Backup
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Posts posted by Backup
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The purpose of making a log entry is to communicate something to the cache owner. Since the user is the only one who can be absolutely positive of the meaning of a "personal acronym" those using them are leaving it wide open as to what they are so poorly trying to express. Why not say what you mean? Even a commonly seen acronym, such as "FTF" can mean something different than what one might believe. Here is an acronym for you, "I.N.C.O.N.S.I.D.E.R.A.T.E.". I leave it to you to to decide what it means.
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For example - You did everything right on the cache page but not everyone reads the entire cache page (I know I quite often don't). That they inaccurately stated the cache is "on public land" makes them look bad, not you, so, why the sensitivity?
Example 2 - You clearly indicate you made a mistake in the listing, yet, you complain that someone logged "Puzzle is wrong. CO needs to fix it". Actually, it seems, by your wording, you didn't like "how", not, that they said it - They were blunt and to the point AND factual. Seems the problem is not with the logger.
5 or 6 other examples - Just because you find a site as super fantastic and great does not mean everyone else needs to agree. Why are they not "allowed" to disagree with your view of your cache placement? I believe that no one places a cache that they don't feel good about, yet, I've come across a few that I thought totally sucked. Though I generally don't say so in a log - others may prefer to express themselves more explicitly. That they DNF'd the cache when in fact it was still there does not have any real bearing.
Inappropriate language has no business in any log (online or off).
Deleting logs just because you don't like how they said what they said or how they said it, I feel, is way out of line.
My only question, since I've very RARELY come across a log entry that I considered "rude" (I've been caching since 2003), why is it that you get so very many of them? I can't help but wonder what the "other side of the story(s)" is.
Why not take to heart the good logs, ignore the "rude" ones, and have fun Geocaching?
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Mama always said, "stupid is as stupid does".
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Mama always said, "stupid is as stupid does".
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I think the concept is great but the execution lacking. The "star" is obviously not a very experienced Geocacher nor experienced in front of a camera. I would enjoy doing a bit of gold panning myself, but it didn't fit in with the overall theme (same with the snake chase). Adding the extra drama, which came off as contrived, didn't work either (i.e. "check where the sun is", "...before I lose data", etc.) Language, if you need to bleep - you need to delete.
With the right presentation, I would watch such a show. Great idea, just needs a bit of work.
Good luck!
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Another thing to consider is being "surely the only geocacher for miles" that in order for the game to grow (in any area) there has to be someone out there placing caches. If I were someone who had never played but was considering it, and then noted there were only a few caches is my area, it would not be a strong incentive to go out and buy a GPS, let alone join the program. The more caches there are, the better chance of enticing someone else to join.
Perhaps, as an English teacher, you can make up one of your lessons based on an introduction to Geocaching? Get the word out and keep hiding 'em!
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Why would anyone expect someone else to enjoy YOUR "...favorite parts of hiding caches..."? There is a better than fair chance that they are playing for THEIR OWN enjoyment, not yours.
I too enjoy reading a good log entry and I've been known for making a short story long. Yep, it's fun to read a great log entry, but, for the "TFTF" entry I give it about as much thought as the time it took me to read it (which is neither positive or negative).
Your spending way too much time thinking and writing about what you don't like. Here's a suggestion, put the following guidelines on each of your cache pages. "This cache may only be logged by intelligent, literate individuals willing to enter missives of 100 words minimum. Failure to do so will result in deleted logs."
Your desire for others to satisfy YOUR "enjoyment of this part of the game" is unrealistic. Perhaps you should be playing for THEIR enjoyment?
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One of the reasons that I've never been interested in the first to find game is because of all the personal modifications I've seen cachers use over the years. Many times I've seen log entries where multiple loggers indicate they are "sharing" first to find (sometimes with up to 4 people). How can that be?
We have a local cacher who has on a couple of occasions set up caches specifically for his wife to be first to find. Golly, 'taint those special finds! I've even seen a few caches where everyone is encouraged to log "FTF". In this very forum topic there is a posting by an individual who created their personal guideline of "...I made it clear there would be no FTF for that cache." Does that mean the first person who found it was not really the first person who found it?
Too many variations for me... with over 2000 finds I've never posted a "FTF" and don't plan on it (but should I ever do so, where the heck do I cash in my FTF points?)
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Premium members can use the existing Instant Notification feature to set up, for example, a notification for all "Needs Maintenance" logs entered on traditional caches within 25 miles of their home coordinates.
Insta-notify: it's not just for "published" logs!
I never noticed. I'll give that a try!
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I regularly go jogging or out for evening walks within 2 miles of my home. Though I often go past caches that I’ve found in the past, I generally ignore them. Every once in a random while I’ll check on a cache and a couple of times I discovered that the cache was in need of maintenance. In every case, when I checked the cache page, the problem was already noted in the logs, it was simply a matter of the cache owner had not yet gotten around to doing the maintenance because it was out-of-the-way from their normal routes. Fixing the caches, it has occurred to me that had I known about it when first noted I would have gladly done the repairs right away.
My suggestion is to have a voluntary notification option, much like the new cache notifications, that notifies individuals that a cache within selected criteria is in need of maintenance. It does not obligate anyone – and vastly increases the chances that a cache will be repaired quickly.
In other words, when a finder makes a log entry and chooses “needs maintenance” the log goes out as usual to the cache owner AND also to anyone who has selected a “Cache needs maintenance notification” option for a given area.
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The glue failure has been an issue with the eTrex line since day 1. I returned my old blue Legend twice for that repair (free of charge - out of warranty). Now it is a spare with a loose rubber strip. I will wait to see if the problem exists with the new "H" line, otherwise the performance makes a purchase very tempting.
I have the older Vista C and because of the failure of the adhesive on the band of rubber that encircles the unit I would not buy another etrex unit. On my original unit the adhesive started failing at just about a year of use. I sent it back to Garmin who replaced it (for free). With the replacement unit the adhesive started failing in about 8 months. Currently when I'm out hiking, which is often, if the temperature is near 80° the band works loose making it exceedingly hard to use the side controls one handed (you need one hand to hold the band in place and the other to press the buttons).
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... When a cache becomes a problem and needs retreived it's archived and a CRM cache is created. CRM is Cache Rescue Mission. The CRM cache is a one time only cache that come with a special red cross cache icon. When the intreprid cacher finds and takes the cache they save the world from a B Movie Plot involving GeoLitter.
Once retrieved, the cache is archived. CRM could also verify that the cache is actually gone.
I like this idea (also).
And since anything that you can add a counter to (for bragging rights) brings more participation a CRM Cross icon on your cache stats page would encourage a competition to be the one who removed the "one time only cache".
Hmmm, the more I think about this, the more I like it. Better than my original suggestion.
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Besides folks just becoming disinterested with the game, there are life situations that unexpectedly arise, such as being laid of from a job and having to move on short notice, that would put recovering cache containers at a low priority.
Making it easy to have a cache removed (by others) would lessen the chance of someone simply abandoning the cache. In my own local the Geocaching community is quite active they are already very pro-active in helping others with cache maintenance.
With the above in mind, I suggest the creation of two new ATTRIBUTES or LOG ENTRIES:
Adoption icon selectable via the attributes and/or a log entry.
This icon would indicate that the cache is available for adoption from the owner.
Selection of this option would include a log entry where details can be provided, along with displaying a distinctive icon (akin to the "Needs Maintenance" log).
Perhaps a stork/baby icon?
Removal icon, also selectable via the attributes and/or a log entry.
This icon would indicate the owner would like the container removed by the next visitor. Once the cache is taken the finder would notify the owner, who would then archive the cache.
Perhaps a trashcan icon?
An option to have both the Adoption and Removal icons displayed together in a single log would indicate the owner would appreciate either option be taken by a finder.
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... I would assume some of the liability.
Some???????
Regrettably that kind of thinking is becoming prevalent in American society. Worse it is becoming common to reward people for getting hurt while doing stupid things.
If you won't take responsibility for YOUR OWN actions, why should someone else be assigned as your keeper?
Should you attempt that climb and get hurt, I suggest putting the blame on your parents for not teaching you RESPONSIBILITY.
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A word to the wise, though -- unless you specifically need to be available to outside calls, keep your cell phone turned off. You want there to be some battery life should a 9-1-1 call become imperative.
Something to think about...
Mom, children found in Oregon mountains; dad still missing
Searchers had tracked the family to the Bear Camp area by tracing signals from a cell phone the Kims were carrying. The Kims couldn't make a call, but their attempt was enough to narrow the search area. Anderson said the effort was "critical" in finding Kati Kim and the children before it was too late.
Searchers keep up hunt for CNET editor in rugged terrain
Rescue efforts Monday shifted back to the Bear Camp area in Josephine County after information surfaced that a cellular tower received a signal from one of the family's phones. Authorities credit an employee of Oregon cell provider Edge Wireless with creating computer models to triangulate the phone's location.
All well and good IF you're already lost. The reason to keep the cell phone off while out of cellular range is to conserve the battery until such time as it is needed. The phone uses up the battery faster while searching for a network to latch onto.
The point was - When you do need to use the phone - a lack of a connection at your end DOES NOT mean your phone/you cannot be found.
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A word to the wise, though -- unless you specifically need to be available to outside calls, keep your cell phone turned off. You want there to be some battery life should a 9-1-1 call become imperative.
Something to think about...
Mom, children found in Oregon mountains; dad still missing
Searchers had tracked the family to the Bear Camp area by tracing signals from a cell phone the Kims were carrying. The Kims couldn't make a call, but their attempt was enough to narrow the search area. Anderson said the effort was "critical" in finding Kati Kim and the children before it was too late.
Searchers keep up hunt for CNET editor in rugged terrain
Rescue efforts Monday shifted back to the Bear Camp area in Josephine County after information surfaced that a cellular tower received a signal from one of the family's phones. Authorities credit an employee of Oregon cell provider Edge Wireless with creating computer models to triangulate the phone's location.
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I don't use it on my cell phone but someone else suggested that I try it to create "print friendly pages". The condensed format works much better for me than the "Make this page print-friendly" option currently offered on cache pages.
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I agree there should be a better way to enter coordinates (along with another way to present it on the cache page). When creating a new cache or entering the coordinates to go chase down a cache I've made errors in the past entering the numbers.
For example, when creating a new cache there are 4-8 boxes to fill out, depending on the format chosen. This leaves a lot of room for errors.
I don't know if the different manufacturers use a standardized format (probably not). Since there are only a limited number of them, I suggest that the options presented be in the exact format of the different manufacturers. For example I would be offered ONE box to paste in my MapSource format of Nxx xx.xxx Wxxx xx.xxx (It does not allow a degree symbol or spaces between the letters and numbers).
Even better yet, rather than the option box, like Google Maps, there is no need to "choose an option" it accepts the data in many formats and does its own internal conversions.
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Out of curiosity I took another gander at a "Print Friendly Page" again. The format still does not work for me, which is neither here nor there, but...
Using Windows XP Pro, MS IE 6.0 Updated SP2 - Clicking on Short Description, Long Description, Additional Hints, Attributes, or Maps twice in a row results in the following fatal error.
iexplore.exe-Application Error
The instruction at "0x7dd5078b" referenced memory at "0x00000000". The memory could not be "read".
Click on OK to terminate the program
Click on CANCEL to debug the program
Thanks to a knowledgeable user I was lead to the Cellphone WAP pages which actually produces what I think of as "Print Friendly Pages". Now if I could just get a link to this format directly from any cache page.
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Imagine a cache with a 4.5 Star terrain rating that specifically wants only Geocoins and declares you MUST make GC for GC trades only. There have only been a total of 16 visits since publication in April 2006.
A quote from the cache page:
"This cache contained five geocoins when placed. One can be taken as a FTF. The rest are a test: can you resist taking the coins? The cache is setup so that if you take one, you must leave one."
Currently holds 3 GC's (yaay, someone with integrity did a rescue against the "RULES") that have been there since 16March2007.
Would you want YOUR traveler here? I sure wouldn't. I can't help but question the integrity of the individual who would create a trap to snag unwary travelers.
It's one thing to have a TB hotel. It's quite another to make up your own rules for other peoples property.
I'm 100% with WH on this.
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I think the cost of membership is a great value considering the enjoyment I get from playing the game and as long as there are new caches for me to find, I intend on paying the dues and playing the game.
This said, NONE of my 80+ caches are "Member Only".
To make a point by using extreme examples, if all or even most caches were "Member Only" how would you attract, then hook, new players?
Without new players joining the game (leading to new caches) I would have hunted out my area long ago and moved onto a different hobby.
If it don't grow, it stagnates, if it stagnates, it don't grow, if it don't grow...
The quote below (from another reply) describes me as I was in early 2003, just before I became a PM.
"...stumbled upon the GC site and joined as a free member on a whim"
Thankfully there is a regular influx of net surfers stumbling upon the GC site on a whim, giving it a try, liking it, and then producing some great caches for me to hunt.
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I would like an avatar to match my name...Mustard Devil
The last time I tried even simple html I made a mess on texasgeocaching.com!
My posts were about 10 miles long untill 9key fixed what I fouled up.
But what is a Mustard Devil??
Every yin has its yang
Just for fun....
The arch rival to Mustard Devil...
CatsupAngel!
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I have the Blackjack with a storage card and use Cachemate. I did not get or use any of the online services for the phone.
The instructions below work for me with my Cachemate HTML files downloaded to the storage card.
Start>More>More>Applications>File Explorer>Up
If you have a storage card continue as below (if not look for the folder you placed the files)
>Storage Card>Cache>_1index
Highlighting the file "_1index" and pressing "OK" opens the Index page. Now make sure to add this to your FAVORITES for easy selection on your next use.
Menu>Add to favorites
Addtionally, Cachemates default folder name is "Cache". As long as you do not change this, even when you download new data and update to the phone, Explorer will simply continue to open the folder named "Cache" (meaning you do not have to create a new FAVORITE everytime you do an update).
Another hint you may find useful, for other areas that I visit irreguralry, I've created 4 other "Cache" folders. After Cachemate creates the file, BEFORE downloading to the phone, I rename the folder with a unique name (for example "CachesNorth"). I go to the folder using the steps above and then put it in my FAVORITEs. Now I can easily switch between folders depending on my area.
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At this writing there are 422892 caches worldwide. Imagine that from this point on no new caches were placed. How long would it be before you found all the caches within your reach? The ONLY way this game survives and grows is by having new caches. Hiding a cache takes effort. Planning, building, execution and finally, the big one, MAINTENANCE, that if done properly will cover a period of years.
Hosting events is a great addition, but if that is the primary or only contribution it does not compare to placing caches. The game can survive without events, whereas it cannot survive without new caches.
Handing out caches as prizes is fine. The cache you provide, you can hunt, you can log, and you don't have to be bothered with maintenance (good on the hider not the provider). Once an event is over, it's over.
Zero hiders may do "many things" but so do non-cachers. So what?
If your final claim is that your no good at placing a quality cache, then simply review the thousands of caches you have found, pick your very favorite(s) and duplicate it. Repeat.
Think about it, if they banned all those who don't place caches the game would not change in the least, but it sure wouldn't work the other way around.
Hard to say what a "fair" ratio is but the top 2 worldwide cachers are pretty dadgum good examples of full participant Geocachers.
Man, this is fun!
in General geocaching topics
Posted
If you stick with it, it gets even better.
Oddly though, you will probably find that your daughter will get more bored with it as you get more intrigued with it.
Happy caching