Yet another RSS thread

[+Team Four Paw]

I've searched and read some good and some not so good threads.

 

Would it be within the realm of possibility to have a rss/xml feed for events by state or something similar?

 

The idea is to make it a little easier on some of the webmasters for updating news and events for the local area.

[Hillbilly-Rockstar]

Whats wrong with the weekly cache notification email. I use to get it and it might have change, but doesn't it also include events?

[+Team Four Paw]

Whats wrong with the weekly cache notification email. I use to get it and it might have change, but doesn't it also include events?

 

Texas is a busy state for caches and events.. Some us will drive 300 miles to the next big city for an event.

The weekly emails contain too much information and would require too much work to output to a webpage.

[+Glenn]

Whats wrong with the weekly cache notification email. I use to get it and it might have change, but doesn't it also include events?

 

Texas is a busy state for caches and events.. Some us will drive 300 miles to the next big city for an event.

The weekly emails contain too much information and would require too much work to output to a webpage.

 

Do you mean something like this?

[+Team Four Paw]

Yes, but thats not a feed. That would be nice if it was though.

[+Glenn]

RSS feeds are typically used on sites that post new information every few hours, at a minimum. A news site or a message board would be two good examples. It looks like the events are added every few days on the TX state page. That seems a little slow to me to considred for an RSS feed.

[+benh57]

RSS feeds are typically used on sites that post new information every few hours, at a minimum. A news site or a message board would be two good examples. It looks like the events are added every few days on the TX state page. That seems a little slow to me to considred for an RSS feed.

 

Not at all.

 

I have tons of RSS feeds which only update every few days, some less often.

 

In a way, those are MORE useful than the ones which update hourly. The hourly ones i can just check myself for updates every few hours. The ones which update every few days, it's more useful to have the RSS icon appear next to when the rare update occurs rather than manually checking the site and seeing nothing new.

[+SG-MIN]

How is this differant than a premium member email notification that is set for event caches within 300 miles?

[+Glenn]

RSS feeds are typically used on sites that post new information every few hours, at a minimum. A news site or a message board would be two good examples. It looks like the events are added every few days on the TX state page. That seems a little slow to me to considred for an RSS feed.

 

Not at all.

 

I have tons of RSS feeds which only update every few days, some less often.

 

In a way, those are MORE useful than the ones which update hourly. The hourly ones i can just check myself for updates every few hours. The ones which update every few days, it's more useful to have the RSS icon appear next to when the rare update occurs rather than manually checking the site and seeing nothing new.

 

What is the average bandwith usage on those RSS feeds?

[+Glenn]

How is this differant than a premium member email notification that is set for event caches within 300 miles?

 

With an email the GC site send you the information when it gets added. If you don't have way for your email program or webmail probider to notify you of received emails then you have to manually check you email.

 

With an RSS feed your computer continuously queries (eats bandwith) the GC servers for new information that usually isn't there. Then notifies you when the information has changed. RSS feeds are a convenience but as with every convenience there is a cost to someone.

 

Just thinking out loud here. I wonder if there are any webmail providers that offer RSS feeds. That way you can use the webmail server as a converter for email notifications from Groundspeak to RSS feed.

[+Team Four Paw]

 

Just thinking out loud here. I wonder if there are any webmail providers that offer RSS feeds. That way you can use the webmail server as a converter for email notifications from Groundspeak to RSS feed.

 

I think that would be violating the TOS.

An RSS feed probably doesn't chew up anywhere near as much bandwidth as say the stats banner that everyone puts in their sig. It's just text, and very little at that..

 

This isn't a technical discussion on the pros and cons of syndicated news.

 

I'm just wondering if it's possible/feature request to have a feed for events for people that run local community sites?

[+Glenn]

 

Just thinking out loud here. I wonder if there are any webmail providers that offer RSS feeds. That way you can use the webmail server as a converter for email notifications from Groundspeak to RSS feed.

 

I think that would be violating the TOS.

An RSS feed probably doesn't chew up anywhere near as much bandwidth as say the stats banner that everyone puts in their sig. It's just text, and very little at that..

 

This isn't a technical discussion on the pros and cons of syndicated news.

 

I'm just wondering if it's possible/feature request to have a feed for events for people that run local community sites?

 

I'm not sure what part of the TOS you are referring.

It is difficult to compare the stats banner and an RSS feed. The two serve different purposes.

An RSS feature is possible. But, why take something like RSS that was created for use with news websites and try to make it work for GC.COM. Particularly when GC.COM already delivers the informataion want, just not in the form you are asking.

 

It seems like you are asking for something special for your group/association websites. You may want to talk directly with someone from Groundspeak about your ideas. Geocachers already have access to this information, in email and web based form, for their private use.

[+Team Four Paw]

The statement wasn't a comparison of function, but rather a comparison of bandwidth usage. Readers can be configured to query at any interval. I'm not quite sure you completely understand the functionality of RSS.

 

Notifications and PQs are prem. member features. I don't want to use the data from those features to post on a website. I'm not asking for anything special. Just a feed for events. That would be the easiest way for people to keep up to date with local events. Whether a user uses a feed reader or a webmaster displays the feed on local community website it makes no difference. My question/request is plain and simple.

 

Promoting geocaching thru events is quite popular. We have new people show up all the time just to ask questions etc. Making the knowledge of these events more easily accessible is the goal here.

[+Glenn]

At first I thought this was Yet Another RSS Thread but now I see it isn't the same old thread.

This is definitely something that you need to contact Groundspeak about. Since you will be using the information for a Geocaching club/group/association website they may just set up an RSS feed just for you. As far as setting up RSS feeds for anyone to use, which has been what every other RSS thread has been about so far, is a poor idea simply because of the fact that the query interval can be set to just about anything.

[+Team Four Paw]

is a poor idea simply because of the fact that the query interval can be set to just about anything.

 

I've seen sites do a temporary ip ban with a redirect and a message displayed saying that there is too many queries and to change the query time. So it can be controlled on both sides.

 

This request is for anyone who wants to keep up with upcoming events.

I've read all the other threads about people wanting feeds on caches, etc. I understand why that is a bad idea for Groundspeak as a company and their feature set.

[+WearyTraveler]

Personally - I would like to set up a feed that would allow me to track my (or any other cacher's) finds and the logs.

 

Here's an example: http://geocaching.com.au/cacher/TEAM+LANDCRUISER.rss

 

I like to see the finds and the log entries.

 

Is it needed? no, not really...

 

Nice to have? well, sure...

 

Cache On!

[+jfarr]

Just giving this topic a bump because it's a darn good idea. RSS feeds for things like the caches closest to a location, filter out finds, etc would be awesome, and it's incredibly easy to do.

 

Jeremy, if you're listening, please give it a shot. You can have it running in under an hour

[+StarBrand]

Just giving this topic a bump because it's a darn good idea. RSS feeds for things like the caches closest to a location, filter out finds, etc would be awesome, and it's incredibly easy to do.

 

Jeremy, if you're listening, please give it a shot. You can have it running in under an hour

Maybe for you - less than an hour. For a wide, practical and configurable implementation that would not strain the database servers - would take much more thought.

[+jfarr]

Just giving this topic a bump because it's a darn good idea. RSS feeds for things like the caches closest to a location, filter out finds, etc would be awesome, and it's incredibly easy to do.

 

Jeremy, if you're listening, please give it a shot. You can have it running in under an hour

Maybe for you - less than an hour. For a wide, practical and configurable implementation that would not strain the database servers - would take much more thought.

 

I'm running well over 250 RSS feeds on the site I manage, and it's no bother. It's certainly less strain than sending out a bunch of e-mails.

[+Glenn]

Just giving this topic a bump because it's a darn good idea. RSS feeds for things like the caches closest to a location, filter out finds, etc would be awesome, and it's incredibly easy to do.

 

Jeremy, if you're listening, please give it a shot. You can have it running in under an hour

Maybe for you - less than an hour. For a wide, practical and configurable implementation that would not strain the database servers - would take much more thought.

 

I'm running well over 250 RSS feeds on the site I manage, and it's no bother. It's certainly less strain than sending out a bunch of e-mails.

 

This is only a guess but I think there are a little more than 250 location in the world.

 

Everyone will want their RSS feed configured differently. You user number is 322787 but lets say only 1% use the RSS feeds and each have their own special configuration that is over 3000 feeds. Now imagine word gets out and that increases to 10% that over 30,000 feeds. If everyone behaves that is manageable. But you'll always get a couple hundred people that think setting their RSS reader to retrieve the feed every half second will get them the information quicker instead of what it is really doing, slowing down the server and waisting bandwidth.

[+jfarr]

Just giving this topic a bump because it's a darn good idea. RSS feeds for things like the caches closest to a location, filter out finds, etc would be awesome, and it's incredibly easy to do.

 

Jeremy, if you're listening, please give it a shot. You can have it running in under an hour

Maybe for you - less than an hour. For a wide, practical and configurable implementation that would not strain the database servers - would take much more thought.

 

I'm running well over 250 RSS feeds on the site I manage, and it's no bother. It's certainly less strain than sending out a bunch of e-mails.

 

This is only a guess but I think there are a little more than 250 location in the world.

 

Everyone will want their RSS feed configured differently. You user number is 322787 but lets say only 1% use the RSS feeds and each have their own special configuration that is over 3000 feeds. Now imagine word gets out and that increases to 10% that over 30,000 feeds. If everyone behaves that is manageable. But you'll always get a couple hundred people that think setting their RSS reader to retrieve the feed every half second will get them the information quicker instead of what it is really doing, slowing down the server and waisting bandwidth.

 

It's still not that big of a deal. You write a script to create the XML files on a daily basis. They don't have to be generated by an ASPX page every time that a user accesses them. Even if there are 250,000 of them, it could be accomplished easily. And even if it required another server because of the feared extra bandwidth that repeated RSS downloads might require, the potential advertising revenue could pay for it. That many RSS feeds being downloaded and viewed equals quite a few sellable pageviews and ad impressions.

[+gh patriot]

The more that I read the Geocaching.com Web Site forums, the dumber I feel because I realize that the more I know, the more I realize I dont know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You guys loose me in a real hurry in here. lol

[+StarBrand]

.....It's still not that big of a deal. You write a script to create the XML files on a daily basis. They don't have to be generated by an ASPX page every time that a user accesses them.....

Do you really believe that any more then a small handful of these rather dedicated cachers would find a single once daily update to be even remotely acceptable?? My guess is that many users would demand 15 minute updates on the feeds.

[+jfarr]

.....It's still not that big of a deal. You write a script to create the XML files on a daily basis. They don't have to be generated by an ASPX page every time that a user accesses them.....

Do you really believe that any more then a small handful of these rather dedicated cachers would find a single once daily update to be even remotely acceptable?? My guess is that many users would demand 15 minute updates on the feeds.

 

So do them in batches a few times a day, or as often as needed when the list of caches changes. The bottom line is this ... it's not impossible, it won't destroy the GC web site, and it can only improve the overall GC.com experience.

 

And since we're talking about it, I wanted to point out that their availablity should be limited at first. They'd probably just be lists of updated caches local to a user's pre-defined location. That would make the list of actual daily processing even smaller and put less load on the equipment, if that's still a concern.