Pocket Query Benchmark

[+downychick]

Can a pocket query be run for benchmarks, like for geocaches? I have the mobipocket on Palm.

[+Black Dog Trackers]

downychick -

 

That feature does not yet exist. This previous topic on the same subject has some discussion on it and some workarounds.

[evenfall]

This feature will likely not come to pass until Benchmark Hunters form a consensus, unite, and petition geocaching like a squeaky wheel needing greased. Alas they are a Passive group and think that if they wait forever it will simply be bestowed upon them as if by magic.

 

Sadly, they have taken no proactive attempt beyond feeling poorly over the lack of this feature...

 

I have recommended in the past that people who want this should email Geocaching directly and form a focus group to petition Jeremy in the Geocaching website forum. So far, few have wanted to put for such an effort, and went back to secretly wishing. Some have even said they think it will happen, maybe, eventually. They would rather wait while other squeaky wheels get greased.

 

I would love to be made wrong on this one. If I am, a lot of people will have something they have been asking for, for five four years now.

 

Good luck though.

[ArtMan]

I do fine without pocket queries — I'm not even really sure what I'm missing — but I would much rather pressure be focused on updating the nearly five year old benchmark database. I wonder how cachers would react if you could place a new geocache but you couldn't post it on the site?

 

-ArtMan-

[evenfall]

I like your Idea Art, and I attempted to field ideas a few months ago about possible ways of linking it here directly to the NGS database for a constantly updated, history of retired marks included copy here at geocaching. Unfortunately the thread soon went dead after a bunch of do nothing nay-sayers disagreed amongst themselves over any and every idea. Most people just avoided it like the plague.

 

Unfortunately Art, It would appear that the culture of this forum is basically to wax nostalgically for a day from the past, where all that was done was showing pictures and gloating over finds in 100 mile long threads that take 30 minutes to load in to the browser. Acting as if finding a survey marker was actually a miracle. *Yawn* Of course they had to use a tube of Ben Gay to heal from all the incessant Back Patting, from not actually patting other peoples backs, but from the great lengths they go to to pat their own.

 

If a new idea is introduced or anything that might be confirmed as progressive or forward thinking here, a tsunami wave of resistance rushed out to run that idea over before it takes hold. Some even think they would like to govern the way NGS performs it's mark recovery. I imagine that NGS would be held hostage on a sea of indecision while the geocachers determine if the person recovering is worthy of doing so.

 

I am not sure I can put my finger on it. Perhaps some want power and authority, some want to Run everything, some won't sign on with an idea unless it is their idea, some would probably say no to a dish of their favorite ice cream. Then there are the progressive ones who tired of sitting on their hands and created something on their own, and shared it. That was cool, and they didn't bother to ask permission.

 

The unfortunance here lies in the fact that some things that Benchmark Hunters could really use are controlled by Geocaching. Geocaching in all honesty is geared, customer service wise, towards greasing the squeaky wheels. There is no advantage to membership if all you want is Benchmark Hunt Game Data, and as we should know if we don't, A squeaky wheel system is a system where problems constantly take cuts in line ahead of other problems, Thus bumping older problems to the back burner and keeping them there.

 

The idea that it may take a unified effort to create an idea that will compel Jeremy to take action and create something new for the Bench Mark Gamers, or even alter, update of improve upon what has already been made, is seemingly widely resisted here. A good many have already given up and gone away. Heck, a lot of Surveyors even stopped by to help out, and gave up on these people after watching them resist what is true. But if you like Art, I see a profitable business venture in selling Ben Gay around here!

 

Sorry Art. I would love to see a lot of cool things happen here, but even in the other Geocaching forums, other folks go on about how oppressive the culture seems here. Even the Moderators have abandoned this forum. It is a true Orphan. An Island unto itself. You can't even get to Jeremy from here anymore... :-)

 

All I can say is thanks for being one of the forward thinkers Art. And good luck getting the improvements you would enjoy having.

 

Rob

[2oldfarts (the rockhounders)]

Can a pocket query be run for benchmarks, like for geocaches?  I have the mobipocket on Palm.

 

downychick, you can't run a pocket query per se, but you can download direct from the NGS (data will be about 1 year old though.) a full county list of benchmarks. They will only have NGS logs on the datasheets and not "finds" by Geocachers.

 

In this Thread We give some tips on how to aquire and sort the county files. By using GSAK you can prepare the datasheets and transfer them to your PDA, your mapping programs, & your GPSr.

 

If you need further help or information you can PM or e-mail us if you don't feel comfortable using the forums. We are always glad to help out when we can.

 

John & Shirley - 2oldfarts

[+downychick]

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions!