Kodak's4

quote:Originally posted by Big Tom:I have a virtual cache in Colorado that you are supposed to post a picture of yourself at the cache as proof. A handful of people have not posted pictures so I e-mailed them and said that I needed a picture or I would have to delete them.I got a reply from one of them stating that if I started deleteing finds I would be talked bad about in the forums and nobody would go to my cache, so I sent another e-mail stating that I would not delete anybody. Was I wrong for asking people to follow the rules of the cache. Big Tom Well, send them back some email, and tell them that if they don't post the picture RIGHT AWAY, not only will you delete their log, but you'll also post their identity in the forums, where their reputation will be trashed permanently. And then, when they don't post the photo, post the identity and trash their reputation. They deserve it.

I use a Minolta Dimage X, which is fairly low on the resolution scale (2 Mp). But it's great for web photos, documentation, snapshots. For real work I'd take a real camera anyway. The big win of the Dimage X is that it's very small, and it allows voice annotation of the photos, a really useful feature IMHO.

quote:Originally posted by alexm: quote:If I could have TWO wishes, the second one would be for GPS support. Don't you mean __GPX__ support? ??? yes. Thanks. It looks like I should go back to two cups of tea in the morning, doesn't it?

Ok, I've not no pocket query results again this morning. It seems to me like pocket queries are THE way to cut resource demand on geocaching.com. I'd rather fire up expertgps in the morning, and spot new caches that way, than manually go through page after page of caches online. If I could have ONE geocaching.com wish, it would be for pocket queries to work reliably. If I could have TWO wishes, the second one would be for GPS support.

quote:Originally posted by Warm Fuzzies - Fuzzy:Just what we needed. Another bandwidth sink for geocaching.com. There's a better way to get this data than to download dozens of dynamically-generated pages from geocaching.com. At least it doesn't also download the cache pages themselves, but it still sucks up a lot of bandwidth and CPU. It's programs like this that are keeping us from getting GPX support, which would solve the same problem elegantly and with less load on the poor server. Boy, howdy, I've gotta agree AND disagree on this one. The big issue with a tool like this, which can automate the downloading of info, is that in general people are going to use it to download more info than they did before. And that means increased (probably GREATLY increased) resource loading. Now, that said, if there were existing ways to do this (and the pocket queries are the current way) then the server load would DROP. I spend a lot less time browsing the dynamically generated pages via a web browser now that I can have a pocket query generated every day and delivered to my email inbox. Now, there are some issues with my not getting a bolus of stuff every day (some days get missed!) but in general I think the pocket queries demonstrate the huge demand for good tools to get a big chunk of data delivered regularly. So I guess I would disagree about the fact that tools like this DELAY the much needed, much wanted, much pleaded for GPX support. It might make more sense to view the delayed GPX support as the reason why tools like this (which are a BAD idea) are being written. If GPX support was available now, this tool (custom written, surely) would have been written as a GPX tool, yes? So it's one of those things where the causal connection is clear but the direction of the arrow is unclear. If the fine, overworked and underpraised people who are working on this stuff at geocaching.com are delaying GPX support because they're too busy dealing with resource demand issues, then they're doing the right thing tactically (fighting the current fire) but the wrong thing strategically (by not providing a way to reduce the resource demand required to meet the desires of the customer base). Bottom line: this application (which I'm not gonna use because I suspect it generates more trouble than it solves) is prima facie evidence that GPX support ought to be a high priority thing. At least, that's the way I see it. Is there something here I'm missing?

quote:Originally posted by st_richardson:Having been told that one one my easy caches was missing and just confirming it was still there, I thought I'd pose this question. Have you ever not found a 1.5 or easier cache? Sure. I've gotten skunked on 1/1 caches.

quote:Originally posted by Cheesehead Dave:In going through the threads about useless hints, I got to wondering... What is your intent when hiding a cache? - - - - - http://www.wi-geocaching.com/ I think there's a place for everything: easy drive-up 1/1's, physically strenous hikes to difficult hides, you name it. I've experimented with progressive hints (that is, a series of hints, each of which gives up a bit more information) which allow searchers to scale the difficulty to whatever level they like. Different folks will like different things. There's no requirement that a cache appeal to everyone, nor is there a requirement that each cacher should enjoy every variety of cache. The more variety, the better.

quote:Originally posted by Freelens & Mosie:Have you ever had anyone take junk and replace it with something better? This is in response to all the threads about the reverse. Just curious. Sure. I see quite a few logs in the Seattle area that read "Took nothing, left "

quote:Originally posted by Acceptable Risk:Twice now someone's mentioned "OMG, you came down *that* in sneakers? So I'm convinced that I need to get some shoes... Not boots, shoes... I'm looking at REI now and see some spiffy cheapo shoes... http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?productId=12372194&storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&langId=-1 Do they really make a difference? http://www.acceptable-risk.com/images/geosig.jpg Contents Under Pressure... I went looking for something that was not quite a boot, but still a little more than a running shoe on steroids. I found these: Vasque Fusion GTX and I really, really like them. Light weight, so they don't feel clunky. They give a bit of ankle support but don't feel like your foot is encased. They're Gore-Tex lined so your feet actually stay dry. And now they're on sale. Maybe I'll buy another pair to have in reserve! -Paul

quote:Originally posted by Warm Fuzzies - Fuzzy: Fuzzy. Sheesh. I *knew* that. I should take the *brain* out and drive over it with the Volvo. quote:Palm Reader has support for PalmDoc files, but alas, it has no support for bookmarks. The reader I usually recommend for those who don't want to pay for TealDoc is http://www.32768.com/bill/palmos/cspotrun/. If you decide to give it another try and still can't get it to work, drop me an email and I'll see what I can do to help (I still owe you for your finding the problem with my number maze...) Aha! Ok, I will give it a try the next time I have some spare time, using cspotrun. Or maybe I'll just buy Tealdoc. And, no, you don't owe me! Thanks for the help! -Paul

quote:Originally posted by Warm Fuzzies - Fuzzy: Fuzzy. Sheesh. I *knew* that. I should take the *brain* out and drive over it with the Volvo. quote:Palm Reader has support for PalmDoc files, but alas, it has no support for bookmarks. The reader I usually recommend for those who don't want to pay for TealDoc is http://www.32768.com/bill/palmos/cspotrun/. If you decide to give it another try and still can't get it to work, drop me an email and I'll see what I can do to help (I still owe you for your finding the problem with my number maze...) Aha! Ok, I will give it a try the next time I have some spare time, using cspotrun. Or maybe I'll just buy Tealdoc. And, no, you don't owe me! Thanks for the help! -Paul

Ok, Warm (or is it Fuzzy?) I tried the document converter. It was too exciting for me. I am a palm neophyte. But I converted a rather large pocket query .prc file. I got back a .zip file,which I duly unzipped. From that, I got a mobidoc.pdb file, which I expected, sort of. I click on that, and voila! the palm installer appeared, to load the thing onto my palm. So I hotsynced, and eager grabbed the Palm. But alas, no reader for this filed installed. Hmm. I install Palm Reader off the CDROM that came with the palm. I fire that baby up. It sits there for a LONG time telling me it's perparing the document, or something. Finally it displays some text. What's this? No links in the index. Whoa, this is pretty grungy looking stuff. I go to compare to the Mobipocket thingie, and Mobipocket crashes! I try installing the .prc for the mobipocket query and it still crashes. Oh, ick. Ok, I uninstall everything - Mobipocket, the Palm reader, the pocket queries. Hm, I've never deleted anything before. What the screaming blue whatever *is* all this stuff. Libraries, I guess. Weird bits of applications dragged in by even God doesn't know what. Sheesh, and people think Windows is bad (well, that's another story for another day). Now I go back and install Mobipocket and the old .prc file. Ah, I'm back to Mobipocket, which now works (but still blows fairly big chunks) which at least has links I can punch through from the index. Sheesh. Maybe I should take this Palm thing out to the driveway, drive over it with the Volvo, and buy one of those Pocket PC's. Enough excitement for the day. Whew!

Ok, Warm (or is it Fuzzy?) I tried the document converter. It was too exciting for me. I am a palm neophyte. But I converted a rather large pocket query .prc file. I got back a .zip file,which I duly unzipped. From that, I got a mobidoc.pdb file, which I expected, sort of. I click on that, and voila! the palm installer appeared, to load the thing onto my palm. So I hotsynced, and eager grabbed the Palm. But alas, no reader for this filed installed. Hmm. I install Palm Reader off the CDROM that came with the palm. I fire that baby up. It sits there for a LONG time telling me it's perparing the document, or something. Finally it displays some text. What's this? No links in the index. Whoa, this is pretty grungy looking stuff. I go to compare to the Mobipocket thingie, and Mobipocket crashes! I try installing the .prc for the mobipocket query and it still crashes. Oh, ick. Ok, I uninstall everything - Mobipocket, the Palm reader, the pocket queries. Hm, I've never deleted anything before. What the screaming blue whatever *is* all this stuff. Libraries, I guess. Weird bits of applications dragged in by even God doesn't know what. Sheesh, and people think Windows is bad (well, that's another story for another day). Now I go back and install Mobipocket and the old .prc file. Ah, I'm back to Mobipocket, which now works (but still blows fairly big chunks) which at least has links I can punch through from the index. Sheesh. Maybe I should take this Palm thing out to the driveway, drive over it with the Volvo, and buy one of those Pocket PC's. Enough excitement for the day. Whew!

Mobipocket reader reminds me strongly of some software I've run into before. 1. MVS/TSO - It may be slow, but it sure is hard to use. Can anyone explain why searching through a mobipocket document on my Palm m505 using the text search function is so dadgum SLOW? And why, after it finds the text, it feels obliged to make me dismiss the dialog by clicking the close button hidden in the corner, near the edge of the screen where it's hard to hit when you're riding in a car? It qualifies for the other comment I remember being leveled at TSO - "It's sort of like kicking a dead whale down the beach." 2. Adobe photoshop - until Mobipocket, the leading contender for the 'hit the design team before they strike again' award. Surely a better solution awaits. Please, tell me that a better solution awaits. What ever happened to the XML descriptions of caches discussion. Did that founder? Mobipocket and the pocket queries beat the tar out of the reams of paper I was using before. But mobipocket falls so short of the potential that it just breaks my heart.

Mobipocket reader reminds me strongly of some software I've run into before. 1. MVS/TSO - It may be slow, but it sure is hard to use. Can anyone explain why searching through a mobipocket document on my Palm m505 using the text search function is so dadgum SLOW? And why, after it finds the text, it feels obliged to make me dismiss the dialog by clicking the close button hidden in the corner, near the edge of the screen where it's hard to hit when you're riding in a car? It qualifies for the other comment I remember being leveled at TSO - "It's sort of like kicking a dead whale down the beach." 2. Adobe photoshop - until Mobipocket, the leading contender for the 'hit the design team before they strike again' award. Surely a better solution awaits. Please, tell me that a better solution awaits. What ever happened to the XML descriptions of caches discussion. Did that founder? Mobipocket and the pocket queries beat the tar out of the reams of paper I was using before. But mobipocket falls so short of the potential that it just breaks my heart.

quote:Originally posted by Centaur: quote:Originally posted by Markwell: That dog will be trained to sniff out rubbermaid and tupperware (as well as ammo boxes) from the day we get her home!! Gonna make for a heck of a mess in the kitchen as s/he continuously pulls the cabinets open aint it? -Centaur http://www.chicagogeocaching.com/img/logo_small.jpg The trick to this is to train the dog to close cabinet doors. That's what we've done with Kodak - his job is to close every door that's open. He'll close the cabinet doors and drawers, close the front and back door, etc. But he still paws at the pile of ammo cans I have sitting on my office floor, the eternal optimist.

quote:Originally posted by Centaur: quote:Originally posted by Markwell: That dog will be trained to sniff out rubbermaid and tupperware (as well as ammo boxes) from the day we get her home!! Gonna make for a heck of a mess in the kitchen as s/he continuously pulls the cabinets open aint it? -Centaur http://www.chicagogeocaching.com/img/logo_small.jpg The trick to this is to train the dog to close cabinet doors. That's what we've done with Kodak - his job is to close every door that's open. He'll close the cabinet doors and drawers, close the front and back door, etc. But he still paws at the pile of ammo cans I have sitting on my office floor, the eternal optimist.

quote:Originally posted by Moun10Bike:I may be jumping the gun a bit, but there were no Pocket Queries for me this morning. My first 4 usually arrive at 12:01-12:02 AM, with my 5th coming along a couple of hours later. I have none in my inbox this morning. http://geocachingwa.org again, likewise. No pocket queries today. -Paul

quote:Originally posted by Alphawolf:Has anyone used the "battery timer" feature in the V to track battery life of these rechargeables in your V? I use GP 1800 Milliamp rechargeables, and am getting only about 6 hours when I checked the timer at the "low battery" warning. I wonder if my charger isn't "topping them off" fully? Are you getting six hours from 'fresh batteries' to when the unit warns you about low batteries, or six hours to when the unit shuts down? I use (in matched sets, of course) PowerEx 1800's, Nexcell 1800's, PowerEx 1600's, and some brand I don't remember 1500's. Of those, I seem to get the longest use (not measured, but estimated at 8-9 hours) from the Nexcells. I use a Maha MH-C204F to charge them. What are you using?

quote:Originally posted by KD9KC:My last post and this one. I rest my case! That's the sort of intellectual rigor that makes me proud to have been labeled by you.

quote:Originally posted by KD9KC:All the P/C people telling us how dangerous ammunition is. Yeah, if you crush it with a rock! But all the P/C whiners would be out in force within seconds. Never ceases to amaze me how the scardy cats want to whine about perfectly legal things just because they are uncomfortable. Guess I don't get it! Mike. KD9KC. El Paso, Texas. Citizens of this land may own guns. Not to threaten their neighbors, but to ensure themselves of liberty and freedom. They are not assault weapons anymore... they are HOMELAND DEFENSE WEAPONS! There are lots of things that are legal to possess that I'd never place in a cache. A short list: * live ammunition * alchoholic beverages * prescription drugs * weapons * 'adult' oriented literature * tobacco products In some cases, various laws make it illegal for me to give those things to other people (prescription drugs). In some cases, it's illegal to give them to minors (alchohol, tobacco). In some cases, I don't think its responsible to leave those things where children and other people who are apparently incapable of understanding the consequences of their actions can get their hands on them. Since I can't determine who will get their hands on things I leave in caches, I (and anyone else with even the smallest fraction of a sense of responsibility) do not leave that sort of thing in caches. If you feel that makes me a 'p/c whiner', well, I think you're wrong. There's a difference between the class of behaviors you have a right to engage in, and the class of behaviors that you ought to engage in. If you have trouble understanding the difference between the two classes, I'd suggest you study up on the issue before you go labeling everyone with whom you disagree.

Didn't get one yesterday, and I didn't think much about it. But I didn't get one this morning, either. So I'm seeing the same thing you are.

quote:Originally posted by RobAGD:http://www.imaging-resource.com/ACCS/BATTS/BATTS.HTM Good article, Been using NiMH's for 4 years and a bit. Got a few sets with my digital camera as that camera ate aa's with abandon. Those 8 batteries have been worked to death or close to it. They are still going strong. Got 12 more and i have several aaa's on the way for the Palm and my cordless mouse. Anyone seen articals online that were this good ? or better ? still hunting, -Robert I agree that it's a good article but if you're looking for nimh batteries to use in a GPS remember that the current drain for a GPS unit is small compared to the drain for a digicam, and so the capacity testing is probably skewed somewhat. I have both the PowerEx 1800 mAH batteries and the Nexcell 1800's, and although he tests the Nexcell as near the bottom of the heap I get very good battery life from them in my GPS V - as good as or longer than the PowerEx 1800s. The Nexcell 1800 definitely outlast the PowerEx 1600's I have. For a charger, I use the Maha MH-C204F, which I feel does a good job. One thing I like about it is that you can use a 12v powercord, and charge batteries on the road. I buy stuff like this from Thomas Distributing. I have no association with them beyond being a satisfied customer but they have a wide selection of stuff, good prices, fill orders swiftly and accurately, and don't charge too outrageously for shipping.

quote:Originally posted by umc:Well I can agree with saying what you do enjoy finding is a good idea instead of always saying what we don't like (junk) but is should be somewhat obvious that finding something other than a rock has to be good. I would like to know who would trade a rock that they picked up on the way to the cache. One of the cooler things I've traded for was a very spiffy looking rock that a certain geocacher had placed in the cache, having picked it up off the ground on the way to the cache. (It was a chunk of smooth river rock, broken in half exposing the crystalline interior). If I recall, I swapped a regular $2 whistle for it and felt bad that I didn't have something better to trade for it. I've still got the rock, one of the few trade items I haven't gotten rid of either by trading them on or pitching them out. Some people like rocks. Some people (like me) like plastic animals (like snakes, or whales, or lizards). Some people like useful items like lanyards, magnets, etc. And, of course, some people just prefer to gripe about what everyone else chooses to leave. If you don't like what you're finding in caches, the solution is to start placing items that you like in caches, swapping for stuff you consider junk. Then, the pool of trade items you like will increase. Other people might be inspired to place similar items. I offer my personal guarantee that this will be ten times as effective as griping in the forums about what people leave in caches.

quote:Originally posted by Clan Ferguson: When you find the cache, Do you TNLN or do you trade? Of late, I tend to be taking nothing, leaving something (and of late, the somethings seem to have been whizzer whistles, bouncy balls, mini-flashlights (WITH battery, for cripe's sake) and gliders. If you don't like that, you're going to have to get VERY specific, because I'm sick to death of people who whine about trade items ('I'm sick of finding junk in caches' but never specify what they would enjoy finding).