+cache_test_dummies Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 We see a fair amount of discussion regarding cache attributes here in the forums, and certainly many cache owners have assigned attributes to their caches. I know there are a few quirks, but by all accounts, the feature appears to have been pretty well implemented - you can use the attributes to help filter caches when setting up a PQ, you can study the attributes on the cache page before heading out, and they have cool little icons: But from a finder's perspective, how widely used are these attributes? I've assigned attributes to my own caches, but perhaps with the exception of the 'Needs maintenance' attribute, I really don't pay attention to them when looking at anyone else's cache page. Perhaps I am missing out on something, and should pay more attention. Do you use cache attributes when searching for a cache or preparing to go out? Quote Link to comment
+Flo. Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 No, never really thought to check them before, but my cache has them on there. Quote Link to comment
CoyoteRed Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Do you use cache attributes when searching for a cache or preparing to go out? Nope. Quote Link to comment
+The Leprechauns Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 The only time I look at a cache page online before hunting the cache is when I'm planning a big hiking trip and I want to select good hiking caches, plan my route, read any warnings and study the maps. In those cases I will look at the attributes as well as the other available information. For the average cache in a suburban park, along a bike trail, or in an urban location, I typically don't read the cache page until I'm in the car getting ready to drive to that cache. Since attributes aren't included in pocket queries, the information is lost to me. This scenario covers more than 80% of my cache hunts. It would be nice if attributes were included in pocket queries. Quote Link to comment
+the hermit crabs Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Do you use cache attributes when searching for a cache or preparing to go out? I think that the only one that I pay attention to is the "winter-friendly" one. Some people use it to mean that the cache isn't hidden at ground level where it would be covered by snow; this knowledge can be helpful when searching. (of course, some use it to mean "this place isn't closed in the winter", so it can also be misleading if I take it the other way ) Quote Link to comment
+Mudfrog Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 We have a few caches placed in which we used attributes for finders to utilize but for the most part, i don't use them with our caches. Two reasons: First, i'm one of those cachers who doesn't read cache page descriptions (unless it's a puzzle of course) very often and therefore doesn't even see those attributes. To be honest, i'm not sure i remember a time when i noticed the attributes, even when i did read the page. The second reason is that i'm also one of those cachers who likes challenges and doesn't want to be "taken by the hand" to find a cache. I like the surprises and sometimes extra challenges associated with not knowing everything about a cache before i get to it. Give me an idea of the type of cache (traditional, multi, unknown, etc,,,) along with difficulty ratings and i'm good. Since i do cache this way, it just comes natural for me to think that others may do as well, so i normally end up not using attributes with our caches. Quote Link to comment
+Team_CSG Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 We see a fair amount of discussion regarding cache attributes here in the forums, and certainly many cache owners have assigned attributes to their caches. I know there are a few quirks, but by all accounts, the feature appears to have been pretty well implemented - you can use the attributes to help filter caches when setting up a PQ, you can study the attributes on the cache page before heading out, and they have cool little icons: But from a finder's perspective, how widely used are these attributes? I've assigned attributes to my own caches, but perhaps with the exception of the 'Needs maintenance' attribute, I really don't pay attention to them when looking at anyone else's cache page. Perhaps I am missing out on something, and should pay more attention. Do you use cache attributes when searching for a cache or preparing to go out? I look at them to see if the Snakes! attribute is set. I hate snakes!! Quote Link to comment
+lmcgisme Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 I find the "dogs allowed' attribute very helpful. Since I usually cache with my dog I'll check to see if the Dogs Allowed (or prohibited) attribute is set, and avoid those that I know prohibit dogs if she's with me. I dislike driving out to a cache on a hot summer day only to find that dogs aren't allowed and I have to give up on the hunt, wasting the gas and time it took to get there. I set attributes for all of my caches to help out other cachers who may do the same. Quote Link to comment
+gravechaser Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Yes, we use them. I and the kids get PI practically by looking at it so we check for that, snakes, times available, things like that. It tells me that we need plan our time out or to dress more hard-play and that the particular cache isn't going to be a short-time find. We plan our trips around the type we feel like doing that day so those little attributes come in handy. Quote Link to comment
+ThirstyMick Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 (edited) I never noticed there was a cow attribute! That's cute. I wonder how many caches actually use it!? Sometimes I'll look to see if the cache is available at night, but for the most part I don't really look at the attributes. Now that I'm a premium member, maybe I'll start using them to filter PQs edited for grammar Edited September 19, 2007 by ThirstyMick Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Have used them only rarely - when I am caching in a target rich zone. Most places I cache in are quite rural and (with some exceptions) - you take what you can get. Quote Link to comment
+Jeep_Dog Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Affirmative. Lately, I have been running PQs filtering for the following attributes: 1) Kid Friendly - Finding caches that are appropriate for 4 and 2 year olds based on an area which we intend to visit; 2) Significant Hike - I've lately been interested in caches that require a 3 or more hike to remote places; 3) Scenic View - Related to #2, but also don't mind a P & G with a beautiful view; 4) Off-road vehicles - like #2, but like a remote place to take my Jeep; 5) Dogs - been enjoying having my dog as a hiking/caching companion. I have lately been filtering out the following attribute: Stealth required - usually associated with an urban micro. I used to love the challenge of these, and have placed a fair number myself. Every so often (every couple of months) I like a good, long micro run; lately, however, I have not been in the mood for micros or being around people-dense places. I think attributes, if properly managed by cache owners, could be a great boon to the type of cachers who are not into on-line smilies, but are into getting to unique places. Quote Link to comment
+NorthWes Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 Yup - I look for that COW (livestock) symbol. I hate loose aggressive livestock - like big ungulates. These two juvenile delinquents were sparring near the library in mid-town Anchorage, close to 3 caches... This young lady didn't want me to visit her side of the pedestrian tunnel over in east Anchorage. Some Anchorage caches are well-known for their 'guardian moose'... and if you catch them on a bad day they don't like visitors! So, if you're caching Alaska and see a 'livestock' attribute on the cache page - it's likely more about one of the Moose Mob's cousins than about one of the Cache Test Dummies' near kin. Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 ...Do you use cache attributes when searching for a cache or preparing to go out? Not at all. I use a map. The map shows me location, and the location tells me roughly what I'm in for. Quote Link to comment
+Vinny & Sue Team Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 We see a fair amount of discussion regarding cache attributes here in the forums, and certainly many cache owners have assigned attributes to their caches. I know there are a few quirks, but by all accounts, the feature appears to have been pretty well implemented - you can use the attributes to help filter caches when setting up a PQ, you can study the attributes on the cache page before heading out, and they have cool little icons: But from a finder's perspective, how widely used are these attributes? I've assigned attributes to my own caches, but perhaps with the exception of the 'Needs maintenance' attribute, I really don't pay attention to them when looking at anyone else's cache page. Perhaps I am missing out on something, and should pay more attention. Do you use cache attributes when searching for a cache or preparing to go out? Yes, when seeking any cache with a D/T rating higher than 2/2, but I am also fully aware that some cache hiders invoke entirely irrelevant and inapplicable icons for their humor value, such as the SCUBA icon or a "boat required/water cache" icon for a cache in the middle of a desert. Quote Link to comment
+Vinny & Sue Team Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 No Zombies I am sorry. I was unaware of this precondition for posting on the forums. I will leave immediately. My bad. Quote Link to comment
+wimseyguy Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 I have them on most of my caches that I have hidden. I don't pay any attention to them when seeking caches as all of my info comes through PQ's. I bet if Lep was posting to this thread he would say the same except for his hiking outings. Quote Link to comment
+tozainamboku Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 I've posted my opinion of attributes here Quote Link to comment
+michigansnorkelers Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 I sometimes search with the dog icon, and the less than an hour icon. Quote Link to comment
+Lotho Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 A good question. I always use the attributes for hiding my caches but i never look at them for caches i seek unless they are hard so i know what to expect.. Quote Link to comment
+cache_test_dummies Posted September 19, 2007 Author Share Posted September 19, 2007 It would be nice if attributes were included in pocket queries. I agree. Perhaps I would find the attributes more useful if they were available on my PDA. Quote Link to comment
+cache_test_dummies Posted September 19, 2007 Author Share Posted September 19, 2007 (of course, some use it to mean "this place isn't closed in the winter", so it can also be misleading if I take it the other way ) This is one of the 'quirks' I was thinking of when I mentioned quirks in the OP - different interpretations of the meaning behind particular attributes make their applicability questionable. Quote Link to comment
+team moxiepup Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 We find them very helpful, especially the dog and winter friendly attributes. Moxie is part of our caching team and we rarely go caching without her. As another person mentioned, it's no fun driving all the way out to a cache location only to find one of us is excluded. Likewise, if there 2-3 feet of snow on the ground, it is good to know whether we're in for a dig or not! I agree, it would be great if attributes showed up in pocket queries. Quote Link to comment
+cache_test_dummies Posted September 19, 2007 Author Share Posted September 19, 2007 I've posted my opinion of attributes here Good post, tozainamboku. I wish you would have posted it here, too, but thanks for linking it in. Quote Link to comment
+cache_test_dummies Posted September 19, 2007 Author Share Posted September 19, 2007 We find them very helpful, especially the dog and winter friendly attributes. Moxie is part of our caching team and we rarely go caching without her. As another person mentioned, it's no fun driving all the way out to a cache location only to find one of us is excluded. Since I no longer have a dog, I hadn't thought of this before it was mentioned above. But I can see now that the 'dogs allowed' attribute would be useful to those dogs who are nice enough to take their owners out caching with them. Quote Link to comment
+whistler & co. Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 I like them. When you're as incompetent as we are, you need all the help you can get! Quote Link to comment
+TrailGators Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 No Zombies Quote Link to comment
+TrailGators Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 (edited) Do you use cache attributes when searching for a cache or preparing to go out? I seldom use them. Every cache I typically find has snakes, ticks, poisonous plants, etc so seeing those attributes isn't much use. I'm fact, anyone that goes into nature should expect all of those things regardless of the attrubute omission. Edited September 19, 2007 by TrailGators Quote Link to comment
+kyoteh Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 I've been trying to use the attributes lately in the searches as well. I appreciate it when I can tell right away whether the 4x4 will get to the cache vs. hiking and now I'm searching for ones that can be reached by boat. It's nice to know which will be the method to reach the cache as it can determine which vehicle is used and whether we'd be able to have a chance. Sometimes a hike is out of the question and it's disappointing to drive to one thinkin' a 4x will get to it only to find it's hike accessible only and I'm not able to hike that day. If I can see no 4x access to the actual cache initially then I can know not to include it on a non-hiking route/day. Quote Link to comment
+Ambrosia Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 I put attributes on all my caches, although I rarely look at them on other caches. Of course, if we had the "generic umbrella" attribute, I would of course look at that: Quote Link to comment
+new_dharma Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 (edited) I don't usually look at them on other caches...but I add them to mine (in case others do look). this one: GCZXJ2 has an interesting attribute (it's near Downtown Minneapolis...can you guess which one?). Edited September 19, 2007 by new_dharma Quote Link to comment
+CYBret Posted September 19, 2007 Share Posted September 19, 2007 I think if you ask anyone who was at GeoBash this year (and attended the moderator panel) they'd have about the same reaction as me. A cacher in a wheelchair made a plea for the "handicapped accessible" attribute to be used on one-star terrain caches. That was enough for me to realize how important the attributes can be to some people. I may not pay that much attention to them, but there are cachers who find them to be a necessity. Quote Link to comment
+cache_test_dummies Posted September 20, 2007 Author Share Posted September 20, 2007 So, if you're caching Alaska and see a 'livestock' attribute on the cache page - it's likely more about one of the Moose Mob's cousins than about one of the Cache Test Dummies' near kin. Funny you should mention this. Today, there was a cow running loose in New York City. Quote Link to comment
+DocDiTTo Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 I always look at the attributes, but I never consider them to be "gospel" and I don't use them as a filter for pocket queries. Because attributes are optional and arbitrary, they aren't reliable. Attributes are fine to communicate basic rules of an area or that maintenance is needed on a cache, but they shouldn't be completely relied upon because they're often interpreted incorrectly, used inconsistantly and are based only on the opinons or knowledge of one individual. That said, I still use them on all my cache hides and I review them when examining a cache's worthiness of my hunting time. The ones I find most useful are the ones that convey the rules of an area, such as "Not available 24/7" or "No dogs allowed". Quote Link to comment
+bklee Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 Having a bum leg, I usually will check the attributes to see if I might have trouble getting to the cache (like for a cache which requires climbing), and I appreciate those owners which set the attributes appropriately. Quote Link to comment
+PeterNoG Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 During winter months, I check for Winter Friendly or Not Winter Friendly attributes but the "accuracy" of this attribute often poor. Often the best "attribute" is "has the cache been found since the last snowstorm". Quote Link to comment
+Alan2 Posted September 21, 2007 Share Posted September 21, 2007 Do you use cache attributes when searching for a cache or preparing to go out? Yes for dogs so I know where I can't take mine. It's too bad that you can't PQ attributes after they're downloaded into GSAK. Quote Link to comment
+DanOCan Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I place relevant attributes on the caches I hide. However, I rarely use them when seeking caches since they don't transfer through to my PDA. I also don't filter my Pockey Queries using them either. That would change if the one attribute I wished existed was around: RV Friendly. It's great to be doing caches along a route but it would be nice to be able to filter out ones that aren't suitable for RVs or other large vehicles. A cache might be right next to a road but if the only turnout means I'm going to get into a tight situation and have to do some fancy maneuvering it would be nice to know beforehand. Quote Link to comment
+DanOCan Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 (edited) EDIT: Stupid double post! Edited September 24, 2007 by DanOCan Quote Link to comment
+Jackalgirl Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I use them. That way, I know whether I can take my husband & baby along. In fact, since we're so new to caching in general, we aren'y even looking for caches that indicate they're difficult or non-stroller-friendly. It's a very useful feature, the ability to list attributes. Quote Link to comment
Pacific NW Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I use them just about every time I look at a cache page. Quote Link to comment
mtbikernate Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I use them when they're available, most particularly the dog-friendly (or not) attribute, since I like to hike with my dog. I don't pay much attention to the poison ivy, ticks, snakes, or whatever icons since I see those things everywhere. I'll also note others like needs maintenance or wheelchair accessible to decide whether I want to search for that cache or not. Sometimes I don't mind an easy one. Sometimes I really want to avoid them. I always want to avoid caches with maintenance issues. Quote Link to comment
+Jhwk Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Do you use cache attributes when searching for a cache or preparing to go out? Never. Quote Link to comment
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