The Day Has Arrived At Last - Sort Of!

[+Happy Humphrey]

If stupid categories continue to be added, then this is definitely one to be avoided

 

Why would you avoid the whole web site, including categories which aren't "stupid" as well?

 

I can't see why people don't just ignore the categories they consider stupid or uninteresting. If there really isn't a category with any interest at all, then add your own (or persuade someone else to add it!).

 

On the general approach, effectively we've already been using this strategy with trigpointing.com. Those that don't find trig points interesting just ignore it. Those that do like them have a whole category (in this case, the whole web site), uncluttered with irrelevant waymarks (e.g. geocaches).

 

It seems odd to me that there's criticism of locationless caches now that they're placed in categories, when apparently the same type of thing was OK when just listed at random...

 

HH

[+dino-irl]

Getting fed up reading people moaning and winging so here's a few points:

 

1. This site is new and in its embryonic stages. Comparing it to GC.com is unfair. Have a look at the site in 1 month, 6 months, 1 year's time and I have a strong feeling it will look completely different.

 

2. None of the suggested categories have been accepted yet. They are just suggestions so far. All the discussion on the forum is to guage how people want the categories to be decided.

 

3. There is the option to filter less popular categories and to bookmark your own favourites so you can ignore those you don't like.

 

4. Its not compulsory. If you don't like it then don't do it.

 

5. Mc Donalds was put in as a sample category and I really wish people would stop banging on about it. Yes its stupid and most of us agree. It'll disappear of the radar eventually.

 

6. Once the dust settles and all the idiots stop suggesting stupid categories the cream will float to the top. I have a good idea for a category in Ireland similar to the Trigpoints in the UK but want to wait for all the crap to get out of the way first.

 

7. Give it time folks. I have a feeling its going to be so much better than most of you think.

[NickPick]

Getting fed up reading people moaning and winging

 

Isn't that what forums are for?

 

I expect you're right, and eventually it will be a useful site with some bits we'll all decide to ignore.

[+Chris n Maria]

4. Its not compulsory. If you don't like it then don't do it.

Ahh but it is..

 

If you want to create a virt, locationless, earthcache or webcam cache then you have to use the new site. No option at all to keep things how they were

[+dino-irl]

If you want to create a virt, locationless, earthcache or webcam cache then you have to use the new site. No option at all to keep things how they were

Virtuals are very rarely passed now anyway.

 

Earthcaches and webcam caches haven't been decided as yet. According to the WM Forum its up to the organisation behind Earthcaches (can't remember the name right now) to decide where they will reside.

 

I have a feeling Webcams will go as really they are just a kind of virtual. If you still want to do them then you can as they'll be in Waymarking. If you don't want to partake in the rest of the site then that's up to you. How big a loss would webcams be anyway

[+Learned Gerbil]

1. Lamp posts

2. Clouds

3. Stuff in the world (doesn't matter what it is - an ant, door knobs, cheese graters, car parking spaces, toilet rolls, paperclips) - log it all.

Lamp Posts and Dihydrogen Monoxide sightings have already been proposed. Stuff is a good one - I would rather we just had that categoryand ignored the rest!

[+Chris n Maria]

How big a loss would webcams be anyway

 

Personally I have never been a big fan of webcam caches..but, they were all part of the variety of the game. I didn't like them so I didn't do them.

 

Now it seems that the whole concept of cache types is to disappear - the only thing allowed on GC.com will be physicals. It just seems that TPTB want to standardise exactly what a cache is, which to me will take quite a lot of interest out of the game.

[+Learned Gerbil]

I agree - it is the loss of variety that bothers me the most. Instead of looking for ways to make Geocaching more varied and appealing to the maximum number of people, the bits the hard core don't like will be shuffled of elsewhere.

 

No doubt, however, when some huge corporation wants to set a load of non "box in the woods" caches in exchange for a load of money, a way will be found to allow that.

 

It seems to me the sterility of the concept behind the new site is born out by the lack of response to the most sensible suggestions. The poorer the idea the most enthusiasm it seems to generate!

 

Yes, it will be possible to filter on rating etc, but just look at the quality of the people likely to be doing the rating! If most Waymarkers can't recocgnise a decent category, how can they be expected to recognise a decent Waymark? Who is to say they have been there anyway - the criteria for ranking have not been set yet, but armchair ranking can't be discounted based on the "finds" already logged by some.

 

Caching has clear guidlines so that demonstrating that a location has been visited in person is necessary for all but a few mainly German armchair caches. Waymarking is so likely to lose that preceisely becasue it rejects the "wow" factor and so makes making the trip not worthwhile.

 

BTW, I agree that what we see in a year's time may be very different, and very much better, but I can only comment on what I see now, the behaviour I see being exhibited by potential waymarkers.

 

If someone has a time machine so can provide a genuine window on how things turn out over the next year, let's visit a bookies, make some serious bets, and retire to somethign better than Waymarking!

[+Teasel]

On the general approach, effectively we've already been using this strategy with trigpointing.com. Those that don't find trig points interesting just ignore it. Those that do like them have a whole category (in this case, the whole web site), uncluttered with irrelevant waymarks (e.g. geocaches).

What's amusing, though, is that on trigpointing.com there's a link to find the nearest GC.com geocaches to a trigpoint; whereas on Waymarking.com there isn't!

[+dino-irl]

.....snip...waymarkers.

I'm sorry but my tired brain keeps looking at that and trying to tell me its another word....one that many here may find very appropriate given the responses above

[NickPick]

.....snip...waymarkers.

I'm sorry but my tired brain keeps looking at that and trying to tell me its another word....one that many here may find very appropriate given the responses above

[+Clyde.]

I think this is a total waste of time, A Mcdonalds cache would not be allowed on the original site for obvious reasons so why now allow it on this one ?

I have just hit my 100 mark and I found it very challenging and enjoyable...... but this is pathetic.

Talk about taking the fun/challenge out of the hobby.

I will be sticking to the geocache site for my future finds..... if there is any left soon.

[+dino-irl]

Wow...thats some knee-jerk reaction!

 

Its a new site so it has new rules. If you don't like it then ignore it.

 

Waymarking is not geocaching and vice versa....stick to geocaching if that is your feeling and its not going anywhere except getting better if TPTB are to be believed.

 

btw the Mc Donalds category nopw only shows up on WM.com if you have your filter set to show all caches. Any filtering at all removes it...happy now folks

[+Clyde.]

Hi there everyone,

Its wasnt a knee jerk reaction, it was a reaction from someone who had submitted a virtual cache 7wks ago for approval only to be told that I should wait until a major change had taken place and then it will certainly be approved.

 

If "Waymarking is not geocaching and vice versa" why was I told to wait to have a virtual cache approved and why are caches getting transfered over from the geocache site?

 

Wern't they 'geocaches' yesterday.??

 

I just think that if it a ' new' sport/hobby, keep it that way and it shouldn't include 'old' ideas.

[+McDeHack]

London Taxi ranks.

Oyster pay machines.

Congestion charge entree and exit locations.

Cardbord citys.

Private clinics.

Big Issue seller locations.

Traffic lights with filter lights.

Bus depots.

Zebra crossings.

Buildings with lightning conductors.

 

'Oh shut up Mac and go and do something useful'...... B & Q stores. 'I said shut up'

'I'm going'....... Ikea...

[+derrylynne]

I must admit I am boggled eyed looking at all this. some of the suggested catagories can be found on my mapping software. Garages, resturants, etc are all there with the co-ordinates,so I could in theory log them all without leaving the living room. This has to be sensible to work. Otherwise none of us will have fun with it, then it will be a waste of time. Anything unusual, out of the ordinary, important building etc ok. But a lot more time and effort will I think have to go into getting this right. Start of footpaths, a good one and useful, toilets we all need, (laughs), so maybe, lets have some sensible suggestions. One other suggestion I saw was military establishments. Oh come on, lets not get that lot p*ss*d off with us, or the establishment will see us using gps as a liability.

[+Team Oodi]

So what is the process to get a subcategory added? The forum I get directed to from Waymarking.com gives me an error message.

[nobby.nobbs]

i have one question.

 

what will happen to our stats when all the other virtuals, loctionless etc etc get taken off gc.com? do we keep the numbers or will we all drop by however many?

 

i think this has been an atomic bomb to crack a very small nut. i can suggest who i think the nut is!

 

i was never really into them but it is a shame to send all the quality into a deep black hole of rubbish.

 

but greater minds than mine have decreed this is the way forward so as has been said i have a simple choice.

[+dino-irl]

All these questions have been asked over and over again in the Waymarking Forum. Try this link

[+Team Oodi]

All these questions have been asked over and over again in the Waymarking Forum. Try this link

This link gives me an error:

 

Sorry, an error occurred. If you are unsure on how to use a feature, or don't know why you got this error message, try looking through the help files for more information.

 

The error returned was:

 

Sorry, but you do not have permission to use this feature. If you are not logged in, you may do so using the form below if available.

[Deego]

Its for Premium members only

[+McDeHack]

Its for Premium members only

Your not missing much Deego. By the time it gets sorted, it will be open to all.

 

Carp lakes.

Car boot sales.

 

Ooops I'm off again. sorry.

[Deego]

Its for Premium members only

Your not missing much Deego. By the time it gets sorted, it will be open to all.

 

Carp lakes.

Car boot sales.

 

Ooops I'm off again. sorry.

I have seen it. I meant for Oodi.

 

I have decided to give it a miss for now and see what it grows into. Only time will tell

[+Team Oodi]

I have seen it. I meant for Oodi.

Doesn't paying for geocaching.com make me a premium member?

[+McDeHack]

I have seen it. I meant for Oodi.

Doesn't paying for geocaching.com make me a premium member?

Yes.

[Deego]

I have seen it. I meant for Oodi.

Doesn't paying for geocaching.com make me a premium member?

The link should work then. (Sorry just saw it said Geocacher under your avitar) Try clicking this Link Then try clicking the link again

[+t.a.folk]

Seems to be many more finds logged for the locationless caches last few days than we have noticed before.

[+Team Oodi]

The link should work then. (Sorry just saw it said Geocacher under your avitar) Try clicking this Link Then try clicking the link again

I logged out of the forums AND out of geocaching.com. After I logged back in on both sites the Waymarking forums appeared. Not good it did, though, since no new categories are accepted by the looks of it.

[+Boneychest & Catsuey]

Don't think I'll bother, thanks very much

 

Now... if we could convince TPTB to shift all web cam caches, earth caches and micro caches as well as virtuals and locationless caches over to the other place... That would be nice, wouldn't it? It would leave the g.com site clear for all the proper caches... you remember surely.... the ones in plastic boxes and ammo cans

Totally in agreement!

 

Well, almost... as much as I dislike micro's, they are in the spirit of hidden plastic boxes.

[markandlynn]

Don't think I'll bother, thanks very much   

 

Now... if we could convince TPTB to shift all web cam caches, earth caches and micro caches as well as virtuals and locationless caches over to the other place... That would be nice, wouldn't it? It would leave the g.com site clear for all the proper caches... you remember surely.... the ones in plastic boxes and ammo cans    

Totally in agreement!

 

Well, almost... as much as I dislike micro's, they are in the spirit of hidden plastic boxes.

Gets our vote as well at last its all about signing a log book google cacher will strike no more.

As for micros this one was the last we did and the kids enjoyed it too despite no swaps.

Just shows find something of interest and offset the container by 15 miles

[+t.a.folk]

Loggable Locationless and Vrtual cache give people who can't access containers hidden off track opportunities to seek and play in the numbers game .

 

I not keeping up with all this .

Are finds on the new site showing on user stats somewhere ?

[+The Hancock Clan]

Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but quite a lot of locationless (reverse) caches have already now been archived and moved over to the Waymarking site.

We really enjoy locationless ones as it provides an extra challenge whilst on a day out, and it often takes us several months (if we're lucky!) to come across good examples worthy of submitting.

I find it a shame that so many of these caches are now being archived and removed from geocaching.com as I was under the impression that the current caches were going to be left available for us to claim on our geocaching profile.

[+Munkeh]

I not keeping up with all this .

Are finds on the new site showing on user stats somewhere ?

apparently not, they are two separate sites

[+Stuey]

Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but quite a lot of locationless (reverse) caches have already now been archived and moved over to the Waymarking site.

Of my unfound locationlesses that aren't on my ignore list, 6 more dropped off in the past 2 weeks. Oh well..... There are plenty more real caches for me to worry about, but I know what you mean about them... I am always on the lookout for this and that.

 

I did make a concerted effort recently to find some more locationless caches. I've identified a few more and will get them when I am passing that way (quite a long way in some cases!)

[+Kitty Hawk]

I gather locationlesses are either transferred or disappear on 31/12.

[+t.a.folk]

Our favourite "Dash for Cache" still there .

[+t.a.folk]

LOCATIONLESS CACHE CHECKLIST (CATEGORIZED)      [as of 21 Aug 2005]

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Locationless caches are being migrated to Waymarking.com. Groundspeak recently offered a free 6-month premium membership to anyone who will archive their locationless caches. So, these may not be available for much longer. Hopefully the owners will keep them around for a while.

 

 

?

[+The Hole-in-the-wall Gang]

Not that I want to suggest a conspiracy theory or anything but who will own the rights to commercially exploit the vast amount of data that will eventually be available as a database for anyone who might want to know how many lamp posts or bottlebanks might be available in any given town ?

 

I don't mind marching about the country logging 'stuff' for my own enjoyment so long as the data is not going to be used to line someone elses pocket

 

FWIW, I think that the new site is a good idea, it simply gives people more choice to play the game in a different way. Although those people who's locationless / virtual caches have been forcibly evicted from GC.com may have a right to feel agrieved.

[+Bill D (wwh)]

Kitty Hawk wrote:

I gather locationlesses are either transferred or disappear on 31/12.

Yes, that seems to be the case. When I set my only locationless cache, I did so knowing that the guidelines require that a cache should be permanent, not temporary. My locationless cache was intended to be permanent - gc.com are now making it temporary.

[+Haggis Hunter]

That is an extremely good point, looks like Groundspeak are being a little bit hypocritical

[nobby.nobbs]

say it's not so. jeremy changing the rules to suit himself? surely not?

 

i'm trying to think how to change my virtual into a multi with micro at end.... not happy with it getting trans ferred

[+Stuey]

Your virtual should be okay shouldn't it? I'd heard that the Earthcaches were going to be migrated eventually though (might be wrong - I hope!)

[+Learned Gerbil]

Although nothing is final, the postings by TPTB in the days arround the launch of the new site suggest strongly that ultimately -

 

1) "Box in the woods" = Geocaching

 

2) Virtual = Not a "Box in the woods"

 

3) If it doesn't belong on Geocaching.com, it belongs on the Waymarking site.

 

4) If all goes well, everything that belongs on the Waymarking site may be moved over.

[+t.a.folk]

1) "Box in the woods" = Geocaching

 

2) Virtual = Not a "Box in the woods"

 

Doesn't make sense to me .

 

(1) Are Micros hidden in city centre a "box in the woods" ?

 

( 2)Conversely I know of several interesting landmarks in the middle of "woods" that can only be accessed by foot and would require the use of a g.p.s. ,or map reading skills,to find .

[Deego]

I would say:-

 

1) if you have to sign the log its geocaching.com

 

2) if not its Waymarking.com

 

I like virtuals and locationless. (I better get my webcam icon soon before they all go )

[+Munkeh]

Personal thoughts:

 

I think Waymarking is just a confusing mess

 

Theres a distinct lack of structure to it, surely before embarking on such a project it should have been thought through more carefully than it has been

 

theres not even a way of narrowing waymarks down by country that I can find, I'm never going to visit a quarry in america...nor or why do I want to?

 

I just think its a waste of time

[+dino-irl]

It is a bit confusing at the minute but then its only in the beta stages. In 6 months or more I think it'll have settled a lot and be much more organised.

 

You can't narrow by country at the minute but you can carry out a search by postcode and by origin (I think you can set these up in your profile). The distance is limited though. I think the reasoning behind this is that there will eventually be so many waymarks that you couldn't list them all in one go, even limiting the area to a single country.

 

You can also do an advanced search within categories.

 

If there is something you don't like you should read the forum and if it hasn't been raised already post about it. That way it may get sorted out if others feel the same. Thats why it has been released in this way - to get feedback. If we only moan on here and not on the WM forum there's not likely to be much change.

[+Stuey]

4) If all goes well, everything that belongs on the Waymarking site may be moved over.

I won't be moving my virtual over to Waymarking.com. It will be deleted if it has to be. I'm not going to "maintain" anything on Waymarking.com as I have no interest in them (too many caches left).

[nobby.nobbs]

from what i understand all virtuals will be transferred over in jan. i may be wrong but that's what i have got the impression is going to happen. hence the plan to adapt my virtual somehow and wave bye bye to the earth caches as i have no intention of using waypoint. ill thought out large hammer to break easily shelled nut.

[+Chris n Maria]

4) If all goes well, everything that belongs on the Waymarking site may be moved over.

I won't be moving my virtual over to Waymarking.com. It will be deleted if it has to be. I'm not going to "maintain" anything on Waymarking.com as I have no interest in them (too many caches left).

Same here - As I said at the start its a sad day for caching.

 

Chris