GSAK gets stuck when clicking "Publish Logs"

    in Authorized Developer applications (API)

    Posted

    If this topic exists somewhere else notify me where it is and I will delete this topic.

    I use GSAK now 12+ years!
    Just recently, when I try to publish logs under the tab Geoacaching.com API access I get to see for a fraction of a second the pop-up window but then it disappears and the whole GSAK app gets stuck so that I can only start it up again by closing it first with Ctrl+Alt+Delete.

    Just to confine my problem to what it really is:

    1. I already updated the API token several times.
    2. I already removed the app and reinstalled the latest freeware version 9.
    3. Most important: OTHER API OPTIONS DO WORK (uploading caches, updating caches, ...).
    4. I had the problem investigated by an IT specialist but he couldn't find any conflicts with possible other installed apps.
    5. And yes my internet works, my PC is plugged in ...  :D

    Has anyone encountered this problem as I have?

     

    Galaxy Caching

    in General geocaching topics

    Posted

    When I looked at the list of these 66 caches I admired the listings and the GeoArt and assumed everybody would understand this was not to fool people but just a nice joke. I expected these logs to be gone automatically on 2nd April. I couldn't believe anyone would not have understood all these listings were fake so I did see no harm in logging them for the fun and keeping the GeoArt smileys as a souvenir picture. But now I am really disappointed:

    1. If I understand well we will have to manually delete these logs, right?

    2. How do you delete the souvenirs without being refused the same one when you actually log a real cache the next time you visit that country? My understanding is that if you delete a souvenir, it will be "deleted" for ever.

     

    So if Groundspeak doesn't run a program to automatically delete these logs and "safely" deletes the souvenirs (allowing to be earned later), I don't feel fooled, but f***. Not funny at all. I have kept my statistics very neat to reflect my actual work in the field. This messes it all up. Again, not funny at all!

    Ford Mustang XLE 50 and XXLE 25

    in Trackables

    Father Damien - LE 100 in Antique Copper

    in Trackables

    Posted

    Father Damien or Saint Damien of Molokai, Saint Damien de Veuster (January 3, 1840 – April 15, 1889), born Jozef De Veuster, was a Roman Catholic priest. He won recognition for his ministry in the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi to people with leprosy, who had been placed under a government-sanctioned medical quarantine on the island of Molokaʻi.

    He eventually contracted and died of the disease, resulting in his characterization as a "martyr of charity". He was the 10th person recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church to have lived, worked, and/or died in what is now the United States.

     

    The extra thick coin measures 70 by 45 MM.

    The front and back are a 3D cast zinc alloy with all 3 sides polished and with antique copper plating.

     

    The coin comes in a black velvet pouch!

     

    The antique copper plating is a limited edition - 100.

     

    The tracking codes have the BE prefix.

     

    FBS-Transparent32.gif

     

    This item has a unique icon, and is trackable at geocaching.com.

     

    Bullitt Ford Mustang - XLE 50

    in Trackables

    Posted · Edited by spockske

    One of the designs I started a few months ago was on the request of johnny lightning, owner of a Ford Mustang Fastback 1967. More to please him than being part of my ongoing projects I developped the coin. Much to my surprise (on second thoughts, I shouldn't have been surprised), most of the intrest comes from US clients. My shipping is typically to the European Union but I ship wherever one wants. Important is then to drop me an email for a quote for the shipping cost before placing an order. Here a preview for one of the 4 editions. The others are the more common red, the "Hertz" black and gold an the "Acapulco" blue.

    More details at GeoCoins for All

     

    Forrest-300x300.gif

    Challenge Caches

    in User Insights

    Posted · Edited by spockske

    Greetings from Belgium cool.gif

     

    (1) What do you like most about challenge caches? In general,variety. Specifically:

    (1A) Different people different likes so some hate competitiveness, whatever it looks like, but for those who like some competitive challenge in geocaching it allows diversity in types and doesn't reduce it to a single figure of number of founds.

    (1B) For some it's not even about competitiveness, but simply a nice reward for some personal achievement. I am one of these guys, when I have acquired some skill in a type of cache, it's nice to have a goal to go for.

     

    (2) What do you not like about challenge caches?

    The things I would like to see changed (see point 3).

     

    (3) What would you like to see changed about challenge caches?

    (3A) Avoid challenges that are purely quantity but show proof of acquired skill or knowledge. Of course you can't avoid numbers but if the number overrides the quality element and becomes a challenge to exclude vast groups of cachers, it should be avoided. I.e. needing 10 logs for T5 caches for a challenge is fine. Having to do them in one day or needing 100 is another thing.

    (3B) Linked to the first topic, avoid challenges that exclude many geocachers to achieve them within reasonable time and/or effort.

    (3C) As challenge caches are per definition ALR caches, avoid ALR's that are difficult to control. Too much negative energy goes in proving such ALR.

    (3D) Avoid the need for additional costs to proof fulfilling the ALR (I like Project-GC, BadgeGen etc, but disagree with challenges that can only be verified with their datacollection). Everything should be visible from geocaching.com in a simple way.

    (3E) Challenges linked to discovering trackables should be avoided. There is no merit in logging numbers of trackables as unlimited lists are exchanged on almost all events.

     

    (4) If you could describe your favorite challenge cache type, what would it be?

    Too many to name. I am very critical about challenge caches but like them a lot at the same time biggrin.gif

    That's the nice thing about challenges ... they can be very creative.

     

    (5) What types of challenge caches do you avoid?

    None. As I am an all-round cacher (no fixed mindset about "the only right way geocaching should be"), I'll try anything that comes along and I have time for, although I realize many of those are not fair towards everybody (see point3).

    New Coin - Adolphe Sax

    in Trackables

    Posted · Edited by spockske

    200 years ago Adolphe Sax, inventor of the Saxophone, was born in Dinant Belgium. To commemorate this, he kicks of my series called Famous Belgians. I know, the British start laughing now cool.gif

     

    The product is almost ready (some work to be done such as engraving the track codes). But you can follow the topic at www.gc4all.com

     

    All the coins have a BE prefix and a unique icon FBS_Transparent32.gif

     

    Dolfje.png

    What should new geocachers know about trackables?

    in Trackables

    Posted · Edited by spockske

    21. What's virtual logging and why do I get a talking to whenever I post a picture of coins I find or include the tracking number in the logs or in the forums? (Thank you, Droo)

    If you log a bogus virtual log on a TB, or offer your own TB up for virtual logging you will risk having that TB page locked forever. This means, if you never saw a bug, but got the bug number and you log it, that bug is in risk of being taken out of the game. Don't do this to TB owners who inadvertently might post a photo, or someone else posts a photo, of their TB number. Don't log it virtually. It's considered abuse of the system. And it's not fair play.

     

    And lastly, always teach your newbies well. If your going to show them the ropes, show them all the ropes.

     

    Thanks for this long list of answers which are really helpful. I have a two questions on point 21 (virtual logging). I have a number of TB/Coins for which I allow virtual logging (as is allowed by GS if I understood the "etiquette guide" correctly). That's why I have a few questions when reading your answer on question 21.

     

    (1) Why would virtual logging be "an abuse of the system". Virtual logs (which I assume should always be "discoveries" and not "grab" or "retrieve" logs) do not add to the mileage of the TB so how does it "abuse"? I simply find it fun to share my TB/Coins with people I've met and/or start a contact with other cachers who simply like to make comments about the TB/Coin.

    (2) If I allow virtual logs (only discoveries) I am still at risk that the TB page will be locked?

     

    I consider a TB/Coin a nice way to share something with fellow cachers, especially kids who just are too happy to discover them, rather than a "posession" you should try to keep secret at all cost.

    Could you clarify a litle more on this topic?

    Thanks.

    Logs without words - Loggen zonder woorden ...

    in Belgium

    Posted

    Normaal schrijf ik minstens een regel of 2, zoniet een lange tekst. Maar een listing waar een banner op staat met "NO TO TFTC" werkt bij mij averechts en resulteert in een TFTC.

    Deze redenering begrijp ik helemaal niet.

    Als je toch al de gewoonte hebt van een regel of twee te schrijven, dan hoef je je zeker niet aangesproken voelen door zo een banner op de listing. Dat dit ineens averechts zou gaan werken is dan toch larie en apekool???

    De banner is bedoeld voor diegenen die steeds maar loggen met een TFTC of nog slechter ... een punt, komma, spatie, smiley, enz.

    Vreemde redenering. :anibad:

     

    Iedereen zijn gedacht, maar wat ik larie en apekool vind is die banner zelf. Dus op zo'n listings blijf ik steevast TFTC schrijven tenzij die aan mijn oog onsnapt omdat ik via GSAK logde. "Mijn cache mooie cache", aan die pretentie doe ik niet mee.

    Newbie Education

    in How do I...?

    Posted

    But seriously, there's no outrage here. Maybe a little eye-rolling, but no outrage. So many good ideas have remained nothing but discussions here in the forums. I doubt this bad idea will go any further. And I expect Jeremy to stick to his pledge to keep the basic game free.

     

    Only fools never change their mind. He did once already, remember the "Challenges" which I disliked from the very beginning and predicted they would disappear within 5 years, it didn't take that long. When the business evolves in to a majority of crappy caches as we experience now, I think something needs to be done before it's too late. But in a FB session in our region, we decided not to wait for the gods to come to their senses. We decided to start our own initiation courses hoping to get the quality of the caches back to a higher level, at least in our little region. So although I started this topic, consider it closed.

     

     

    Newbie Education

    in How do I...?

    Posted · Edited by spockske

    I know, this will trigger worldwide rage from those who want everything for free.
    I don't think so.

     

    Keep in mind that Groundspeak does not own geocaching. They are just a listing service. If I want to take my nieces and nephews geocaching, or if I want to take some kids from church geocaching, or if I want to take my wife geocaching, then there is nothing Groundspeak can do to stop me. I'll teach the people with me the basics of geocaching (sign the log, trade fairly, replace the cache), but I'm not going to make them take some "compulsory education course" first.

     

    There is no outrage here. I'm just continuing to go geocaching the way I've done for years.

     

    And I'm hoping that Groundspeak doesn't drive geocachers away with "compulsory education courses" or any similar bonehead ideas. I especially hope Groundspeak doesn't drive geocachers to Garmin's opencaching.com site, because I dislike some of the things Garmin is doing with it.

     

    But still, there's no outrage.

     

    I expected this. Although similar hobbies (also managed by good business people) have compulsory courses that only improve the quality of the hobby for everybody, the idea it should be introduced in our hobby is immediately labeled as: naive, bonehead idea (more creative words will certainly follow).Immediately qualifying an idea as "bonehead" does fit in my category of "outrage" (= strongly dislike).

     

    And because we don't like the idea we also immediately assume the guy is an idiot, and thus we need to teach him on Groundspeak. Great!

     

    Thank you indeed for teaching me on Goundspeak. And yes, you can take your whole village searching for a cache, and you can hide millions of caches within one mile and announce them on your own webpage, but as you say yourself, Groundspeak controls the caches that get listed on their site. So they can control who gets allowed to publish one on their site and guess what, that's where probably 95% of the people go when they want to go and look for a cache.To make one analogy, PADI (and of course it would never be comparable with geocaching as diving requires much more teaching than geocaching ever will) owns the biggest part of the diving business even being the most expensive one while,still today, in many countries some people also teach diving for free (local clubs and organizations) and while in many countries/places a formal education is not compulsory.

     

    I am afraid, that doing nothing, will not only drive people to opencaching.com and others for some time, losing part of the business in the short run (which is already happening), but that on the long run, many people will search for another hobby. Again, I don't know how it's going in the US, but here in Europe some people are turning their back on geocaching as a whole, and the numbers are not big yet, but growing, and growing. And with them, already now, my experience of geocaching compared to only a few years ago degrades day after day. The exponential growth of geocachers has not done, so far, any good to our hobby. The quality of caches, in all its aspects, is degrading with almost every cache being listed today. Requiring a minimum number of finds doesn't help. Finding one hundred meaningless caches only educates people to list another meaningless cache.

    Newbie Education

    in How do I...?

    Posted

    I completely agree that mandatory training could improve the caching experience, but if you did that, the hobby would die out. Like with anything else, cachers age and die and new blood would be discouraged because no one is going to take a mandatory paid course without knowing in advance what they get out of it.

     

    Before you react, may be investigate on, many, many, many other similar sports/hobbies that work on the same principle ... Are you that afraid to spent two evenings a few hours on knowing that a bogus is not where the cache is avoiding people to climb the Eifel Tower?

     

    The training schedule would have to be very flexible, many people like myself, do not work just days... I would like to attend geocaching functions, but most are held in the evenings while I am working... so there would need to be some classes offered during the day, evening, and weekend times to give the best chance of success. As well as predetermined caches that offer a variety of types and sizes for the area.

     

    Indeed.

    Newbie Education

    in How do I...?

    Posted · Edited by spockske

    While part of me might agree with you about the training thing, maybe have 2 options like the membership, a basic crash course that is free, then a more in depth course that is paid. If these were a requirement when I joined a few years ago, I would not have joined period. It was because I could join for free, find a few caches, and do the 3 month premium membership a few times, that I am looking to give myself an annual Premium membership on my next birthday. I have enjoyed some of the benefits of the paid membership as well as the free membership I started with.

     

    Like you, I dont know how they play the game over on your side of the pond, but I know the non-cachers I have taken with me as well as my kids, I try to teach them respect, and to follow the rules as best as can be. Some hides are slightly tougher, but over all it is easy enough. Here in the Northeastern USA, I see more micro, nano, and smaller caches than I would like. My kids when they go with me, like to find the bigger ones with tradables in them. My hides will be reflecting that and geared with the kids in mind. I will be looking to build unique hides as much as I can, not for the favorite points or anything, but because I believe in a quality cache that stands out against the average hide.

     

    Fully agree. I didn't intend to write strict do's and don'ts in my posts but only suggested a change of direction of thinking. Thanks for your post.

    Newbie Education

    in How do I...?

    Posted

    I completely agree that mandatory training could improve the caching experience, but if you did that, the hobby would die out. Like with anything else, cachers age and die and new blood would be discouraged because no one is going to take a mandatory paid course without knowing in advance what they get out of it.

     

    Before you react, may be investigate on, many, many, many other similar sports/hobbies that work on the same principle ... Are you that afraid to spent two evenings a few hours on knowing that a bogus is not where the cache is avoiding people to climb the Eifel Tower?

     

     

    Newbie Education

    in How do I...?

    Posted · Edited by spockske

    It's the non-premium members that most of all (I realize this is a generalization) spoil our hobby.

    Do you have any evidence of that, because as far as I can tell, premium-only caches are only less likely to be found, but just as likely to be ripped or damaged by cachers.

     

    I completely agree that mandatory training could improve the caching experience, but if you did that, the hobby would die out. Like with anything else, cachers age and die and new blood would be discouraged because no one is going to take a mandatory paid course without knowing in advance what they get out of it.

     

    Your reaction proofs my experience, with what I wrote I would only upset people who want everything for free. My premium caches have never been ripped. My non-premium, by the dozens. Do you really think I just wrote that note because I am bored ????

    Newbie Education

    in How do I...?

    Posted · Edited by spockske

    I wonder if my topic will get any attention, but having geocaching as something that I care about dearly, I hope this message reaches the right people. Knowing my friends in the US, such a long message has little chance to get any attention, but hey, I am Belgian. What did you expect?

     

    I've been many years a PADI Dive Instructor in Egypt and Belgium (a US organization I highly respect) and learned one major message when comparing PADI with local diving organization in Belgium that were made of "volunteers": people don't respect what you offer them until they have to pay for it. Even more important, paid education (controlled and with clear objectives and musts) makes people aware of what's really important and safe/right to do, but also what the sport/hobby is really about.

     

    Now, many years later, running my own consulting business and reaching the sixties in a few years, I am a geocaching addict. But I am worried. Worried that this great outdoor hobby will kill itself before I drop dead and get buried.

     

    I don't know how it is at the other side of the great pound, but here in Europe the hobby is quickly (increasingly rapidly) degrading in quality as a victim of its own (rightful) popularity.The "average" cache is a micro, the "average" walking distance is 10 M from your car, the average deviation of coordinates degrades rapidly back to the quality of GPS devises of the old ages, the quality of listings (in language and interesting information) degrades day by day. The only things that increase are the number of players, the number of logs expressing the frustrations of the experienced cachers and the conflicts with local authorities (especially those regulating the valued woods and forest) .

     

    So what's my point? I strongly believe it's time for Groundspeak to abandon its strategy, which was great to develop the business during the past 10 years, to keep this hobby open to people keeping the lowest threshold possible. I believe it's time to build a quality threshold: a starter's geocaching compulsory education course before allowing to search or place geocahes. Let me be immediately clear, this should not be free of charge and Groundspeak should and must make money here not just to grow the business in the right direction, but most of all to assure that certified trainers know exactly what they are and should be teaching.

     

    I know, this will trigger worldwide rage from those who want everything for free. For them, welcome to opencaching.com and welcome to boredom.

     

    Cheers and greetings from a lonely Don Quichote from Belgium,

     

    spockske

     

    Note: obviously, it's clear I believe there should only be premium memberships. It's the non-premium members that most of all (I realize this is a generalization) spoil our hobby.

    www.Geoleaks.nl ?

    in Geocaching Algemeen

    Posted · Edited by spockske

    Hoi spockske,

     

    Idd erg raar en vervelend, vaak staat er een algemeen berichtje, van hooguit enkele regels, wat voor de meeste caches zou moeten gelden, die op die dag " bezocht " zijn, maar vaak is dat ook nog niet eens het geval, en wordt met geen woord gerept, over b.v. de cache die je zelf gelegd hebt. En waarvan je weet hoeveel werk, lees tijd en energie je er in gestopt hebt, dan verwacht je iets meer waardering, en natuurlijk weet ik dat het niet verplicht is, maar toch . . .

     

    En nogmaals, ben ik niet tegen het werken met teams, maar ik vindt wel dat men persoonlijk bij de cache aanwezig moet zijn, en dus zelf zorg draagt voor het loggen, en dat niet alleen bij een tradi, maar ook bij alle andere type caches. Maar als men b.v. ( wat ik me zou kunnen voorstellen ) met een team van 5 ( 1 persoon per team ) of 10 ( 2 personen per team )personen, een lijst heeft opgesteld / voorbereid van zo'n 30 caches, dat men dan het aantal verdeeld over de de teamleden of teams, en dat men voor elkaar gaat loggen! Dus ieder teamlid of team, is maar bij max. 6 caches fysiek aanwezig geweest, maar logt dus wel voor alle andere teamleden, . . . . Op het einde van de dag kan zo ieder teamlid 30 caches op zijn " naam " bijschrijven! Dat zou ik dus wel een kwalijke zaak vinden, maar ik hoop eigenlijk dat er zo in het " veld " niet gewerkt wordt, maar ik vrees dat ik wel mijn twijfels heb, nogmaals puur afgaand op sommige log berichten.

     

    P.s. Ik stuur je nog een P.M., met de gegevens over mijn cache!

     

    GrtZ,

     

    Bobkatnl

     

    Zo'n vaart loopt het meestal niet ... Wel gebruik ik soms, als we met 2 zijn, het haasje over doen (mijn echte naam is Luc De Haes ;-) ). Daarbij ben je wel bij de cache aan 't zoeken maar zodra gevonden logt één voor beide en fietst de volgende naar de volgende cache om reeds te gaan zoeken. Voor het loggen gebruik ik meestal 2 delen, een individuele log (om iets apart te melden als het de moeite loont, maar een weggesmeten potje achter een boom krijgt enkel een "vlot gevonden"), én een algemen log voor die dag.

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