Ftf.... Discuss.

[+Bud Lightbeer]

Well done Morton on your perseverance and some of the best logs I have ever read!

 

The Embra cachers seem a very well mannered and generous bunch....and that's from a Weegie cacher (currently in exile in the SW).

[+HazelS]

Out of 265 caches done, I've only had 2 FTF's. Both of those were the only time I'd gone out with the specific intent of getting the FTF, and Yeah - I can see why - it adds a certain twist to it all.

 

However... I'd much rather have the hints on mud, stiles, bearings etc from other people's logs to help, and after all, I do this as a hobby and a way of getting fresh air and a bit of exercise - not to drive like a mad man at 3am to a brand spanking new butty box just to say I got FTF!

[+Morton]

Well done Morton on your perseverance and some of the best logs I have ever read!

Why thank you... very kind of you to say so.

 

Many things about that cache were immensely entertaining, but I particularly enjoyed the comments which arrived in my inbox every time I published an installment! I think in the end I *would* have given up, if I hadn't known there were so many people watching!

[+MBFace]

To be honest I've never really given much thought to why I like to be FTF....If a new cache appears nearby and I've got the time I'll go and bag it there and then. I've managed to get about half or dozen or so that way and I must admit I get this sort of warm, fuzzy feeling...

 

I am sure everyone in our area knows your gonna beat us all to the ftf golem think we wait for you to bag it then we know its safe to go

 

Do we have any choice?

It's mine

[+The Golem]

Do we have any choice?

It's mine

 

 

It was a joke.....

[+The Cache Hoppers]

Absolutely loved your posting Golem! Would do the same if a cache was planted on our doorstep ... and did rush out to grab FTF on a cache in our area a few months ago. Saw it at 4.45pm, home and logged by 6pm - why not! Would be humiliating not to.

[+Moote]

Is this closer ? Cachetools for moote

Well 2 that were not first to find are in there, and 1 that I was FTF on is missing, I think that the issue here is that it is not easy to extract this data from GC.com as there is no FTF flag within their database. This makes it harder to write a SQL query that will pull back accurate data. I will create a SQL database on the works Sun server and import a load of data I have exported from GSAK, and see what I can come up with. If I feel I can get the answer, I will pass the SQL to your good self to try on the G:UK data.

Discussion:

 

Well I never thought this would be easy, and I proved myself correct, created a SQL database this morning and imported some GPX file info into it, it was not the most graceful database I have ever created but it was good enough to do this job.

 

Results, well the logic is there for spotting FTF's, but as the input varies it is hard to identify who is actually FTF a cache, firstly you can't assume first logged is FTF, secondly looking for the string FTF is also not consistent.

 

I did have some success with filtering "not FTF" and "FTF" but these phrases are not always used. So I guess for accurate FTF figures it is up to the individual to maintain. If GC.com created an FTF flag then future data would improve, but until/if that date arrives it is up to the FTF'ers to maintain there own accurate record.

 

I'm quite happy to be proved incorrect on this, but it would be nice to see how you built your Query.

 

Moote

Edited February 18, 2006 by Moote

[+The Blorenges]

 

And Morton's adventures on 3 consecutive nights at a certain central Edinburgh cache are worth a read!

 

Read it, loved it! Give Morton his own TV series...

MrsB