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New Changes - Arrrrrgghhh!


StarBrand

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****Not a discussion of the actual changes themselves****

 

So I went to grab a cache yesterday afternoon with my son....

Then, as I have done hundreds of times, I quickly went online to the nearest computer and printed the page for the cache listing and headed out. I knew the cache was about 16 miles from home in a nearby town. I took off about 30 minutes before sunset. As I got close to the town I pulled over to plug the coordinates in my GPSr. Behold, no coordinates, only a friendly reminder to log in to see coordinates. ARRRRGGGHHH!! So I grab my cell phone and called my wife only to hear the warning beep that the battery was dying.

 

I felt like some kind of amateur rookie. No coordinates, no cell phone and the usual paperless DELL Axim on my desk at work. Fourteen and half miles from home........sigh

 

I headed home - got the cell charger, got the coordinates, got the Dell, grabbed spare batteries for the GPSr. Assured my son that we would find the treasure. Left the house to the echo of my wife's laughter. Went back and spent 45 minutes on a 1/1 cache that was 160 feet from the posted coordinates (clue helped).

 

Was dark when I got home. I got FTF.

 

Anybody else got stung yet??

 

(ps - thanks (sic) for all the hard work on the new changes guys!!)

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Well, there goes the argument used here for years that you didn't have to create an account to go geocaching.

I don't remember that argument? I remember the statement that geocaching is free. It still is since an account is free. B)

 

Edit: Moose Mob is faster than me. Must be that car.....

 

P.S. Funny story Starbrand! B)

Edited by carleenp
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Well, there goes the argument used here for years that you didn't have to create an account to go geocaching.

I don't remember that argument? I remember the statement that geocaching is free. It still is since an account is free. B)

 

Here you go. Straight from the horse's...mouth:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...dpost&p=1246162

 

Or how about this very absolute statement:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...dpost&p=1246162

 

To add something to these thoughts:

 

What about park rangers/land managers who want to check in on their properties? Now they have to sign up with the site?

 

What about the users who are banned due to forum violations? Now they're not even allowed to geocache nicely even if they won't act appropriately on a forum?

 

What about the new users that were always the poster children for not doing something like this?

 

As mini cachersaid in another forum, what does this stop other than those who can program a scraper but can't add in cookie support?

 

Remember me doesn't like keeping me logged in. It probably has something to do with using multiple computers to access the site (each one's cookie not being the latest info or something). It just became more annoying to browse the caches.

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Here you go.  Straight from the horse's...mouth:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...dpost&p=1246162

I was shown the errors of my ways since then and have given in to the account required "feature" of the site.

 

What about park rangers/land managers who want to check in on their properties?  Now they have to sign up with the site?

 

Yes. They do. We have been offering free PMs to park managers for a while now in order to address people who think they can get away with listing ones as subscriber-only caches too. Land managers are pretty computer savvy too.

 

What about the users who are banned due to forum violations?  Now they're not even allowed to geocache nicely even if they won't act appropriately on a forum?

 

Oops. Nice benefit. I didn't think of that.

 

What about the new users that were always the poster children for not doing something like this?

 

We'll have to find out how it works out.

 

As mini cachersaid in another forum, what does this stop other than those who can program a scraper but can't add in cookie support?

 

That's for us to know and them to find out.

 

Remember me doesn't like keeping me logged in.  It probably has something to do with using multiple computers to access the site (each one's cookie not being the latest info or something).  It just became more annoying to browse the caches.

 

Sorry about that. I personally never use "remember" me so I don't find it a problem anyway.

Edited by Jeremy
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I didn't remember those. I guess minds change. Nothing wrong with that. I do remember quite a number of people advocating for a loggin requirement.

 

Perhaps discussion of whether the change is good or not is better for another thread? It really isn't the topic that this thread intended I think.

 

Edit: I was typing while Jeremy and Moose Mob were responding.

Edited by carleenp
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Remember me doesn't like keeping me logged in. It probably has something to do with using multiple computers to access the site (each one's cookie not being the latest info or something).

I do the same thing. One thing I noticed, is if I log out on one computer, it seems to log me out on all computers. If I don't log out anywhere, I don't have a problem.

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From my perspective this feature could turn off potential future cachers. Being able to "test drive" is why I first bothered at all.

 

I would have never went out and found that first cache if I would have been forced to create an account and log in. After I got the coords, went out and found it I was hopelessly hooked and then signed up for an account so I could recount my "adventure".

 

I certainly understand the desire to have direct control over the website by knowing who is getting what, encouraging them to log, all other valid busines reasons, however I do question if it will turn away people.

 

Well that's my two-cents worth...

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I made an account immediately anyway so that I could access the forums. You needed an account for that part already and I really wanted to get some info on the subject. Heck, I wasn't about to go buy a GPSr without more info! Making the account didn't bother me a bit. Of course I also don't mind paying the measly amount charged for a Premium Membership either. I consider it great value for the cost.

 

Geocaching has had a VERY positive impact on my life. I really appreciate the site and the responsiveness of the staff here. I've been in numerous forums in other places for other topics and I have NEVER seen such immediate response to issues as I have seen here. The staff here is awesome.

 

Making an account (and paying for a PM) is a very small price indeed for what we get here.

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I never noticed that before I always make sure I'm logged on, the first thing I do is check my caches. I don't see a problem with it It only takes a few seconds to create an account, and this way they know how many different people are looking at the site. I got introduced to caching by meeting people in the woods and they invited me to join them, I was hooked.

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Same thing happened to us this last weekend on one of our geocaching campouts, except we were more like 2 hours from home and had 3 out of the 5 we printed with no coords. We were having to start and restart our computer due to printer difficulties and that didn't help, but often I don't log into our account just to print out caches..... Didn't need to in the past and had no way of knowing until now the necessity. It certainly did put a big damper on our trip and get tempers going considering we are premium members and the caches looked like lots of fun...

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