Virtually finding Virtual Caches?

[+Stan&Ruth]

I just discovered a guy who logged a find of our virtual cache up north and also logged one near our house on the same day. Thinking that it was quite unusual for someone to find two of our virtual caches 250 miles apart, let alone on the same day, I checked a little further and discovered from his profile that in the last week he has logged 60 virtual caches in 12 states, the District of Columbia, Italy, Barbados and Sir Lanka! My thinking is that he did it by not leaving his computer chair. Another reason for not allowing new virtual caches?

[Dale_Lynn]

Dont think its a argument on allowing more virtual caches or not....

 

Its a issue of credibility of the "finder"....

 

Dale

[+knoffer]

Did he provide the needed information required to prove he was at the site? Is the needed information available online?

 

If he didn't provide what is required to prove he was there delete his logs.

 

If he did then maybe he was actually there or was able to decipher some info from the already existing logs or contacted someone that actually did the virtual and provided him the info.

 

If you are really concerned ask for some other info about the area that would prove he was there.

[+BlueDeuce]

Typically virtual caches require information to be sent to the owner for 'proof' that the person was there.

 

It's up to the owners to manage the logs. I wouldn't contact anybody since nobody but the owner can delete the found it logs. (And gc.com doesn't police logs ether)

 

Ignore it. The cacher isn't really getting much satisfaction from the practice and will eventually stop (and probably quit)

Edited December 22, 2006 by BlueDeuce

[Backup]

Going to the Cache Types descripiton page , vor Virtual Caches, it states, "Because of the nature of these geocaches, you must actually visit the location and acquire the coordinates there before you can post."

 

You can delete their logs knowing you are justified but do you really want to?

 

I'll never visit 98% of the world (though I've been around the world) and a virtual visit is the only way to travel to those places and learn a bit about them. If for whatever reason I can't get out on any given day, researching a virtual cache can be quite an entertaining (and time consuming) adventure.

 

How many cachers actually visited this one? magnum´s cache

 

Everyone has their own definination of fun. Also, don't forget there are handicapped folk out there who's only shot at caching would be through the virtual world.

[+BlueDeuce]

Cache owners can require people fulfill the requirement of finding the cache and are within their rights to delete invalid 'found it' logs, including those of handicapped cachers.

[+GRANPA ALEX]

I may, of course, stand corrected but are not some virtuals designed to be done online?

 

For instance, the one at the 'north pole' or the one at the 'space station'. They have more logs than people who have, perhaps, ever been there. And, many of the virtuals are logged by our good geo-friends in Germany who seem prolific and skilled at virtual logging, on line.

 

Saying this to add a conservative measure of concern that deleting logs may not be the appropriate action unless the cache page/owner insists on a physical site visit. I just find log deletion so contrary that caution and minimal use should be the rule (IMO).

[+BlueDeuce]

I may, of course, stand corrected but are not some virtuals designed to be done online?

 

For instance, the one at the 'north pole' or the one at the 'space station'. They have more logs than people who have, perhaps, ever been there. And, many of the virtuals are logged by our good geo-friends in Germany who seem prolific and skilled at virtual logging, on line.

 

Saying this to add a conservative measure of concern that deleting logs may not be the appropriate action unless the cache page/owner insists on a physical site visit. I just find log deletion so contrary that caution and minimal use should be the rule (IMO).

 

Do a forum search on the term 'armchair'. Plenty of opinions.

 

Typically gc.com requires an actual logbook be present for physical caches to be listed. As for virtuals, I don't know if all owners are monitoring them that closely. Some are, some aren't.

[+Silny Jako Bek]

I (collective gasp) have logged some "armchair" virtuals. All have required sending some information to the cache owner to be able to log a find. I have only tried to log a find on those that are meant to be"armchair" caches, where the cache owner clearly intended it to be "found" remotely. I don't have a problem with this as the cache owners decide if I can log a smiley or not. There are, however, many virts out there that one can do without going to the place, but they are not intended to be "found" in this manner. I don't think it is right to try a log a find for those if you haven't actually been there, but again, it's the cache owner's call.

[+Stan&Ruth]

I (collective gasp) have logged some "armchair" virtuals. All have required sending some information to the cache owner to be able to log a find. I have only tried to log a find on those that are meant to be"armchair" caches, where the cache owner clearly intended it to be "found" remotely. I don't have a problem with this as the cache owners decide if I can log a smiley or not. There are, however, many virts out there that one can do without going to the place, but they are not intended to be "found" in this manner. I don't think it is right to try a log a find for those if you haven't actually been there, but again, it's the cache owner's call.

 

My understanding of virtual caches came from the original definition:

"A virtual cache is an existing, permanent landmark of a unique nature. The seeker must answer a question from the landmark and verify to the cache owner that he was really there."

 

The point is that the answer is to verify to the cache owner that he really was there. The answer is not the end in itself.

 

If the logger were to say: I am answering your questions posed in your virtual geocache listing by using internet search systems and here is what I found..........Will you allow me to log it as a find? That would be honest and let the cache owner decide if they want to play the game your way and not to just try to beat the system. Then their log entry should say that you virtually visited the cache by searching the internet for answers to the questions.

 

By the way, the Geocacher in question must have gotten wind of this discussion because the log entry in question was withdrawn last night.

[+rossinator]

I say too bad for the cheating finder. I have visited a number of virtuals in my home town, and learned a lot about the history of my community that we never touched on during the local history units in Social Studies.

 

I say ignore the cheaters, and let the rest of us who actually visit the place keep enjoying the experiences.

[+TrailGators]

I say ignore the cheaters, and let the rest of us who actually visit the place keep enjoying the experiences.

I agree. There are endless rocks to lift up. This guy is just a small squirming bug under one of them.

[+The Leprechauns]

But the activity is not harmless. If you like virtual caches, presumably you want to see the remaining grandfathered ones preserved. I've seen an example where the owner has archived their virtual cache due to armchair loggers. For people living in that area, a perfectly nice location is now lost to them as a virtual geocaching opportunity.

Edited December 23, 2006 by The Leprechauns

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Maybe it's just me, but having the able-bodied use us handicachers as argument for their proposals is, uh, lame!