Virtual Logging

[+Jan and the Percey Boys]

On return from work today I had this in my e mail box

 

This is an automated message from Geocaching

 

You are receiving this email because you are the owner of this listing.

 

********* discovered JNPB's Manituela Geocoin (Personal Geocoin) at 10/30/2006

 

Log Date: 10/30/2006

Looked up this beautiful personal coin. Thank for sharing:^D

 

Well as this person is in california and the coin is in my album in my house in the UK I have deleted the log should I send the id to anyone?

 

Bob

 

 

check out my trade list under JNPB at

bobs trading list

[+sir_zman]

Do you know how they got the tracking number for your coin?

[+HiDude_98]

I'd check their profile to see if they are just randomly searching for coin tracking numbers and logging them. If they are, I'd report them. If this was an isolated instance, then it is just possible that they transposed a number of an actual coin they saw, when they logged it. I have transposed many GCxxxx numbers when logging caches and have done so on a couple of coins. I noticed it was the wrong cache or coin before actually logging, but if one isn't paying attention...

 

Again, I'd give them the benefit of the doubt and check their profile before reporting.

 

-HiDude_98

[+MustangJoni]

I had several folks log one of my coins from Germany. I think what happened was that they went to an event and someone had one of those sheets with coin numbers on it, and had a typo on it, listing my coin.

 

They were fine with me deleting their log.

[+forthferalz]

did you have a photo on your page? maybe then they'd know it was wrong coin!

[+MustangJoni]

did you have a photo on your page? maybe then they'd know it was wrong coin!

Yes, I don't know the coin they were trying to log, but mine was a Parrolet. All but one of my coins have pictures. I put a note up also, but because of the language difference, they might not understand it.

[+Go JayBee]

I had someone from Switzerland log one my coins...I emailed to ask how they could see my coin when I've never been to that part of the World. When I did not get a reply, I deleted their log.

[+nicolo]

I had a case of two people from the same event logging discoveries on my Moun10Bike coin. After "talking" to Jon I realized that what had happened is that people were finding non-trackable geocoins at the event that had numbers on them and were entering the non-trackable ( for that coin ) number on the gc.com TB page ... tada, a Moun10Bike coin found and discovered.

Edited October 31, 2006 by nicolo

[Geo Jesus]

I would have left it as sort of a novelty log.

[+rusty_da_dog]

What exactly is the point of "virtual logging?" I thought it was fun at one time to "count coup" on Travel bugs, or coins, but now I just stick to what I have found personally. Seems a lot more fun that way.

[+IC1]

I just had the same log as Mustang Joni... a log from and event in Germany. I know my coins that have been logged at events, but that is when I have taken them to the event. The fact that it was only one coin out of over 130 active, makes me wonder if it wasn't a typo...

 

I do know of a "backdoor" to logging the coins and bugs without having the numbers, but this log used the normal method. So that isn't what is happening here.

 

Right now I am leaning towards leaving it there, as a discovered log it doesn't effect the mileage so....

[+Hula Bum]

"looked up" tells me they got the code from somewhere, and not off the coin. Email them, tell them it's not ok to do and delete logs like this. It may not affect mileage, but it's not an acceptable practice and should not be ignored.

[+Deena&Eli]

A bunch of cachers logged our TBs when they were at an event cache. This "discovered" option is BuLL Sh$%, and NEEDs to be stopped. People should find TBs, take them, log them, and place them in another cache..... They are just racking up TB finds, and cheating them selves.

Edited December 12, 2006 by Deena&Eli

[+9Key]

I would have left it as sort of a novelty log.

Welcome back! If I don't see you gain before the 25th have a great birthday!

 

Back on topic... I get logs like that every once in a while and delete them. I assume its people phishing for numbers. They must be *very* bored.

[+Eartha]

If someone logs your travel bug or your geocoin without your say so, and they got the number without ever seeing the bug or coin, delete the log. Virtual logging is logging by getting a hold of the number, and not ever seeing the trackable and logging it. It's considered abuse of the system and in a lot of cases has caused that bug or coin to be locked forever. Getting it back in action won't be easy, so you'd probably rather that didn't happen at all.

It happens by typo (accidental, forgivable), it happens inadvertently (someone posted a photo showing the tracking number and someone else saw it and thought they were cute logging it - delete or edit the photo - or ask the poster to) and it happens on purpose (owners allow it - bug/coin gets locked, or owners don't care and don't delete the log - bug/coin COULD get locked)

Basically, you can only log it if you found it, or discover it if you got to see it.

[+Snowwolf75]

The only virtual logging I've had on my coins were honest mistakes. With PC-labeled coins, there have been times someone got a digit wrong and got one of my coins. Usually this happens after a big event, when people are logging coins like mad and not paying attention to name/type. I just delete their logs and notify them of their blunder. They're usually apologetic to their mistake and everything's fine.

[+Rockin Roddy]

I have a question as to this...what IS the rules on discovering at events??? If I didn't take my coin to the event, can I stop the discoveries?? Once the coin left my hands, it's in the game, but discovering at an event when the coin isn't a "discover only" coin???

 

I don't really mind if someone does discover it (legit), but several are discovering my coin at an event! What, is everyone going to the table and writing down the numbers?? My understanding (and I worked the tables at '06 Geobash) is that this isn't allowed.

 

I certainly WOULDN'T want my coin locked because I didn't know what to do!!

[+BlueDeuce]

What, is everyone going to the table and writing down the numbers?? My understanding (and I worked the tables at '06 Geobash) is that this isn't allowed.

 

Yep, and it's a common practice. Not sure who told you it wasn't allowed. The owner might not want it to happen and they have the right to delete but there's no gc.com rule against it, in fact they added the discover option for this very purpose.

[+Hula Bum]

I'm not sure if it's what you're saying....

But, if you're coin was NOT at the event then it is virtual logging and is not allowed.

If the coin was sitting on a table then yes, everyone is free to "discover". The coin must be present. If the coin was not present feel free to delete the logs.

[+Rockin Roddy]

Yes, coin is at the event HB.

 

BD...I understand that you can discover a coin...but this coin was probably (not sure as I didn't plce it in the event) placed on the tables to be picked up and moved on by another cacher. That's NOT what is happening here, it is being picked up, the number written down and then put back down. (just a guess as I don't think someone would put a "discover only" sign up at the event unless the coin stated that was it's mission)

 

If it was placed on a table with a sign stating "PLEASE DISCOVER ME", I'd agree, but the reason for the tables ISN'T to let everyone go around the table and just write down numbers, that's a form of virtual logging.

 

As it was worked at the '06 Geobash, the only people that were allowed to go back to the TB tables were people with TBs to trade (sure, we let cachers LOOK at the TBs, but NOT discover them because they were there). With over 1000 Tbs at an event of that nature, that's the biggest "shortcut" anyone could ever make!!

 

I was told this by MaxB on the River.

[+BlueDeuce]

Like I said, discovering coins at events is very common. Some people hand out printed sheets of the tracking number for their coins so people don't have to write them all down. If someone simply picked up a coin and stuck it in their pocket and didn't allow others to discover it someone would probably accuse them of not being courteous.

 

Personally, I will never use the discover option under any circumstance.

 

edit:

hey, post 7000 whoop whoop!

Edited December 19, 2006 by BlueDeuce

[+Hula Bum]

Blue Deuce is correct. If the coin is there then it is up for discovering. We don't take our coins or bugs to events for this reason and do not "discover" either. People do it, if you don't want it done to your stuff then don't take it to the mob of discover hounds, that's the best advice I can give.

[+Rockin Roddy]

I agree...if it were on a list, or on a "discover" table. Those placed on the tables to be re-distributed are pretty much the same as being in a cache. Those aren't there as part of the normal discovering item! What I'm talking about are the checked-in Tbs and coins which are only supposed to be available for trading .

 

I realize this is different at other events, but if I read what both of you are saying, you wouldn't mind the local TB guy coming in and just ransacking the tables for discoveries??

 

Like I said, I don't care if it's done as long as my TB won't get locked or anything, but I don't think this is exactly what the PTB had in mind!

 

edit: spelling is a bother today!!

Edited December 19, 2006 by Rockin Roddy

[+BlueDeuce]

I agree...if it were on a list, or on a "discover" table. Those placed on the tables to be re-distributed are pretty much the same as being in a cache. Those aren't there as part of the normal discovering item! What I'm talking about are the checked-in Tbs and coins which are only supposed to be available for trading .

 

I realize this is different at other events, but if I read what both of you are saying, you wouldn't mind the local TB guy coming in and just ransacking the tables for discoveries??

 

Like I said, I don't care if it's done as long as my TB won't get locked or anything, but I don't think this is exactly what the PTB had in mind!

 

edit: spelling is a bother today!!

 

A lot of people want to be able to do this and have coins availble for others to discover, it's all poke'mon to me. I don't have coins and I would prefer that TB's didn't have the option to discover, but I'm not in charge.

 

Did gc.com have this in mind? mmm maybe not so much for TB's but definately for coins. They wanted people to be able to log a coin and get the icon without having to do a drop and retrieve.

 

Actually that would be a retrieve and drop back into the cache/event page.

Edited December 19, 2006 by BlueDeuce

[+Hula Bum]

Sadly in my opinion, yes, any coin that is out on any table (including the one meant for trading travellers) seems to be fair game. We no longer allow trackables at our events, too many get lost, too many unhappy people that didn't want their stuff discovered (I can't blame them). Unless you're going to have someone policing the table making sure that nobody writes the numbers down I don't know how you can prevent it.

FWIW I agree with you.

Edit to add-nowadays the coin doesn't even have to be out, people just pass lists of the codes around......

Edited December 19, 2006 by Hula Bum

[+BadAndy]

Coin/TB tables at events seem to be one of the biggest causes of missing travellers. Whenever I see one of my coins logged into an event, I worry. Eventually the discovery logs peter out and thats the end, It never gets another log and is lost in someones pocket.