Why not a password?

[X__Alien]

Hi. Im new in this geocaching thing, but i have already found 8, in Portugal. I think it's a fun game, but i have this question:

 

How do we really know that the people who says they found it, they really found it? I mean, i bet there's a lot of fakers running around the website saying they found many caches, just to look good.

 

Why don't every cache has some sort of code or password written in it, and everyone who founds it, just have to write somewhere in the log page to confirm it's autenticity.

 

Thanks.

[NordicMan]

Hi & welcome to Geocaching

 

Most caches have log books that people sign when they find it. Some cache owners do periodically check the logbook against the online log to verify each person whom claims to have found it have signed the log. And some cache owners may even DELETE an online log for a person if there isn't a corresponding log in the geocache.

 

Signing the log isn't really mandatory though, and most cache owners don't bother cross checking it with the website. Yes there are some "competitive" people to whom a high find count is important for some reason and they may "lie" about finding caches they really didn't find.. Then there are some other people who might log the same cache found multiple times(!)

 

I personally don't care if people do that. If it makes them happy then so be it.. I really don't want this fun pastime become some heavy regulated & monitored activity just to keep people "honest"..

[+WatchDog2020]

 

Signing the log isn't really mandatory though, and most cache owners don't bother cross checking it with the website.

 

[+The Blorenges]

How do we really know that the people who says they found it, they really found it?

 

How do we know?

 

We don't - not with absolute certainty - unless we were present when they found it.

 

My reply to a similar topic from a few days back.

 

MrsB

[X__Alien]

thank you for your answers. i hope this "checking the logbook" activity is really done by the owners.

[+Bear and Ragged]

My reply to the same thread!

[+fegan]

Signing the log isn't really mandatory though, and most cache owners don't bother cross checking it with the website.

Events (which include Event, Mega Event and CITO), Virtuals and Earthcaches have their own requirements, since they don't have a logbook. However, all other caches do require you to sign the logbook.

 

Easy Steps to Geocaching - found at http://www.geocaching.com/about/

1. Register for a free membership.

2. Click "Hide & Seek a Cache."

3. Enter your postal code and click "search."

4 .Choose any geocache from the list and click on its name.

5 .Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS Device.

6 .Use your GPS device to assist you in finding the hidden geocache.

7. Sign the logbook and return the geocache to its original location.

8. Share your geocaching stories and photos online.

[+niraD]

Events (which include Event, Mega Event and CITO)[...] have their own requirements, since they don't have a logbook.

Every event that I've been to has had a log book...

[+Arrow42]

Events (which include Event, Mega Event and CITO)[...] have their own requirements, since they don't have a logbook.

Every event that I've been to has had a log book...

 

I've only been to a single event... and I expected a log book, but for some reason one wasn't present.

[+Chrysalides]

thank you for your answers. i hope this "checking the logbook" activity is really done by the owners.

It used to bother me that some people may be logging finds they have not made. Then I figured :

 

1. What's important is that I'm enjoying myself.

 

2. IF someone is "cheating", they'll be caught sooner or later.

 

As for "why not a password", well, cheaters can share passwords too. Password caches (find cache, e-mail password to log) were disallowed some years ago. And also take a look at virtual caches and "virtual" loggers - another contentious topic.

[+ngrrfan]

thank you for your answers. i hope this "checking the logbook" activity is really done by the owners.

It used to bother me that some people may be logging finds they have not made. Then I figured :

 

1. What's important is that I'm enjoying myself.

 

2. IF someone is "cheating", they'll be caught sooner or later.

 

As for "why not a password", well, cheaters can share passwords too. Password caches (find cache, e-mail password to log) were disallowed some years ago. And also take a look at virtual caches and "virtual" loggers - another contentious topic.

To add a bit to this.... why do you care if someone has found my cache? This is a game of personal integrity and honesty. Some will always "cheat" and others won't. In the grand scheme of things does it really make a difference?

[+Arrow42]

In the grand scheme of things does it really make a difference?

 

One could argue that a culture permissive of cheating is an issue on the "grand scheme of things" , but that would be getting off-topic.

[GOF and Bacall]

While it can be fun to argue these finer points here in the forums if you take most of these concerns out caching with you you are going to crush your own fun. Don't worry too much about it all.

[+SilentWolf]

While it can be fun to argue these finer points here in the forums if you take most of these concerns out caching with you you are going to crush your own fun. Don't worry too much about it all.

 

I like that attitude. And I agree, who really cares? I have fun caching - I don't care how many I find or even don't find, all I care about is that I'm doing something I enjoy, and it gives me quality time with my family that might otherwise be wasted away. I know this sounds weird to some, but to me there's nothing more important in my life than my family, so it's not a competition for me. I can still sleep at night even if I'm not the best cacher in the world, cause we all had fun irregardless.

[+tozainamboku]

There is no competition. Using of online logs as a method to keep "score" is not really valid. This activity is supposed to be about going out and having fun finding geocaches. However there is nothing to stop someone from posting "Found It" logs online for caches they didn't find - even for caches they didn't even look for. If a lot of people were to do this, the cache owner may think the cache is still there when it really needs maintenance; friends of briansnat may drive 150 km out of their way to look for a cache that isn't there. The game relies on an honor system. People should log "Found It" only if they found the cache. They should log "DNF" if they looked and couldn't find the cache. In order to allow some enforcement, cache owners are given the responsibility of quality control of the log on their cache pages. Among other things, cache owners are supposed to delete logs that appear to be counterfeit or bogus. Some cache owners will investigate suspicious looking logs by checking the physical log in the cache. A few routinely check the physical log and will delete any online logs that don't match.

 

It used to be that a cache owner could put a code word in a cache and require that the finder email the code word (in addition to signing the physical the log) before posting a "Found It" online. Recently, Groundspeak removed the option to have a verification code word as requirement for logging a cache. There are other geocache listing sites that not only allow this but encourage it. It has been pointed out that if someone wanted to "cheat" there would be ways to figure out the passwords (at least for some caches) and claim finds that you didn't actually find.

 

I personally like the Geocaching.com approach. As a cache owner I basically trust the logs on my caches and I expect that most cache owners will trust my logs. On rare occasions we might see someone posting logs that seem suspicious and we can check the physical log to verify this. Accounts that don't get the message and continue to log bogus "Found It" logs have been banned from the site. This minimal enforcement is enough to keep the numbers of bogus logs tiny so that cache owners and other cachers can trust what they see in the online logs. There is no need for anything more complicated.