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fizzymagic

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Everything posted by fizzymagic

  1. The image functionality of the geocaching site has declined in a never-reversing way since about 2015. It is likely never to get better, only worse. Sorry.
  2. This "solution" has been proposed many times over the years, but it just won't work, for the reasons others have outlined. You are hardly the first. I will bring up a new consideration: Automating the process kind of completely goes against everything geocaching is about. We already have a big enough problem with cut-and-paste logs. Geocaching is about the experience of going out, finding something in the real world and then writing about it. It would surely be more efficient to automate the logging process, but why?
  3. The main takeaway from this whole thread is that every time virtuals are given out, people find reasons to get all butthurt about it. You (not you, LimeCat, this is the generic you) didn't get one? I didn't get one either. Get over it.
  4. So having a percentage based on an unknown distribution makes some kind of sense? There is no way to tell, based on total logs, what percentage of those people could have given it favorite points. So the proposed metric includes less information than the current one, uses hidden information, and is open to gaming. I think it is not a good idea.
  5. Favorite point percentage is # of favorites divided by number of premium user logs. Non premium users can't leave favorite points even if they want to. If that bothers you a lot then make all your hides premium-only.
  6. GSAK stores attribute data, including attribute definitions, etc.. GSAK uses the well-known and well-documented SQLite database for its storage. If you have any friends who know about databases, I recommend you talk to them. Attempting to do this with the GSAK macro language might be possible, but from my perspective using GSAK macros is like poking my eyes out with a hot needle.
  7. Absolutely correct. You can use a dedicated GPS unit just as badly. And people did, back in the olden times. But the percentages are worse today. From my experience, about 40% take good coordinates. It's better in the desert and worse in cities. I have taken to using the satellite maps on the phone to guide my search when in urban areas. Frequently the location shown in the satellite image is the cache location, which may or may not be GZ. (Speaking of which, why is the zoom so limited in the Official App?) Not a criticism of anybody in particular; it's just how life is.
  8. Good point. Geocachers who intend to place caches should use a device that gives good accuracy. That is ""valuable in this hobby." When I place a cache I always aim for 3 m or better accuracy.
  9. The big advantage of the dedicated GPS is that you can make the compass page actually point in the direction of the cache. You do that by disabling the magnetic compass and using the movement of the GPS (which is quite accurate down to about 1 km/h)
  10. Thanks for this. It is very helpful. I know all about loading gpx files of AL stages but that was not my main interest. And maybe I should give the app another try. I find the limitations on map zooming in both the geocaching app and the AL app infuriating. There is also no reason for the AL app to not show the geofencing, but it doesn't.
  11. No I wrote that other api partners do not have access to al stages. I did not say that all others do not. I understand that English may not be your first language but please do not presume to lecture about misunderstanding. There exist api partners without al stage access. You were wrong. Is there a list of api partners apps that have al stages? I would be interested in something better than Locus Maps and since you seem to know all about it a list would be quite helpful.
  12. Once again, so very sorry for daring to ask a question. You are now claiming that all api partners have access to al stages. I know for a fact you are wrong. Maybe working on reading comprehension would help. Locus Maps is a very strange mapping program with some geocaching capability pasted in what I experienced to be a poorly documented and unstable add on. I regret that I paid money for it. I believe that it is not a suitable solution to this problem for those not already deeply into the app. Did you contribute to the extension? Perhaps that could explain you defensiveness.
  13. I just wanted to know, since other API partners do not have access to adlab stages. Sorry for asking.
  14. You mean Locus Maps can show you the locations of AL stages? That would be nice if only Locus Maps didn't have such a horrible UI.
  15. Yes, you are missing a poorly-documented feature. Four blanks at the start of each line. With a blank line above them, BTW.
  16. I own this one, released 28 May 2002 and logged 12/06/2023 I believe it is older than any on your spreadsheet. I consider myself very lucky!
  17. Ah, good. I absolutely refuse to spoof my location for anything, so I had never seen that second thing. The first one seems a little too subtle. Either way, I am aware of multiple instances of people spoofing location to do ALs. I heard there was an AL (I don't know if it still exists or not) at the location of the Titanic in the North Atlantic that was claimed by some Germans within a day of being published. How pathetic is that? Anyway, offline mode would open up a whole Pandora's box of trouble. Sort of like an automated proximity thing for regular geocaches would. I anticipate that the request that started this thread will recur on a regular basis.
  18. What warning would that be? Whatever it is, it's certainly not prominent.
  19. See, that's the thing with the "make up a perfect rule and everything will be fixed" position. There will be a question about it, and people will find a way around it. People will put out QR codes and claim "it's legal because it was not a geocache" or something to that effect. Turning guidelines, which specify intent, into rules, where definitions and exact wording matter, has been a disaster for geocaching and will be for ALs as well. I suppose, given human nature, that the clamor for just-so rules will increase and eventually the guidelines will devolve into rules, but putting that moment off as long as possible seems like a good idea.
  20. One of the saddest things I have experienced in geocaching over the years has been the inevitable descent of the guidelines into rules. Looking back, the game has changed its flavor greatly. It started out as a "let me bring you to this great spot!" activity and has devolved into "let's see how many stars we can get" competition. ALs had a chance to be a "let me give you a tour of neat stuff where you can learn something" activity, but is devolving in a similar direction. Additionally, ALs were designed from the start to not require reviewers; ALs are assumed to be good until somebody complains. Your request for "rules clarification" works against the intent of ALs in both respects. Doesn't really matter much to me because I intensely dislike most ALs, but I am still sad for those that enjoy them as an activity apart from geocaching.
  21. ALs were not designed to be another "complete this pointless challenge to get a star" activity, even though they are rapidly turning into that. Your attempted AL you described above is in the same vein. If your (generic you in this case) goal is to further degrade whatever reputation ALs have for being interesting and educational, then by all means keep on pushing this way. But at least be honest about what you are doing.
  22. I've resorted to rotating the images locally and then uploading the rotated image with a rotation that undoes the one done locally. When these problems first appeared I figured that it was just minor bugs in the new code, because surely they had tested the code before releasing it, right? It's now been about a month. And the problems have not been fixed. It must be beyond embarrassing to HQ to have such low-quality code on the public face.
  23. If a log in one of my caches gets wet, then that's on me. I do not send threatening emails for faded signatures like you apparently do.
  24. Please read the thread to familiarize yourself with the subject material.
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