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GeoCaching.com website update

Walkworthy & Wife

By Walkworthy & Wife
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Walkworthy & Wife

+Walkworthy & Wife

Posted
Posted

I'd like to bounce a couple of questions off of Premium Members. I've been a PM for only 2 months, but one of the benefits of being a PM that I liked, was being able to print the cache information or logs in a PDF format. You could get a lot of information on one side of a sheet of paper. Now that the website has been updated the logs look like what non-PMs were able to print before the change. Just doing a print screen.

I know that some of the new top end GPSr's downloads all this information and iPhones make it possible to access the information right off the GeoCache website so cachers can go paperless.

So, my two questions are this:

(1) How many of you still print off the cache logs to help you find the caches?

(2) How many of you like the new cache log format?

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tozainamboku

+tozainamboku

Posted
Posted

I haven't noticed any change in the format of the logs.

 

And on the subject of PDFs - save a tree, get a PDA.

Of course some people used the PDF on their PDA. Instead of having to learn to use GPX Spinner or GSAK to produce an HTML file that they may have been able to view or they may have needed to use Plucker to convert to a format that they could view, instead of having to learn GPXSonar or Cachemate to view GPX files directly on their PDAs, they could get a PDF file and Acrobat Reader for their PDA and go paperless. The print friendly view mean they may have to get a PDF writer application to produce PDFs they can take with them or they have to learn one of the other methods. There are many alternatives to the PDF, but they require learning something new and perhaps installing new software, something non-technical people may be reluctant to do.

 

My guess it that the people who printed out the PDF are the ones who really have a problem though. Some of these people took advantage of the special format the PDF files were in. The caches were printed out landscape on both sides of a 8.5"x11" sheet that could then be folded in half and kept in a 9"x7" binder. Replicating that format so they can continue to keep the pages in a binder like this will be difficult.

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Cache O'Plenty

+Cache O'Plenty

Posted
Posted

To answer your poll question: I don't print any cache pages and haven't done so since 2005. But that's my preference and I know others aren't into paperless caching for their own reasons. I use GSAK and Cachemate to load my 500 caches and go with that. Otherwise, I'd be going through reams of paper every week or so.

 

I did play with the PDF and Printer Friendly versions a while ago and found the PDF version quite easy to use and the format "saved trees".

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Parabola

+Parabola

Posted
Posted

I'd like to bounce a couple of questions off of Premium Members. I've been a PM for only 2 months, but one of the benefits of being a PM that I liked, was being able to print the cache information or logs in a PDF format. You could get a lot of information on one side of a sheet of paper. Now that the website has been updated the logs look like what non-PMs were able to print before the change. Just doing a print screen.

I know that some of the new top end GPSr's downloads all this information and iPhones make it possible to access the information right off the GeoCache website so cachers can go paperless.

So, my two questions are this:

(1) How many of you still print off the cache logs to help you find the caches?

(2) How many of you like the new cache log format?

 

1) I go paperless for the most part. Everyonce in a while I'll print off a cache if I know I'm going to need to make notes, or need something in the write up.

 

2)I've noticed that on a new cache, it get's published then found log's look like they came out before it was published. I kind of think this stink's, cause sometime's I'll look at the last few log's for DNF's or whatnot, and they seem to be out of order if there was a bunch of find's or log's on one day.

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Walkworthy & Wife

+Walkworthy & Wife

Posted
  • Author
Posted

And on the subject of PDFs - save a tree, get a PDA.

I am sort of a techno geek, but I look at it this way. I can go out and spend $200-$300 on a PDA just so I can say I have one. Then I can upgrade my wireless account so I can have Internet access to download the caches to my PDA. But I can also go to Staples and buy two reams of recycled paper for about $8.00. That means I can print off 2,000 caches on two reams of paper which would leave me with $192-$292 to buy something else I want because I doubt I'll find that many caches in my life time. :D

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jholly

jholly

Posted
Posted

And on the subject of PDFs - save a tree, get a PDA.

I am sort of a techno geek, but I look at it this way. I can go out and spend $200-$300 on a PDA just so I can say I have one. Then I can upgrade my wireless account so I can have Internet access to download the caches to my PDA. But I can also go to Staples and buy two reams of recycled paper for about $8.00. That means I can print off 2,000 caches on two reams of paper which would leave me with $192-$292 to buy something else I want because I doubt I'll find that many caches in my life time. :D

 

$300 for a PDA !?! where do you buy em? I get mine for about $25.

 

Jim

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KoosKoos

+KoosKoos

Posted
Posted

And on the subject of PDFs - save a tree, get a PDA.

I am sort of a techno geek, but I look at it this way. I can go out and spend $200-$300 on a PDA just so I can say I have one. Then I can upgrade my wireless account so I can have Internet access to download the caches to my PDA. But I can also go to Staples and buy two reams of recycled paper for about $8.00. That means I can print off 2,000 caches on two reams of paper which would leave me with $192-$292 to buy something else I want because I doubt I'll find that many caches in my life time. :D

 

Or....you could spend $20 to get a caching-ready PDA from ebay, $8 for Cachemate, $30 for GSAK and carry thousands of caches in your pocket without paying for paper or ink. (not to mention being able to slice and dice all of the available caches you have to filter down just what you want at the moment)

 

I haven't printed since our 3rd week of caching and I wouldn't go back for anything.

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Prime Suspect

+Prime Suspect

Posted
Posted

And on the subject of PDFs - save a tree, get a PDA.

I am sort of a techno geek, but I look at it this way. I can go out and spend $200-$300 on a PDA just so I can say I have one. Then I can upgrade my wireless account so I can have Internet access to download the caches to my PDA. But I can also go to Staples and buy two reams of recycled paper for about $8.00. That means I can print off 2,000 caches on two reams of paper which would leave me with $192-$292 to buy something else I want because I doubt I'll find that many caches in my life time. :D

Yes you can do everything the wrong way and end up spending too much money. I'd suggest not doing that. You can get a PDA off ebay for less than the cost of replacing one of your print cartridges.

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AZcachemeister

AZcachemeister

Posted
Posted

And on the subject of PDFs - save a tree, get a PDA.

I am sort of a techno geek, but I look at it this way. I can go out and spend $200-$300 on a PDA just so I can say I have one. Then I can upgrade my wireless account so I can have Internet access to download the caches to my PDA. But I can also go to Staples and buy two reams of recycled paper for about $8.00. That means I can print off 2,000 caches on two reams of paper which would leave me with $192-$292 to buy something else I want because I doubt I'll find that many caches in my life time. :)

 

A PDA need not cost you more than $50 for Geocaching needs...sure you can spend more if you like.

I have no idea why you would need to upgrade your wireless account for this.

As already stated, how much would the ink cartridges cost to print out those 2,000 cache pages?

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dakboy

+dakboy

Posted
Posted

And on the subject of PDFs - save a tree, get a PDA.

I am sort of a techno geek, but I look at it this way. I can go out and spend $200-$300 on a PDA just so I can say I have one. Then I can upgrade my wireless account so I can have Internet access to download the caches to my PDA. But I can also go to Staples and buy two reams of recycled paper for about $8.00. That means I can print off 2,000 caches on two reams of paper which would leave me with $192-$292 to buy something else I want because I doubt I'll find that many caches in my life time. :)

 

$300 for a PDA !?! where do you buy em? I get mine for about $25.

 

Jim

For less than $350 you can get a GPS that's full paperless - why spend $300 on a PDA just for caching?
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nfmike

+nfmike

Posted
Posted

I had not even noticed that the .pdf option was now gone. I never liked them that much because of the lack of a map. It does look like the revised print option can be manipulated to get everything on one page, logs and map included which is good.

 

I went paperless once I went premium and learned how to use my GPSr. I use a Magellan Triton 500 and I can relatively easily download everything via a .gpx file. The software they provide (Vantage Point) pretty well manages it all and almost all the information can be downloaded to the Triton except for the logs. I have downloaded the National Geographic TOPO maps I wanted to the Triton so I am pretty well set. The only thing I print now occasionally is a screen shot of the satillite view when I have a bunch of caches in a relatively small area. It helps me keep track of things.

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JoenGPS

+JoenGPS

Posted
Posted

:huh:

Being a Mac user, I can't use GSAK. However I just found a way to go paperless using PDF files. If they are still available since the update, I can't find a way.

 

I use a Mac and just pick print/save as pdf. The nice part is if you want a couple of pages or all the logs of a cache page just select view all logs before you print to pdf. You can choose to print all pages or just a few.

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Walkworthy & Wife

+Walkworthy & Wife

Posted
  • Author
Posted

 

$300 for a PDA !?! where do you buy em? I get mine for about $25.

 

Jim

For less than $350 you can get a GPS that's full paperless - why spend $300 on a PDA just for caching?

I've never been in the market for a PDA. I had no need for one. But, now that I am into Geocaching that has all changed. I Googled PDA and the first hit was for a $299 HP PDA. So that is what I based my reply on. I still haven't found any $25 ones though. I found a $35 dollar on but I am not certain it can be used for caching. I am still searching. :anibad:

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