Membership

[+fatblokecaver]

Can anyone please explain as to if I can still look up caches and log them as well as having the ability to activate geocoins and track them should I decide to not renew my membership?

I know I woud not be able to access premuim member caches but hey ho, such is life. I would not be able to post on the forums life is not so bad that I need to.

But what are the MAJOR differences.

Just checking

 

Fatblokecaver

[+studlyone]

Yes you will still be able to do everything you can now except download PQs and view members only caches. So trackable items such as travel bugs and geocoins and the forums permissions will remain the same as whether you are a paying member or not.

Ian

[+Us 4 and Jess]

Non members can post on the forums, I think

 

M

Edited August 9, 2008 by Us 4 and Jess

[+fatblokecaver]

Thanks Ian

 

Just running a few things through my thoughts before I make my decision.

This may be the one I have been looking for.

I am just finding out about archiving on the US forum and if that question is answered the way I want it to be I shall proceed with my action of not renewing membership and archiving all 3 of my caches .

No great loss to the GC community but I do not like the present big brother attitude fron over the pond.

I cache because it is fun and a bit of a minority sport (caving being another) now I dont want to under this guise.

 

FBC

[lakeuk]

Non members can post on the forums, I think

 

M

 

I can confirm I'm able to post on these forums

[+MartyBartfast]

Fatbloke,

It's your decision but I don't think it's the right thing to do. Fine if you want to withold your membership, but archiving your caches is a bit of a nose/face/knife scenario IMHO. The only people who will be impacted by archiving your caches will be you and other cachers in your area - it won't affect GS one jot.

 

Geocaching is about hiding/hunting tupperware (& that's what I pay my membership for), the forums are just a small sideline which I can live (and cache) without. Most of the forum mods are volunteers and not GS employees, so while some of them can be self important little jobsworths it's not all down to GS itself.

[+studlyone]

Fatbloke,

It's your decision but I don't think it's the right thing to do. Fine if you want to withold your membership, but archiving your caches is a bit of a nose/face/knife scenario IMHO. The only people who will be impacted by archiving your caches will be you and other cachers in your area - it won't affect GS one jot.

 

Geocaching is about hiding/hunting tupperware (& that's what I pay my membership for), the forums are just a small sideline which I can live (and cache) without. Most of the forum mods are volunteers and not GS employees, so while some of them can be self important little jobsworths it's not all down to GS itself.

Excellent post Marty. I agree archiving your caches wouldn't be doing cachers in your are (ie me) any favours

[+scottpa100]

Lot's of people still cache without getting involved in the forums... the procedures and politics that take place in the forum, whatever you/I/we think of them, don't actually affect the hunting of boxes in hedges all that much.

[+Jacobite]

Thanks Ian

 

Just running a few things through my thoughts before I make my decision.

This may be the one I have been looking for.

I am just finding out about archiving on the US forum and if that question is answered the way I want it to be I shall proceed with my action of not renewing membership and archiving all 3 of my caches .

No great loss to the GC community but I do not like the present big brother attitude fron over the pond.

I cache because it is fun and a bit of a minority sport (caving being another) now I dont want to under this guise.

 

FBC

 

Well done Fatbloke, If you do consider archiving your caches, think about listing them on another site, so's the rest of the community will still benefit.

 

There are benefits, as well as drawbacks with this, however.

Some drawbacks are,

Getting your caches noticed on the net.

Not being able to track travellers in your caches.

And cachers not being able get an extra digit on there GC.com account. (but for cachers who just enjoy the hunt, that won't be a problem for them)

 

IMO there are far more benefits to listing your caches elsewhere, however, I won't go into that here, as I risk breaking some GSP guideline that no one has ever heard of.

 

By the way, your not biting your nose of to spite your face! Your doing what you feel is right, because you care about geocaching in the UK.

Edited August 9, 2008 by Jacobite

[alistair_uk]

I know I have mentioned this before, a few times now, over the years, but I have never taken out a premium membership. I have thought about it a few times but for me it is not value, and unlike others I don't feel I will be contributing to the sport by doing so. We do need to contribute in some way to keep the sport going, but with the current Groudspeak business modal I will continue to remain a standard member for now.

[WashoeZephyr]

I know I have mentioned this before, a few times now, over the years, but I have never taken out a premium membership. I have thought about it a few times but for me it is not value, and unlike others I don't feel I will be contributing to the sport by doing so. We do need to contribute in some way to keep the sport going, but with the current Groudspeak business modal I will continue to remain a standard member for now.

The main reason I get the premium membership is for the pocket queries, to me it is worth the thirty bucks and the support. Yes, as a non premium member you can still log travelers and you can still post on the forums (with the exception of "Off Topic") It saddens me that there is so much animosity with the people "across the pond" as you say. Really, most of us are nice people! The majority of this is stemming from stupid drama in the forums. I agree, some of the recent suspensions have been rediculous but come on, it's just a game people!

[+Happy Humphrey]

Fatbloke,

It's your decision but I don't think it's the right thing to do. Fine if you want to withold your membership, but archiving your caches is a bit of a nose/face/knife scenario IMHO. The only people who will be impacted by archiving your caches will be you and other cachers in your area - it won't affect GS one jot.

 

Geocaching is about hiding/hunting tupperware (& that's what I pay my membership for), the forums are just a small sideline which I can live (and cache) without. Most of the forum mods are volunteers and not GS employees, so while some of them can be self important little jobsworths it's not all down to GS itself.

Couldn't agree more. I suspect that most of the Groundspeak employees (there's only a dozen or so anyway) don't look at the forums except occasionally at the website section. They wouldn't be aware of the suspensions or other goings-on anyway, so if they noticed your cache archiving (which is highly unlikely) then they'd have no idea why you'd done it. But if this is a protest it would be aimed at them, as the volunteers you're upset about don't lose out at all by a decrease in premium memberships.

 

Just out of interest, probably the most famous banning was that of Robin Lovelock. He still has many caches in your part of the world and these are listed several times on different listing sites (including his own). I guess you've done a few - how do the other sites compare with GC.COM?

Edited August 10, 2008 by Happy Humphrey

[+careygang]

I know I have mentioned this before, a few times now, over the years, but I have never taken out a premium membership. I have thought about it a few times but for me it is not value, and unlike others I don't feel I will be contributing to the sport by doing so. We do need to contribute in some way to keep the sport going, but with the current Groudspeak business modal I will continue to remain a standard member for now.

The main reason I get the premium membership is for the pocket queries, to me it is worth the thirty bucks and the support. Yes, as a non premium member you can still log travelers and you can still post on the forums (with the exception of "Off Topic") It saddens me that there is so much animosity with the people "across the pond" as you say. Really, most of us are nice people! The majority of this is stemming from stupid drama in the forums. I agree, some of the recent suspensions have been rediculous but come on, it's just a game people!

 

Couldn't agree more. Even the bit that says most Americans are nice people (Though I do wonder sometimes after watching the local News is it more peaceful in Reno?)

Some of the recent activity has been extremely jobsworth and makes me wonder if they have day-jobs (probably not in Customer Relations).

 

But, back to the topic ... Most of what goes on around these forums doesn't affect anything important, people still get on with their lives and actually even get out and hunt little boxes. If 'Fatbloke' makes any gestures will it really matter? I'd suggest not one iota.

[NickPick]

Basic (ie, non-paying) members can do just about everything a premium member can do except:

 

Pocket Queries

Export cache pages to PDF

view members only caches

custom searches

bookmark lists

caches along a route

Instant notifications of new caches

(I think that's about it)

[though of one more - you get a red + sign next to your name at the bottom of the forum]

 

You can still:

place caches

find caches

own and log TBs and geocoins

post on forums

 

I've never felt the need to upgrade to premium membership, although if I did more caching, then the pocket queries might be useful.

 

As for archiving your existing caches, don't forget that the cache listing part and the forum part of Groundspeak could be considered as separate, and if you're protesting against the forum by archiving your caches, Groundspeak won't really notice, and you'll be depriving other cachers (us) of some caches.

Edited August 11, 2008 by NickPick

[+The Hornet]

But, back to the topic ... Most of what goes on around these forums doesn't affect anything important, people still get on with their lives and actually even get out and hunt little boxes. If 'Fatbloke' makes any gestures will it really matter? I'd suggest not one iota.

 

As for archiving your existing caches, don't forget that the cache listing part and the forum part of Groundspeak could be considered as separate, and if you're protesting against the forum by archiving your caches, Groundspeak won't really notice, and you'll be depriving other cachers (us) of some caches.

 

I agree with these and similar sentiments. Forums are not Geocaching, cache listings are. If you disagree with one aspect of the Groundspeak offerings, don't use that part. As an example I'm really not interested in Waymarking but that doesn't stop me using Geocaching, nor for that matter these forums (for the moment )

[WashoeZephyr]

Couldn't agree more. Even the bit that says most Americans are nice people (Though I do wonder sometimes after watching the local News is it more peaceful in Reno?)

Some of the recent activity has been extremely jobsworth and makes me wonder if they have day-jobs (probably not in Customer Relations).

 

But, back to the topic ... Most of what goes on around these forums doesn't affect anything important, people still get on with their lives and actually even get out and hunt little boxes. If 'Fatbloke' makes any gestures will it really matter? I'd suggest not one iota.

Vegas is a tough place to live. I have a few friends that have moved there over the years and know a few from geocaching. Vegaschick was just up here last week for the first time and loved it! I go down there occasionally for work. I personally wouldn't want to live there. It's a lot slower pace of life in Reno over Vegas. There is a lot more to do outdoors here! We have the year-round advantage as we aren't cooped up in the air conditioning all summer Anyhoo back to the topic.........

[+Bambography]

Just running a few things through my thoughts before I make my decision.

 

I am just finding out about archiving on the US forum and if that question is answered the way I want it to be I shall proceed with my action of not renewing membership and archiving all 3 of my caches .

 

Seems a shame to stop caching over things going on in the Forums. Many people feel strongly about what has been going on but i'd not suggest anyone stops going out caching. As has been said the forum and the game are two different entities that only cross when people let them.

If it really gets to you, ignore the forums and carry on caching.

 

If however you do want to stop altogether then I could adopt your caches (exc. DD as that appears to be being archived) I live very close to them and have no problems taking them on. Let me know if you want me to.

Chris.