Jump to content

Money Well Spent?

Simply Paul

By Simply Paul
in United Kingdom and Ireland

Followers 2

Recommended Posts

markandlynn

markandlynn

Posted
Posted (edited)

TINA (there is no alternative)

If this website did not exist geocaching would fall into the same situation as letterboxing on the web.

Lots of individual sites, local organisations, word of mouth, webrings, books !! etc

This site just makes it easier ie no need to visit your cache to read the logs.

 

As for Premium Membership yes it's worth it for me but only for PQ's wich have many restrictions (protecting the database I believe)

Instant notification - still need to log on for the cache details

Members only caches - used to do this for FTF but don't now. Not that many in the country anyway's and seem to cause more contentious post's than any other type of cache

Bookmark lists - Used Haggis Hunters so a nice idea but with PQ's we could of coped.

Membership of Waymarking .....................

Geocaching maps - we use autoroute and those PQ's

Unlimited watchlists - couple of sock puppets would do this as well

I see from the OP's profile they have supported GC directly by purchasing TB's, organising events and hiding the odd cache or two that's a high level of investment from one individual.

Edit to add 1 week and our listings would go on our website and paypal contacted for a refund.

Edited by markandlynn
Link to comment
The Cache Hoppers

+The Cache Hoppers

Posted
Posted
Would someone else please answer my original question? A simple '5 hours a week' would do

 

Think most people have answered the question, but perhaps not as you would prefer. If you wanted lots of people to yell out "Hell yeah, the bloke's got a point; let's get our calculators out and work out exactly how much we reckon GC.com ought to refund us for the occasional blip that occurs" ... well it looks like it didn't happen.

 

Leave the thread running long enough though, and just maybe GC.com will hit a point when it might be down for a significant length of time (SP mentioned five hours a week so perhaps that could be the benchmark), perhaps then a different response would be forthcoming. Anyone want to volunteer to keep a record of the downtime and let us know when we hit the 5 hour mark, or is there a simple way to do that? :lol:

Link to comment
Brenin Tegeingl

+Brenin Tegeingl

Posted
Posted

If you look back to the start of GC, when there was no premium membership. Jeremy stated then and has kept to it that "Geocaching would always be free"! When he started the premium membership (Charter Membership at the time) it was because he had little commercial revenue to support the site, as part of the package those who took out premium (Charter) membership were offered extra features including PQ's and a first look and access to all new features, something which still happens now. Several years on with the increase in popularity of geocaching increasing thousandfold at least. Companys have started to recognise this market, giving Jeremy a chance to tap more commercial revenue, reducing the % of the running cost of the site from premium membership. To castigate Paul and anyone else who has not taken out premium membership is just an "Elitist" attitude! The owner of this site will tell you himself, that without members premium or not! Listing geocaches on his site, he would not have any business, remember over time caches get Archived and without replacements the No in the database would run down. Eventualy leading to a situation where you might have to travel over 100 miles to find a cache, just like those who started caching in 2000/2001. Another thought. If you had to pay from day one? How many new cachers would actualy join? A lot find out about caching from various sources, look up GC, and browse, before deciding to fork out on a GPSr. If they have to pay to view before browsing, how many new caches would we now see going out?

 

At the end of the day geocaching and access to GC.COM is open to all. Geocaching is all about going out and placing/finding caches! Features such as PQ's are just a bonus for those who want use them and who pay to receive them. They are not the be all, end all of Geocaching! In the same way Premium membership is not all that keeps GC floating, just one part of it. Along with the merchandise (TB tags, clothing), Advertising, sponsored caches and TB's. If you only pay for premium membership to support the site that is "your" right! But don't castigate those who "don't" for making their choice.

 

Sorry for such a long rant! I've put my own personal opinion in as few words as possible.

 

Dave :lol:

Link to comment
Sensei TSKC

+Sensei TSKC

Posted
Posted
Would someone else please answer my original question? A simple '5 hours a week' would do

 

Think most people have answered the question, but perhaps not as you would prefer. If you wanted lots of people to yell out "Hell yeah, the bloke's got a point; let's get our calculators out and work out exactly how much we reckon GC.com ought to refund us for the occasional blip that occurs" ... well it looks like it didn't happen.

 

Leave the thread running long enough though, and just maybe GC.com will hit a point when it might be down for a significant length of time (SP mentioned five hours a week so perhaps that could be the benchmark), perhaps then a different response would be forthcoming. Anyone want to volunteer to keep a record of the downtime and let us know when we hit the 5 hour mark, or is there a simple way to do that? :lol:

Mrs Cache Hopper,

 

....

 

Oss!

Link to comment
Haggis Hunter

+Haggis Hunter

Posted
Posted (edited)
Man, I feel so naked without my premium membership on my profile and here on the forums. It expired last week, and even though I sent in the renewal money they haven't renewed my account. I guess they are working to get this crappy site back up to snuff.

Send them an email asking why?? It should happen straight away.

The check was sent Wednesday...does that give them enough time?

Not knowing what the American postal or banking system is like, I would give them time to process your cheque and then send it off to their own bank.

Within the UK you can expect a cheque to be cashed within a couple of days to a week or two.

It wouldn't hurt to send them an email to ask if they have received it though.

Edited by Haggis Hunter
Link to comment
sTeamTraen

+sTeamTraen

Posted
Posted
Not knowing what the American postal or banking system is like, I would give them time to process your cheque and then send it off to their own bank.

Within the UK you can expect a cheque to be cashed within a couple of days to a week or two.

It wouldn't hurt to send them an email to ask if they have received it though.

I was quite surprised to discover that there are people - and Americans, at that - who send a che[ck|que] by snail mail to pay for their online access. :lol:

Link to comment
Mr'D

+Mr'D

Posted
Posted
Man, I feel so naked without my premium membership on my profile and here on the forums. It expired last week, and even though I sent in the renewal money they haven't renewed my account. I guess they are working to get this crappy site back up to snuff.

I had a similar problem some months ago when I switched from monthly to annual membership.

I emailed GC and within 24 hrs it was sorted - credit to them :lol:

Jon

Link to comment
Alibags

+Alibags

Posted
Posted

I am a premium member, however it is clear to me that there are several perfectly valid arguments for not paying Premium membership, if you do not feel inclined to do so, many of which I have a deal of sympathy with. As ever it seems the forums serve as a vehicle to castigate those who do not share one's own ideology. Ho hum, plus ça change....

Link to comment
Moote

+Moote

Posted
Posted
I am a premium member, however it is clear to me that there are several perfectly valid arguments for not paying Premium membership, if you do not feel inclined to do so, many of which I have a deal of sympathy with. As ever it seems the forums serve as a vehicle to castigate those who do not share one's own ideology. Ho hum, plus ça change....

I think that the early reply were mainly that someone who does provide financial support (By the means of Premium membership) has no rights to criticise the fact that the server occasionally is unavailable due to maintenance / upgarde etc. It appeared that the original Premium member respondents thought that maintenance is a necessary must for the site and it appeared that it was mainly none fee paying members moaning.

 

My argument was that if you don't pay then you have no right to moan as you are getting something for nothing.

 

Milton (aka moote)

Link to comment
Simply Paul

+Simply Paul

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I think that the early reply were mainly that someone who does provide financial support (By the means of Premium membership) has no rights to criticise the fact that the server occasionally is unavailable due to maintenance / upgarde etc.

I think you mean "...does not provide..."

 

Anyway, my curiosity on this subject has been satisfied. It seems people don't find regular(ish) GC.com server outages a problem and wouldn't dream of asking for a refund unless things get much worse. I'm sure TPTB will be relieved to know this!

 

Thanks very much to everyone (both of you :rolleyes:) who answered my question, and for the emails I've received regarding this thread too. Since I'm happy with the straw pole I've taken, I'm closing this thread. If you have anything extra to add, please feel free to start a fresh thread, or email me (simplypaulgc@aol.com - since my profile is inaccessible at the moment) directly.

 

SP

Link to comment
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
Followers 2
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...