Geotagging

[+Custheyder]

If you have an image in your cache description. Is it acceptable to have the geotag information give the clue. That is to say the co-ordinates of the cache hidden in the image that way?

 

Thought I better ask this one as it does require running a program to read the tags (which is against the rules), but geotagging is very close to what we do and not tied to any specific program, just one capable of reading the information. Wondered if it might be in a grey area.

 

Cust.

[+GeoBlank]

If you need the info to find the cache then the cache type would be a mystery/unknown/puzzle.

 

Anything is fair game. I assume that a cache needs to be solvable to be posted but the difficulty and technology needed is not driven through policy.

 

I try to keep my required resources on this site so I don't point to required files or documents off server.

 

If you upload the image do the geotags come through?

 

It is good to ask but then again you are giving away the "mystery" to solve your cache.

[+Arndtwe]

If you have an image in your cache description. Is it acceptable to have the geotag information give the clue. That is to say the co-ordinates of the cache hidden in the image that way?

Yes, it is.

[+Prime Suspect]

If you have an image in your cache description. Is it acceptable to have the geotag information give the clue. That is to say the co-ordinates of the cache hidden in the image that way?

Yes, it is.

I think you've confused EXIF data tagging with steganography.

[+Custheyder]

If you need the info to find the cache then the cache type would be a mystery/unknown/puzzle.

 

Anything is fair game. I assume that a cache needs to be solvable to be posted but the difficulty and technology needed is not driven through policy.

 

I try to keep my required resources on this site so I don't point to required files or documents off server.

 

If you upload the image do the geotags come through?

 

It is good to ask but then again you are giving away the "mystery" to solve your cache.

 

Yes I would of put it down as a puzzle cache, and yes the EXIF headers that hold the geotag data do come through when you upload. You might think I'm giving away the mystery, but it'll be many months ahead that I *might* use this technique. I have several other puzzles to post first so this thread will hopefully be long forgotten..... or risk being called "elephant".

 

Cust.

[+Custheyder]

If you have an image in your cache description. Is it acceptable to have the geotag information give the clue. That is to say the co-ordinates of the cache hidden in the image that way?

Yes, it is.

I think you've confused EXIF data tagging with steganography.

 

Absolutely. "School" is a stenography puzzle and although there are free stenographic tools to hide and unhide information in a picture I've discounted that as an option as it does break the Groundspeak guidelines about having to run a program to extract the code. That particular puzzle you can solve with a reasonably spec'd image processing package like Photoshop or The Gimp but I'm still not comfortable with the idea as I feel it is a little close to breaking the rule. Please note I am not saying that it does break the rule or even making a complaint about it.

 

I'm talking about EXIF data tagging as you correctly point out PS. There are a number of FREE editors and readers available and most modern image editors can read them. Of course there are many more fields in the EXIF standard, who says I have to use the co-ordinates to contain the clue.

 

So allowed or not? ... all votes for "yes" so far.

 

Cust.

[+Prime Suspect]

Absolutely. "School" is a stenography puzzle and although there are free stenographic tools to hide and unhide information in a picture I've discounted that as an option as it does break the Groundspeak guidelines about having to run a program to extract the code. That particular puzzle you can solve with a reasonably spec'd image processing package like Photoshop or The Gimp but I'm still not comfortable with the idea as I feel it is a little close to breaking the rule. Please note I am not saying that it does break the rule or even making a complaint about it.

 

I'm talking about EXIF data tagging as you correctly point out PS. There are a number of FREE editors and readers available and most modern image editors can read them. Of course there are many more fields in the EXIF standard, who says I have to use the co-ordinates to contain the clue.

 

So allowed or not? ... all votes for "yes" so far.

 

Cust.

Votes are irrelevant. It's what your reviewer thinks that matters. That's who you should be asking.

[+Custheyder]

Votes are irrelevant. It's what your reviewer thinks that matters. That's who you should be asking.

 

Quite true, but as I couldn't find it in a search of the forum I thought someone might already of asked the question and had a response. I also thought it might be an interesting discussion instead of just sticking it behind closed doors between a reviewer and myself.

 

Cust.