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budd-rdc

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Everything posted by budd-rdc

  1. I prefer it discussed here. Don't want to change the psychology of the sampling data. Thanks for taking the initiative and sharing this info with us. Also, thanks Clyde.
  2. You can still discuss this in the General Topics section where there are more audiences. I'm a bit surprised you "brokedown" to dividing people by Elite status so quickly. It puts your credibility in question, especially since this is an INTERNET forum.... I'm not against Webcams coming back to GC.com, if you want to hear my position. That won't make an ounce of difference, though, unless you can show stronger grass roots support.
  3. You guys have three? We have two that I know of. That can make a difference, especially in terms of workload. I'm doing my part by being very picky about where I hide my cache.
  4. Feel free to click the dead horse.... Trying to increase "adventure" will never be: I'm staying in this thread. The other thread (even if locked) has incendiary devices as can of worms.
  5. It might be a good idea to move (or restart) this thread in the Geocaching Topics to gauge the community response. I think it's a pretty good bet that this functionality won't be coming back on GC.com. I have visited a few Webcam caches, but have not logged one online, so I'm going to remove myself from advocating pro or con here. To be fair, though, I don't think Webcams were moved to Waymarking due to political issues like Locationless and Virtuals.
  6. Unfortunately, there are no politically correct ways to separate between those who know how to hide Virtuals and those who don't. The "WOW factor" already opened a small can of worms. Imagine the outcry of cachers feeling insulted... "don't tell me I don't know hide a .... " TPTB can't say this directly, since they are perceived to be in position of authority. It's like politicians blaming voters for policy failures. Waymarking might not be the same as Virtuals, but it might be an alternative. Either that, or the Geocaching community needs to get our act together and figure out a way to cure "lameness" on our own.
  7. July 7-13 can still be rain season around Mount Fuji, but you will be ahead of the summer vacation crowds, which is good. Talk to your local Automobile Association for the Int'l Driver's Permit. I got mine at AAA. I'm sure there's an equivalent in Canada which I assume is where you are from. Driving is not needed to find caches in Japan or go to Mount Fuji, but it's always nice to have the option, just in case. It allows you to improvise, which I did often on my last trip. There are some wonderful caches in the suburbs that will be much easier to visit with a car.
  8. As Mopar once said, "Just because it's fun doesn't make it geocaching." Yes, web-camming can be fun. I've done it a few times myself, but geocaching is about finding a container. Since webcams typically don't have a container, they were disallowed on the geocaching site and moved to a more appropriate location. Jamie Well... they DO tend to have a container... but that's usually the protective case that it's in to keep it from being stolen I might as well add my theory, since there really isn't a consistent separation of Waymarking and Geocaching based on "containers"... Here's a Geocaching.com container... and each log entry can contain the following*: Traditional/Multi/Mystery caches: can be very few bytes ("TFTC<enter>") Virtual caches: log entry + storage and bandwidth for e-mail verification Codeword caches: same as above, also grandfathered. Locationless caches: log entry + mandatory image, 30,000 bytes for 300x225 .jpg Webcam caches: log entry + mandatory image (size varies, but way larger than a simple log entry) Earthcaches: black sheep of the group. log entry + e-mail AND/OR image. WAS in Waymarking. So there you have it. Looks like Waymarking uses a larger log book and needs a larger container, while Geocaching is just a lamp post micro in comparison. Not sure if one or the other requires more maintenance visits... * size of cache listing and meta data not included - sold separately.
  9. Your virtual is within striking distance from where I am. Thanks for the link (and thanks to the reviewer who approved it ). I'll try to visit it next time I'm in the area.
  10. While hiking in September 2003, Jeremy started talking to me about an idea he had to replace locationless and virtual caches. It blew me away, and I will always remember that walk up the hill. Waymarking.com is pretty much as he described it to me that day. My impression is that Groundspeak's style is to move slowly and methodically, avoiding the mistakes of the dot com boom sites. That is why the site hasn't been heavily promoted yet. Groundspeak knows it's still a work in progress. Their main interest is on filling the database with waymarks, and designing improvements in response to user feedback. I think the concept has a lot of potential. I also think that like wine it will take time. One point you brought out that would help Geocaching is if they had categories like: Numbers, Numbers, Numbers.... (lamp post and guardrail micros) The Great Outdoors (All Scenic Caches) Workout with a View (Hiking caches) Off-Roading etc. Wish I can find the thread where Jeremy implied that this might be in store for GC.com in the future. I'm sure it was him, because I remember it being snarky.
  11. I've ran across a few caches that turned into Virtual because of muggling. Not sure if the owners did that "self-service" by changing the type themselves (which I heard was possible before) or with a help of TPTB or reviewer. Of course, there are others where people took the time to put together something wonderful, like the Virtuals in Yosemite National Park. Kinda tough to throw the baby out with the bathwater... In the end, though, the participants (we) ruined our own game. Briansnat and others have referred to the " commodity" and that's also part of our self-wrecking. TPTB have spoken and Virtuals are not coming back. Seeing how Geocaching "lameness" is the continuing topic of discussion elsewhere, I'm not surprised by that decision. I'm still holding out hope, though. TheBeanTeam's post about Waymarking and the "esque" is .
  12. And hopefully... they'll become even more useful when included in the same PQ & PDA that contain cache listings... so one clicks "nearest" at the location and go to the WiFi spot and log the finds right away. (Much more useful on the field, than while sitting at home) Still waiting for "paperless Waymarking"....
  13. I actually did when I was in junior high school... about two decades ago. Didn't do the branding at each station (started at Station 5 Kawaguchi-ko side), since I didn't know, or it wasn't available then. I still remember the headache from altitude sickness at the peak, and watching the sunrise between stations 8 and 9. Best part? Running down the mountain via "sunabashiri."
  14. I forgot to be constructive... there's a theoretical solution for that... a software utility for your laptop or PDA with a master list of all the categories. The Waymarker can then search the categories and choose them while on a plane, train, bus, or riding shotgun, then once he reaches a WiFi spot, he can download the actual Waymarks for those categories for the immediate area.
  15. Cool idea! I never really tried to find many locationless caches. I finally spotted fake tree cell tower and logged that. I also found a mission bell up in San Luis Obispo. But the fun thing about locationless caches is that I always had a few in the back of my mind so if I happened to see one then the lightbulb went off! It was a fun scavenger hunt game! To me it was another flavor of ice cream. I never saw a problem with having many flavors of ice cream on one site. Now the ice cream store seems to sell mostly tiny vanilla cones..... I think the problem is that the ice cream store is trying to sell 31 flavors of vanilla, 31 flavors of chocolate, 31 flavors of strawberry....instead of just 31 distinct flavors. (Sorry, toz, for hijacking your theme) For LCs, having a manageable number of categories made it fun. Right now, Waymarking is a bit overwhelming, as there are way too many categories, hence the request for smarter filters. It forces people to narrow their interests. That can also diminish the sense of adventure, IMHO.
  16. I expect disagreements and sometimes angst in any social activity. Yes, Geocaching is a social activity, since a hider is interacting with a finder, a different person, hopefully. I think Carleenp's thoughts on Internet interactions is very important. I agree with others who have said that Groundspeak forums are civilized compared to other online forums. That's because in most cases, we are arguing for a common goal, to try to improve the Geocaching experience as how one sees fit (the perception). What's annoying is things like excess sarcasm, and angst for the sake of winning an argument instead of looking for a solution. I'm not going to even mention abusive use of sock puppets (which I consider to be Information Terrorism) which totally distorts things to the untrained eyes and ears.
  17. I'm assuming you removed Okinawa from the PQ (anything south of N 30° latitude) which should make it a bit more manageable. You need to research right away on JR Rail Pass, which comes in different flavors. For going between Tokyo and Osaka, a standard one or two week pass would suffice. In short, this allows you to travel on Shinkansen (bullet train) with minimal restrictions, and you can laugh at cars and buses on the highways going less than half the speed. I use it with impunity when I'm in Japan, and can cover hundreds of miles in a relatively short amount of time without flying. For intercity day passes, be sure to check other agencies besides JR. I used the streetcar day pass for Hiroshima, and subway ones for Fukuoka and Nagoya. For Tokyo, there are ones for JR only (730 yen), subway only (two separate agencies, about 700 yen each) and a combination for JR, both subway agencies, Toei buses, and the streetcar, for 1580 yen. Osaka has at least 3-4 competing agencies for surface trains, so you'll have to research there (my caching experience in Osaka area is very limited). Also, plan on obtaining an International Driver's Permit, in case you need to rent a car. Many train stations offer car rentals. For going up Mount Fuji, you'll want the flexibility of driving there, especially if you plan to go off season. I'm assuming you are experienced winter adventurers, since you are on your own until summer.
  18. The main problem with Waymarking and locationless is that it also captures one of the main problems with locatinoless. Only one person gets to log any one location the item is found at. Case in point: I was really interested in the Frank Lloyd Wright locationless cache. After some searching I found that one house had been built in Bliss Idaho and I even drove there looking for it. No luck finding it but I enjoyed the quest in trying to figure out it's address. Meanwhile someone else found it, logged it and closed the location from further finds. I could have looked up their coordinates but why? Finding it on my own was the quest. Not following in someone elses footsteps for a visit. Waymarking does exactly the same thing. I Could go visit the house, but I can't enjoy the quest of finding it on my own to begin with. That work was done and all that's left is the visit. A better solution to locationless would be to hide the logs until you have found it. That would open each locationless spot up to people willing to do the work. There are drawbacks, but I could have finished my quest to find the Frank Lloyd Wright house and log that locationless. Then an only then saw that someone else had also found it. Good point. It reinforces the observation that Waymarking wasn't a replacement for Virtuals.... unless TPTB exploits the smilie addiction by integrating it with Geocaching, even if psychologically. As for your solution, I've done that voluntarily before, where I point people to what I've found, but not Waymark it. I suppose Groundspeak Portal might be an indirect way to implement your solution.
  19. I've dismissed the "container/no container" argument in the Earthcache thread in Waymarking forums, so that's the only point I disagree with. However, I agree that Waymarking has a potential for replacing Virtuals. Personally, I enjoy Waymarking as a replacement of Locationless. I've planned some multi-state adventures JUST to hunt LCs in the past, and the same can be done with Waymarks, if one is motivated enough.
  20. In the upper right corner of the page is search location. You can enter an address to filter to waymarks close to that address. Premium members can save search locations. Also from any geocache you can click on show nearest waymarks and filter the waymarks to those nearest to the geocache. I do see what you mean about getting a list of all waymarks nearby without having to drill down in the categories. I thought you use to be able to do that. (Edit: oops the list is there - you just have to scroll down past the directory ) The Waymarking user interface has been recently updated and I agree that it take a little work and trial and error to find things. A newbie geocacher can enter their zip code and get a list of nearby caches without have to do the additional searching through categories. The Waymarking interface is more like - you enter your zip code > there are traditionals, multis and unknown within 50 miles > now you have to select if you want to see the traditionals, the multis, or the unknows. Thanks. I still think this is odd. Why can't they have the default view only show waymarks within 50 miles of your home coordinates? Why would I want to see waymarks that are thousands of miles away from me? It makes no sense to me. They don't do this on the GC site..... I think this is a testament to how well the GC.com interface has evolved. Other interfaces (Waymarking) seem cumbersome, and difficult to use... I tolerate learning curves if there's a payoff at the end, and that payoff is "Geocaching-like adventure" to most people, it seems. There, a less snarky way to say "we are resistant to change." [edit for wrong word]
  21. Waymarking is a site that Groundspeak and the Reviewer community are interested in. The geocaching community is underwhelmed and as far as I can see won't play there. It's a mistake lots of companies have made, trying to sell the product they want you to have rather than the product consumers want. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. I suspect they'll have to find a new customer base for Waymarking, as geocachers seem, from where I sit, to be rejecting it. Ed To be fair, I recall Jeremy promising an enhancement for Locationless a few years ago, so Groundspeak WAS trying to meet customer demand. Maybe the LC fanatics were a vocal minority. Off topic, though. I do feel (and agree with your observation) that "Waymarks replacing Virtuals" was an idea that was hatched up in haste... a software "hack" if you will. Even if my speculation is untrue, the lack of mechanisms for enhancing the visit when Waymarks were opened to the public is quite telling.
  22. I already went through a pair of "Ultralast" brand NiMH I shared between the Geko and my PDA. Probably about 200 cycles.... first sign of death was their inability to hold charge, similar to what you describe (2-3 hours). Then the fast charger started to complain because the voltages became unstable during charge. I have a pair of Sanyo AAA NiMH that's still holding, even though I've used it longer. Looks like that pair is of higher quality (and more expensive).
  23. Yes that is it. 1. Make more meaningless. Hide it from public view. 2. If that doesn't work, stop tracking counts altogether. 3. If that STILL doesn't work, change GC.com, so logging a find online is not part of the game. is not an end-all to refuting anti-Waymarkers. Try something more convincing.
  24. Yes it will, and very well, I might add. Others will respond as well. I'll let them discuss the details on why it's a good choice.
  25. I typically warn people ahead of time if a link goes to a Members Only cache or not. Some people do not want to end up on the audit log.
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