Tassie_Boy

Which needs to stop in any case. gc.com's email database quality has been SO poor at times that their email has been being rejected or throttled by various ISPs ... to the point that those ISPs wouldn't even deliver weekly gc.com newsletter traffic. Of course, I still put that on gc.com for not carefully reviewing ISPs' server responses and realizing that the traffic was being rejected, and why. What you've not considered is the necessity for revalidation on some periodic basis, which would solve more than one problem. HA! You're kidding aren't ya? While we are continuously to log into websites and provide email addresses to do anything on the net it will never change, NEVER. Need to revalidate? Log in, revalidate, ignore every other message there, continue geocaching, still don't get any geocaching communications. Now, I need something explained to me. One of the arguments is that emails can be sent to the phone from the field and that people who carry a smartphone with them in the field that is capable of receiving emails (but refuse to run the intro app) MUST get these emails. What geocaching related is so important that it absolutely must be actioned right now and cannot possibly wait until you get home (if you decide you are not going to use the message centre).

Because many people sign up to these types of services with a throwaway email address they only visit if they are required to validate but never actually read any messages in it. Because many people who DO use an email that they read have an expectation of privacy and don't want to be contactable via that address to any of the 6 million individuals registered to this site. Because it makes the messages available whenever you are logged onto the the gc.com system. I assume eventually once they have it figured out it will be extended to API access as well. Because despite what many on these forums may think access via smartphones is THE way to get into geocaching now. Once upon a time you had to be some sort of message board geek, then you had to come across the website, then many came to the hobby when geocaches came preloaded on new gps units. Now many, many people carry this amazing tiny computer in their pocket that has a gps in it and the areas that are cache dense and the areas that have mobile coverage mesh, very well. So it is only natural that GS would cater to these people. Because it is Groundspeak's system and at the end of the day they can do what ever the hell they want to improve their business. Don't like it? Use another provider or start your own. Yep things may not be perfect right now but they are working on it and by they time they are finished it will be a much better system than the cumbersome one of going to a website to get an address to email someone.

If you think that, you must have missed all the posts listing the specific negatives about the message center. I love change, but I won't put up with change for change's sake. Obvoiusly there are some issues bit the same thing is seen again and again "this doesn't work exactly how i want it to so I'm going to stomp my feet and pull my geocaches". Is childish and it's old. For those who complain that it's inconvenient it go to the website.... i see you on the forums all the time, is it really that inconvenient? For those saying that you can't access it in the field you have 2 options and neither of them will kill you: 1, You have a data connection, you must have, you ate saying you ate getting emails. Pull up gc.com in your browser. 2, Wait until you get home, nobody actually expects an answer straight away. Actually there is a third option, download the intro app and use it's message centre capabilities.

Actually, that's more than just traditional caches. The guidelines require that all physical caches include a logsheet or logbook. Except that the current interpretation of the guidelines followed by the volunteer reviewers is that there must be a physical log that allows physical signatures. And elsewhere in the guidelines, it specifically says that "The use of memory sticks and similar devices is not permitted." I think the multi-stage approach is more likely to be published under the current interpretation of the current guidelines. Use the hidden Raspberry Pi to provide the coordinates for a physical cache that contains a physical logbook or logsheet. The way I see it is the pi IS the logbook. Guidelines don't specify that logbooks must be paper based, stone based or electronic just that there must be a logbook. You would probably struggle to get it past the reviewers if you were expecting people to go away and log on the website but since a device is provided at GZ... what's the issue? On the USB stick issue. I think this guideline came along because a memory stick is a bit of a schrodinger's cat situation, it may carry a virus or it may not and until you plug it in there is no way of knowing, by that time it's too late. A raspberry pi is a standalone device that does not need to be plugged into anything so there is no risk to anyone. It sounds like you're onto something here. I say run with it, will be interesting to see what you come up with.

Bit*h would depend very much on the context. dadgum on the other hand.... you'd probably struggle to get to many objectors to that. As said before though, if they are considered not appropriate in your neck of the woods have a chat to the reviewer about it. ** On a side note it appears that GS views d amn as inappropriate, the forum software keeps changing it to dadgum. I find that offensive!**

This is an interesting topic as it falls into my area of training. The fact of the matter is that as long as the material the screw/nail is made from isn't toxic (ie. Copper) Then it'll be fine. The wound caused isn't big enough to let fungal or viral pathogens in and it will callous up fairly quickly aswell. This past weekend i went to a flying fox set up through the tree tops in a conservation area. The platforms were engineered to simply bite into the bark of the trees and eventually the fixtures get swallowed up by the tree. One of the trees with a platform had a health check a few weeks ago and after 7 years it was just as healthy as the day the platform went up. saying all that i do understand why GS introduced the rule.

While the immediate answer is of course No and swearing wouldn't get through the review process it may be a matter of perspective. There are many words that are flat out not acceptable and should never be muttered in polite company. There are many words though that occupy a "grey area" which straddle the border between acceptable to many and not acceptable to many others. The beauty of the english language is it is constantly evolving and words that I use on a daily basis may not be as acceptable in your part of the world. If it is one of those "magic 4 letter words", contact a reviewer about it.

This may sound a little narky but bugger it. Learn to read a map and identify landmarks. You'll probably take a few wrong turns and occasionally end up places you didn't mean to go to but isn't that what geocaching is all about?

If your kids find it call it a bit of rubbish and toss it when you get home. They don't need to know exactly what it is and it's not something they're likely to play with, just play it down and they're not likely to pay too much interest in it.

You did get the short end of the stick in this case. Along with the other owners who have been working on challenge caches but didn't get them submitted by the deadline. But, GS has made their stance and there will be no exceptions. So, the choice now is to either publish it as a different cache type, archive the listing and move on or wait out the year and see if it still meets the guidelines for challenge caches. I imagine it's a pretty hollow feeling when all that work and preparation kind of goes up in smoke. There is another option. You have done the work to find a perfect spot and secure permission, it would be a shame to alter the cache to suit or simply archive it. Why not put a "placeholder cache in? Doesn't have to be anything elaborate, traditional with a regular container but it secures GZ as yours. Cache permanence shouldn't be a problem as challenges are on hold for 12 months and guidelines say a cache should be in place for minimum 3 so when challenges are back on you can archive the placeholder and enable the challenge. I know it's not a perfect solution but it allows you to keep the original cache as intended.

A real GPS won't crap out on you in the middle of "no cell service" land. Neither will a phone if you prepare appropriately for the conditions you expect to find while enroute to GZ. To slow battery use you can always turn off services that are non essential (if there is no signal you don't need the phone's main radio active), you can moderate usage of the device (Do you really need to check the gps to see where you need to put your next step or just every few K to check on progress?) and you can take backup power with you.

I'd like to echo the two above me and say that your gps may have been out on the day and google maps is often out for the sort of accuracy we need. I find when I'm trying to work out where i am for cache placement purposes is best to ignore the finding apps altogether and use an averaging app. It takes readings over a ten or twenty minute time span then takes the average of those readings, this assists to remove much of the error. THEN have a look at it with Google maps (to ensure you are in the right general area) THEN find your GZ again using your coordinates you have gathered.

Because nature sometimes kills trees, humans can't kill trees? Well of course we can. Put a chain saw in my hand and I take a few down. Did people cause the pine beetle problem in Colorado? No they pop up real bad about every 100 years or so. Can I spread Oak wilt? Sure but animals do it better. It is recomended not to do any pruning of Oaks at this time of year. The Oak wilt will kill them. SOD only means sudden Oak death. They do not tell you why. I would bet it is Oak wilt in a broken Oak. That is what will kill them here that quickly. The fungus enters the wound and spreads fast. Here in Minnesota we have much experience with it. Also have ways to prevent it. Or to slow it's spread. You will find that while pathogens like this and others like the Elm Leaf Beetle are primarily spread locally by animal vectors or the wind WE cause the greatest damage. Animal vectors provide for short distance spread but WE get mud on our boots and cars then drive 200k to an area which is currently unaffected. Don't get cocky, WE are the main problem with many environmental issues as we have the ability to, and do, put things out of their natural balance.

Is it not time that people stop having their hands held and read the descriptions? Is it really so hard? The description forms part of the information needed to find a cache, in my opinion if they sign the light post instead of the car. Or they don't realise there is a big river in the middle of a multi. Or there is a tool they need to open the cache but they don't have it. If they haven't read the description it's their own bloody fault.

And keep your registration / insurance cards in your wallet, not your glove box for the same reasoning. Thank god we don't have to do that here.... don't need any more crap in my wallet.

You can opt out of those emails. That's the thing about ALL of those services, they all have options to tune emails to certain levels, of all together if that's what you want but they do learn what you like to look at and the emails get more relevant to you as you use the service more.

Not really. Until I registered, I could see some of the pictures but most were obstructed by a "There's More" banner, and if I clicked on that, I got a "Login/Register script that I couldn't get past. It's OK now, but I really resented having to register on another site just to follow an email I got from Groundspeak. I would have gladly ignored pinterest and just looked at the caches, if I could have! Being forced to register and log in to a service I didn't want just rubbed me wrong. Yes really, it's just a big mob of links, click one and it takes you to an external website. And if you resented doing all that then why not just say, "Thanks, but no thanks", delete the email and get on with your day. For those who really cannot bear signing up for a service to see something that interests them then follow this link which circumvents any sign in procedures... http://bit.ly/1Fzieh7

I don't see why it's necessary to say disparaging things about people for using the internet differently. Not every site is for every person. Lots of people aren't into forums. Some people don't like videos. Some people let the email newsletters go to their spam folders. There are a handful of people who get really upset when a particular communication isn't aimed directly at them. It's not really a matter of platform. Look I've got no problem with what people do or don't want to do on the net. It just seems to me (consistently through several communities I frequent) that some have a need to tell us exactly how social media is the direct line to satan instead of, you know, ignoring a service that you don't use. I agree, not every site is for every person and if a site is not for you then accept that and move on with life. Really? I could not look at the photos of these 197 caches. Really. Pinterest is simply a huge bookmark list, anything you click on takes you outside the service to where the original user found that page on the internet. A simple google search would give the same results, with added crud of course.

You're not being pushed into joining pinterest, they are merely pointing out that users of pinterest who are also geocachers have put these up on the site. Anything on pinterest is freely available on the internet, you don't have to be signed up, pinterest is merely a big mob of flash bookmarks. Again, they are just saying there is a conversation going on there. Facebook is central, anyone across the world can access it and it is more well known than these forums. They could have said "Go and have a chat to old Bob about it behind the bar at the Latitude and Longitude in Bourke", but Bourke is a hell of a lot less accessible than Facebook. I hate to rain on your parade (and it seems like you're having such fun too) but simply by being here and starting this thread YOU are actively participating in social media. Social media is not a defined set of websites. Social media is anywhere on the net where you can throw your 2 cents worth in, it's anywhere that you can make a contribution. This thread is social, it is a conversation. Does anyone else find those who despise social media to be like that old stereotypical Vegan?

Of suggest if you are geocaching this way you are hardly using a crappy map from the tourist info center. For anything even a little into the bush i reckon it'd be worth spending the ten bucks on a good topographic map.

It can also be found under the "Play" menu underneath "Log a Geocache".

GCAA5E Would NOT want to be in this part of the world in anything but a well equipped 4WD and as part of a convoy. Some wikipedia info on the Canning Stock route: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canning_Stock_Route#Present and no walking is not an option, not when fuel dumps need to be arranged months in advance and people generally die when they leave their vehicle.

Even more so don't use a website that'a all about going to a specific spot on earth then telling everyone about your experience.

I'd say at least 50%, if not more, of caches I've found have been sistema containers and they have all been in very good condition. The trouble they do have is with their watertightness, they keep water IN very well.

Personally, I'd love to know how a "virus", i.e. your typical browser hijacking virus that you'd get from going to your average porn site, for example, is going to make it's way onto a flash drive that contains only 2 .txt files, as outlined in the guidance for placing one of these caches on another site. Have a look at this then: http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/08/usb-has-a-fundamental-security-flaw-that-you-cant-detect/ Plus you don't know if there is only 2 text files until it is connected to your computer and you've opened it up. Till you open it on your computer it's a bit of a Schrodinger's cat situation.