Disabling caches

[+tlbeers]

How many DNF's should a cache have before the reviewer archives it? Also how long should have cache stay active if the owner is not near that area(overseas) with other cachers doing maintance?

[Keystone]

A cache can have hundreds of DNF's before a reviewer archives the listing. Unless someone brings it to the reviewer's attention, the listing will just languish in a sea of frownies. So, if you contact the owner and don't get a response, consider logging a "needs archived."

 

There is no "test" regarding the number of DNF's a cache can accumulate. Sometimes it just means it's a really hard cache. The test is whether the owner maintains their cache. It is the Cache Maintenance Guideline that gives a volunteer cache reviewer the authority to disable or archive a listing.

[+erik88l-r]

With regard to the second part of the OP's question, if a cache owner has gone but other geocachers are maintaining it then no action is needed.

 

If it does deteriorate to the point of becoming trash, and people log a "should be archived" note, we'd disable it and ask the cache owner to get it back up to snuff. If no action is forthcoming and the cache owner hasn't logged onto the site in ages archiving would have to be done, but we'd ask someone to trash out the cache remnants first. It's a touchy subject, as the cache does not belong to Groundspeak, so the cache reviewer really can't take it upon himself to remove it, but if it's trash and the community does then we'd archive the listing.

 

~erik~

[+Renegade Knight]

How many DNF's should a cache have before the reviewer archives it? Also how long should have cache stay active if the owner is not near that area(overseas) with other cachers doing maintance?

 

DNF's are an indicator of a potential problem, but not confirmation of the problem. It's rather like asking. "How many drug references can be in a kids homework before the school should intevene and have a social worker take the kid away from therr parents and stick them in rehab?"

 

A DNF means someone didn't find the cache. If' the cache is a 1/1 and painted flouresence orange and is sitting in plain sight in the middle of a reserved parking space. Yes a DNF most likely means "This cache needs maintance". Note that needs maintance is different than needs archived. A cache that's a truly hard find may garner one heck of a lot of DNFs for ever log that shouts EURIKA!

 

As for a cache owner being out of area. That's not a problem until the cache itself is a problem. Even then the owner can normally work wiht friends and family to fix the problem. If the cache is viable, there is no problem to solve.

Edited November 18, 2008 by Renegade Knight