What the heck is a pocket query?

[+dcvchicago]

I've got some feedback I thought Groundspeak's sales department might want. Before I signed up as a premium member, I had been using the site for about a week, and for that entire time, I couldn't figure out what a 'pocket query' was. I was also very unsure about the value added by a premium membership.

 

I finally decided to take a chance and subscribe for a year; then I immediately went to see what the heck a pocket query was. It easily justifies the subscription price. Had I been able to see a screenshot of the pocket query setup page, or get an example of what I could do with a pocket query, I would have signed up for a subscription the first day.

 

For non-premium members who may not know, a 'pocket query' allows you to query the Geocaching.com database using a simple fill-in query form. Query results are returned as one big .loc or .gpx file that can be loaded into topo software, and the query can be set to run periodically (say, every Tuesday) until cancelled.

[Keystone]

Thanks for your feedback.

 

I am curious... did you notice the link on your "My Account" page that says "Member Features?" It's at the top right of the page. Clicking the link takes you to this page where all the member benefits are described. About pocket queries, the features page says the following:

 

The Pocket Query Generator allows you to create custom geocache queries and have them emailed to you on a daily or weekly basis. You can also run these queries on the "seek a cache" page as a customized search query. Check the supported software applications page for updates on existing and new software that can take advantage of pocket queries.

 

If you did read that, did the explanation do an adequate job of describing pocket queries and what they can do? What else would you have liked to know? (Screenshots is a good suggestion.)

[+The Cheeseheads]

I think dcvchicago's point may be that before he signed up as a Premium Member, he was unable to find an adequate description anywhere on the site about exactly what Pocket Queries are and how they work. A nice description would have made their decision to purchase a membership much easier.

[+Markwell]

In the forums, there's a links all over the place to my FAQ, which has a pretty good description of pocket queries. Admittedly, the description is not on this site, but it is linked from this site.

 

Do a Google search of pocket query, and the first links take you to the PQ generation page, but from there...

#2 - Old link on my page that says it's moving

#3 - This definition on sourceforge, which is confusing (and incorrect?)

#4 - Cybret's Geocacher-U page on PQs and

#5 - My FAQ item.

 

So, it may not be on the site, but it's definitely out there.

Edited May 9, 2007 by Markwell

[+Markwell]

What about this page?

 

Why should I pay for a membership?

 

Pocket Queries

Hand-entering geocache coordinates is tedious, and you run the risk of developing repetitive motion injuries if you hunt more than a few caches in a day. With a Pocket Query you can download up to 500 specifically defined geocache waypoints directly to your GPS in a flash!

Caches along a Route

Caches Along A Route Your GPS will tell you the direction of a cache as the crow flies, which is great, if you're a crow. The rest of us, however, are hopelessly bound to the roads. The Caches Along a Route feature allows you to find caches on either side of specified route for a quick and easy geocaching diversion on your next road trip.

[bomb280]

 

For non-premium members who may not know, a 'pocket query' allows you to query the Geocaching.com database using a simple fill-in query form. Query results are returned as one big .loc or .gpx file that can be loaded into topo software, and the query can be set to run periodically (say, every Tuesday) until cancelled.

 

I learned more about PQs from this paragraph than I have been able to figure out in 1.5 years. To me the description that the site gives just isn't clear on exactly what it does. I honestly thought that the reason for a lack of a good description was that it probably wasn't much of bonus. After reading the description that the dcvchicago wrote, I can see how it would greatly benefit me.

 

Oh yeah, I'm sure most people who are not PMs can see how nice a PQ is by seeing one of their PM buddies using one. But for me I have never seen this because I don't know any PMs. Although I have met a few at an event.

[+welch]

I think dcvchicago's point may be that before he signed up as a Premium Member, he was unable to find an adequate description anywhere on the site about exactly what Pocket Queries are and how they work. A nice description would have made their decision to purchase a membership much easier.

Yes, but since a short explaintion is already the site one or two places the question is, were these info blurbs not easy to find? or did he/she find them but the info just wasn't clear enough?

Different problems may need different solutions

[+Willow1]

I'm not a premium member and by reading the explination of a PQ, I still am unsure of what it is. I agree that the screenshot would do a long way in selling the service.

[+dkwolf]

I'm not a premium member and by reading the explination of a PQ, I still am unsure of what it is. I agree that the screenshot would do a long way in selling the service.

Willow, I don't want to do the screenshot here at work, and in all honesty, the full pq setup page would require a couple screenshots to catch it all. But, what it boils down to, is an uber-search function.

 

You have the options to specify almost every aspect of a cache when doing a search for them, such as:

 

Cache type

Cache size

Difficulty

Terrain

Attributes (can search for specific ones)

Distance from Coordinates, Zip Code, Waypoint

-and much more.

 

For example: Say I want to know all of the Traditional, Regular caches rated 2.5/3 or above, available at night and snake/tick free, within 200 miles of my house. I can set up the search on that page, and *usually* within 10 minutes I get an email with all of those caches in a single file that I can then load into Mapsource or GSAK and download onto my GPS (no manual entry required!)

 

Or say I want to take a bunch of newbies out around their house, 300 miles away from my hometown. Simple. Set up another query, looking for Traditional caches, small regular or large, with d/t ratings 2/2 or below within 20 miles of their home zip code. *usually* 10 minutes, get the email, download onto the GPS and away we go. It really is a nice feature to have, and well worth the $30 annual (or even $3/month)

[+Markwell]

The screen shots are available on my FAQ on the subject.

[+Maingray]

I agree, the information on *this* site about PQs is very sparse and confusing for non-premium members.

 

Presumably with GC.com v2 they will revisit some of the "odd places" the support information has ended up.

[+Super-T]

I must agree most adamantly with this. I've been caching on and off for a lot of years, and only looked into "pocket queries" and membership once I had a "pocket computer"

The name implies it has something to do with pocket devices, and so I never signed up.

If it had been called "Advanced Search" or the like, I'd have signed up many years ago.

 

That's my 2 cents worth,

 

Why does it COST 2 cents to GIVE an opinion, when the alternative is that I get PAID a penny FOR my opinion when someone asks "A penny for your thoughts" ?

[+Super-T]

Thanks for your feedback.

 

I am curious... did you notice the link on your "My Account" page that says "Member Features?" It's at the top right of the page. Clicking the link takes you to this page where all the member benefits are described. About pocket queries, the features page says the following:

 

The Pocket Query Generator allows you to create custom geocache queries and have them emailed to you on a daily or weekly basis. You can also run these queries on the "seek a cache" page as a customized search query. Check the supported software applications page for updates on existing and new software that can take advantage of pocket queries.

 

If you did read that, did the explanation do an adequate job of describing pocket queries and what they can do? What else would you have liked to know? (Screenshots is a good suggestion.)

 

This is for those that never make assumptions, but a lot of people do just that.

Why would you look up what a pocket querie is, if the name of the feature makes you immediately assume that it's irrelevant to you?

It's an easy assumption to make based on the name, and thus also an easy feature to not bother looking up based on the assumption. I know the defiition of assumption, but everyone does it all the time to determine where to expend their time and energy. For me a search to find what a pocket query is, was wasted time and effort, because the name had already lead me to believe it wasn't something I needed.

Edited May 17, 2007 by Super-T