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Feature Concept - The Social Find


Jeremy

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If a social find has an associated counter then it will be abused by the usual numbers crowd. We can expect large tables at events where cachers can lay out cards containing their contact codes. This will have the advantage that they can all claim to have met each other without having to work the crowd and pester everybody.

 

Great, now were going to get a puritan definition for when you can log a social find. You didn't find the cacher unless you open them up and sign their log. Wait a minute - this doesn't seem very puritan after all. :huh:

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We're working in house to start joining the different features together into a universal profile.

 

Really don't like this whole social find idea. There must be a lot better things TPTB could be working on. Wasn't Waymarking created so that geocaching.com could return to finding boxes, not passing round code words.... I'd much rather find a virtual, webcam, or locationless etc than collect code words from other cachers.

 

Now you're talking about merging the profiles, so why not just go the whole slog and merge the websites, preferably getting rid of endless lists of fast food outlets etc. in the process.

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We're working in house to start joining the different features together into a universal profile.

 

Really don't like this whole social find idea. There must be a lot better things TPTB could be working on. Wasn't Waymarking created so that geocaching.com could return to finding boxes, not passing round code words.... I'd much rather find a virtual, webcam, or locationless etc than collect code words from other cachers.

 

Now you're talking about merging the profiles, so why not just go the whole slog and merge the websites, preferably getting rid of endless lists of fast food outlets etc. in the process.

 

Don't be a hater.

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Just read through the whole of the thread and thought it was a cool idea Jeremy.

 

For those of you nervous about the idea that it might make some people treat you as a find or about losing your privacy, I would like to say this:

I am a TB myself and at events I wear my tag on my GPS lanyard (also while out caching). Experience has shown that you don't get deluged by what could be complete caching strangers demanding to jot down the code, instead we often sit down for a chat, and if the person is interested he or she then politely asks if they can jot down your number as not everyone collects them. The exception though are young kids - I don't mind them demanding to see my number because I like to encourage their caching enthusiasm (I'm a mom to a young kid) and often they are TB's too.

 

I can see this happening with this new idea too. If you want to share your number, its easy just to stick it under your event name-tag. If you want to keep it either for good friends only or even just private then simply don't display it at all. People aren't stupid and will get the hint. Get a dog-tag engraved with the number and hang it from your GPS cord if you are terminally forgetful.

 

Forgive me if I missed any comments on the next bit and am repeating myself - regarding icons, why not use different icons for each level of membership, with ordinary members having a silhouette, Premium Members having a Signal the Frog perhaps greeting another Signal and the Charter Members each having their own unique icons? Naturally Jeremy's icon would be the most sought after - perhaps Signal with a cheeky wink? :laughing::laughing:

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At the risk of sounding like a multi-level marketing/pyramid scheme, it would be very cool (to me) if this could be a way to track my geocaching geneology/pedigree. Who introduced me to caching, whom I have introduced to geocaching--i.e. more than just "introduced", but who became a cacher! So two log types for people finds would be "Initiated me", and "I initiated"

 

I've heard the trem geocaching sire used. i.e. "such and such were our geocaching sires"

 

Of course then it could make more sense to track peple find stats.

Furthermore, we'd want a simple way to visualize one's geocaching geneology/pedigree!

 

Joel G. (G2 of The Seven G's)

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Thought I would throw in my 2 cents here. :)

 

I think the idea of a social find is a fine one. It would give us new cachers who are also premium members (caching since June 06) a method of tracking who we have met and who we have not, and (if it's designed something like a Travel Bug page) even when and where we met them. Excellent. Right now, the only way I have of tracking that is to either "discover" their personal milage coin (assuming they have one) or writing it down in a notebook. It's not long before usernames and actual names begin to run together and I forget who is who.

 

I also think that allowing people to develop and upload their own personal "icons" for this feature would be a fun addition as well (I think somebody mentioned that earlier in this thread). That way you could see (at a glance) who you've met and how many times you've met them. :D It would also give the "Icon-Hos" something else to do. (As in: Wow! You have a Jeremy icon????) :D

 

Thanks Jeremy for all the work you folks put into this site.

 

Matt

Edited by Western_Mass_Clan
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Few thoughts on it.

1. Awesome idea in that it would give me an incentive to go out and meet other geocachers (I'm quite shy in reality).

2. Awesome in that I have yet to meet ANY other geocacher, so if this were to be an option, I wouldn't miss a single geocacher :)

3. *sigh* I was hoping to keep my hobbies free of monthly charges. Geocaching: The game where more money = more fun B)

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I'm being convinced that logging could be available for any user. I'll need some help with determining what additional features could be provided for Premium Members though. These ideas grabbed from the topic:

 

1. 6 degrees of separation (between me and [insert username])

2. Your own personal icon (separate from the avatar images) other than a generic signal frog avatar

 

??

 

I'm not a big fan of removing content features (like log text) as a PM feature.

 

Maybe everyone would get a basic logging code, premium members would, in addition, be allowed to generate one special code each month that they could use for an extra "game" such as logging "I met Jeremy standing under an Oak tree while wearing a purple shirt"

 

I'd like to see that logging a meeting would require one or both participants to record the GPS coordinates of the meeting.

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How about this for a member only feature (and a feature I'd like to see anyway):

The ability to add other cachers to your watchlists. Know when they log a new find etc. Good for friendly competition.... Or obsessed stalking.

 

It's been mentioned. Probably on gc.com's "we'll think about it" list.

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As I was reading through all this, I thought it's sort of ironic that this feature would probably have the biggest effect on Jeremy himself. It's already been eluded to more than once on this thread that "finding" Jeremy would be the greatest prize of this new social game (I still don't like the idea of treating people as finds). If this feature was implemented, I wonder if it would earn Jeremy, Charter Members and other known cachers more "friends" than they bargained for :)

 

(not that I have to worry B) B) )

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How about this for a member only feature (and a feature I'd like to see anyway):

The ability to add other cachers to your watchlists. Know when they log a new find etc. Good for friendly competition.... Or obsessed stalking.

 

If that ever happened then I think I'd have to keep my own log book of finds and only update the cache pages once a year. I'm not too keen on someone having instant notification of the places I visit. Even if it is after the fact.

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What about adding a difficulty level to these social logs?

Difficulty 1: just ask me for my code, and I'll give it to you

Difficulty 2: you'll get the code if you can tell me the names of my cats

Difficulty 3: stand on your head?

etc.

 

As a premium member only feature a personalized icon would be cool. Or maybe displaying indirect social links: say A has met B, but not C. When A goes to B's profile, it could say: Social link to this person: A - B. When A goes to C's profile, it could say: Social link to this person: A - B - C.

 

By the way, is there a timeline for implementation of this feature yet? Can't wait!

 

Katja

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4. Any geocacher can log a user but only Premium and Charter members can generate their own codes. (Sorry... we have to support the site somehow).

 

Thoughts?

Sounds neat to me. But set me straight on #4.

 

Say I made my code "catfish." Being a premium member, I can make the code something simple. At an event or while out caching I meet a non-premium member and give them my code so they can log me. I will be able to log the non-premium member, but would I have to use a code randomly generated by Groundspeak like "cx17ba4q"?

 

No. Only premium members can be logged.

 

I like the idea as this is an easy to track cachers I've met. Maybe different log types for meeting at an event or met on the trail.

 

I don't like only being able to log premium members. (I'm all for supporting the website - don't get me wrong there and I like special premium features but this isn't one of them).

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So when is this going to happen? All we ever do is talk about new features.. Let's implement them and then change them as necessary. There are some questions that are impossible to answer until the feature is in use. If you wait until everything is perfect, nothing would get accomplished. I doubt that geocaching.com looked anything like it does now when it first came out. It has transformed over time.

 

LETS DO IT!

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The idea of trompsing through the woods in search of McDonald's toys is silly, what's your point? :laughing:

Well, obviously I don't think Geocaching is silly! I think we all know its not about hunting McDonalds toys.... But, seriously-- treating a person like a cache? How very uncomfortable :o ....

 

I usually geocache to get away from people! Now, if I run in to a cacher in the field (and I have many times), great! I'd love to sit and chat for a second. But if that person asks me for my "code" or if I want to stand on my head to get theirs, that's going to be the point where I politely excuse myself.

 

It's just too weird.... :(

Edited by Cache Heads
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I kind of like this! Winter comes and many caches are becoming harder to find so in winter time this would be excellent activity. People have their nicknames here already, now just adding small code with it.

 

Could there be three kind of task categories of finding other cacher? I suggest 1. Met cacher by chance. 2. Met cacher in cache site 3. Met cacher in geocaching events,

 

Finding another cacher by chance is the hardest task, and events the easiest!

 

Some variations how to group cachers. There could be like Master Cacher and Apprentice cacher...Master cacher would have apprentice caches meaning cachers that you have introduced this hobby and they started it and those would be his apprentices..When apperentice cachers have found somebody new into the sport he becomes master.. Apprentice with enough experinece would become Jedi likeafter 1000 finds or so.. And with this amount of finds you can be Master Jedi... And most in a coutry would be like siths becaus ther could be only one of those...I hope that Geoge Lucas wont mind of using his classes..

 

I nordic forum there is a discussion of grouping cachers by using Harry Potter houses. So you could give yourself a status what kind of caches you like to search...

 

Any comments?

Edited by small oaks
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I don't understand why we would have to have a code. That is the part that doesn't make sence to me. We don't need codes to log our caches now - why require them for social finds?

 

Isn't part of the reason we have online logs is so we as geocachers can look back in fond memory of our find? Wouldn't social finds be the same way. We meet them, so we log them to remember them. Many geocachers do this already in their profile. If people want to cheat with social find, we should enforce the same punishment to them as to those who log traditional caches they didn't find.... oh wait... there is nothing to stop them.

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So when is this going to happen? All we ever do is talk about new features.. Let's implement them and then change them as necessary. There are some questions that are impossible to answer until the feature is in use. If you wait until everything is perfect, nothing would get accomplished. I doubt that geocaching.com looked anything like it does now when it first came out. It has transformed over time.

 

LETS DO IT!

The idea was brought up a little over 4 months ago. You're suggesting they should just rush in and implement code without adequate testing and chance breaking the existing system? That's a little foolhardy.

 

Jeremy's crew has proven capable at writing and implementing the code in such a manner it doesn't crash the system. Be patient. Give it time.

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I think you should generate incentive for paid membership through some other perk of this system if you have serious ideas about implementing it. Allow everyone to, at the minimum, be "met" and "meet" people.

 

OK, I'll add a few cents here.

 

I don't like the idea that I (as a paying member) cannot log my buddies (premium member) kid (non-premium member) using the system as presented.

 

Instead of giving this new feature away as a new feature for premium members, may I suggest that gc.com SELL the "cacher cache" code feature. One time fee of $3.00 (or whatever is appropriate) and then a code is assigned to members premium or otherwise.

 

While my theoretical buddy is not going to buy a second premium membership for his kid just so he can get logged, he will pay a few $$$ for this new feature for each of his family members.

 

I project $10-$20K in sales in 30 days after this feature launches using my schema.

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