What am I missing?

[+Hildy Boys]

Over the last few months I have gotten more and more involved in this sport, and I have been spending a fair amount of time reading this forum trying to learn as much as I can. While reading these forums I have noticed a lot of threads concerning false logs, not recording DNFs, people not logging properly, several people logging finds when only one person made the find, and things like that. And the question I have is, "Why do we care?" I am not saying that to be a smarta**, I just don't understand why so many people are worried about how other people are logging their finds, or what other people are considering a find?

 

Is there some sort of race to get the most caches that I am not aware of? Something that involves a prize in the end?

 

When I am caching, I have to physically open the cache for me to consider it a find because that is the rule I set for myself. But I do not log a DNF unless I put a full effort into a search and could not find it. There has been times where I started looking when it was to dark and decided to come back in the light, or started looking and realized it was to wet and to come back at a later date. I do not log those as DNF because I never really looked that hard. Am I breaking some sort of rule?

 

Here again, I don't want to make it seem like I am being sarcastic or anything I just want to make sure I am not breaking some rules that I am unaware of, and with some of these posts I am reading I am beginning to think that maybe I am.

 

My thought on it was kind like golf. Everyone has their own way of keeping score, and as long as we are just playing for fun then why do I care what the other guy is writing on his score card? Why do I care if he LCAP is ball on every shot? If he is not playing within the rules of the game the only person he is cheating is himself, and if he is okay with that it is fine by me.

 

So are we competing in some way that I am unaware of?

Edited December 21, 2009 by Hildy Boys

[+Walts Hunting]

Some people think there is a competition so therefor there is for them. Most don't

[+Ms.Scrabbler]

If someone has really looked for a cache and then doesn't log a DNF it won't help the CO know when it may be missing.

 

I think you're right on target with how you cache!

[+StarBrand]

No competition.

 

But I do think there needs to be some basic common decency that should occur when interacting via the website and logs. Some of us are just trying to uphold a small shred of commonality and conformity so that the experience is not impaired in any way. Nothing more to it than that.

[+redsox_mark]

Some of the points you mention do not matter to me - generally I don't care how others are "scoring". But some points do affect others playing the game.

 

With DNFs: I play it just like you (the OP); I always log a DNF if in my opinion I've given a fair search. If I didn't have time to do a fair search I'll come back later, and won't log an immediate DNF. Why this has been an area for discussion is it seems some people are hesitant to log DNFs at all. DNFs are useful for others - to cache owners as they indicate a possible problem with the cache, to others planning to find the cache etc.

 

I don't get worked up over false logs, but if someone is abusing the system creating false logs this can also impact others; e.g. a cache with a long string of DNFs so seems to be missing; if someone logs a false find, this can mislead others. These are thankfully rare.

[+Castle Mischief]

To some folks the numbers do matter. You have to decide if it's important to you that some folks choose to play this way.

 

You have to also decide if some of the threads (and how often they appear on these forums) are important to you.

 

Some folks will tell you that how other people play doesn't affect you and some will tell you that "numbers caching" is a sign of the cache-pocalypse and that it's ruining the sport/hobby/activity/pastime.

 

Likewise, some folks may claim that what goes on in these forums is an isolated biosphere and has no relation to the rest of the geocaching universe and some will tell you that every word typed on these forums somehow affects the choices made by Groundspeak and that the opinions are reflective of most if not all cachers.

 

I think the truth might be somewhere in the middle on both counts, but stick around a while and form your own opinions.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

...and I have been spending a fair amount of time reading this forum...

Well there's yer problem right there!

[+sbell111]

... So are we competing in some way that I am unaware of?

The only competition is the one that you choose to be in.

 

Also, some people have an inate need to judge others.

[+lavender5215]

maybe since the release of that video splinterheads there has been a flood of people who are interested in geocaching and we are seeing the results of a flood of newbies. I mean its easy to ignore newbie mistakes when its only here and there and once in a while, but with the increase of new players its more prominent.

Edited December 21, 2009 by lavender5215

[+Hildy Boys]

Thanks for the response everyone. I guess I never thought of the fact that a false "Found It" could hide the fact that the cache is missing to the CO.

 

And as far as the comment about people always feeling the need to judge others, I totally agree. It seems like some people spend way to much time worrying about what other people are doing, and not focusing on what they are doing.

 

And as far as this forum goes, I better watch it because my post count is getting dagnerously close to my Found Cache count. Seems I am spending more time talking about caching then actual caching!!!

[+brokenoaks]

Over the last few months I have gotten more and more involved in this sport, and I have been spending a fair amount of time reading this forum trying to learn as much as I can. While reading these forums I have noticed a lot of threads concerning false logs, not recording DNFs, people not logging properly, several people logging finds when only one person made the find, and things like that. And the question I have is, "Why do we care?" I am not saying that to be a smarta**, I just don't understand why so many people are worried about how other people are logging their finds, or what other people are considering a find?

 

Is there some sort of race to get the most caches that I am not aware of? Something that involves a prize in the end?

 

When I am caching, I have to physically open the cache for me to consider it a find because that is the rule I set for myself. But I do not log a DNF unless I put a full effort into a search and could not find it. There has been times where I started looking when it was to dark and decided to come back in the light, or started looking and realized it was to wet and to come back at a later date. I do not log those as DNF because I never really looked that hard. Am I breaking some sort of rule?

 

Here again, I don't want to make it seem like I am being sarcastic or anything I just want to make sure I am not breaking some rules that I am unaware of, and with some of these posts I am reading I am beginning to think that maybe I am.

 

My thought on it was kind like golf. Everyone has their own way of keeping score, and as long as we are just playing for fun then why do I care what the other guy is writing on his score card? Why do I care if he LCAP is ball on every shot? If he is not playing within the rules of the game the only person he is cheating is himself, and if he is okay with that it is fine by me.

 

So are we competing in some way that I am unaware of?

My belief of what you are observing on this forum is that those that post here are a very small percentage of the people that are out there Geocaching. I do not think that these opinions (including mine) are in any way an accurate representation what the general Geocaching community thinks about any given subject. as with most internet forums this one is simply personal opinions of the few that bother to post. Groundspeaks guidelines are rather straight forward but as with most simple thing they can be interpreted in ways that were never intended.

[AZcachemeister]

Over the last few months I have gotten more and more involved in this sport, and I have been spending a fair amount of time reading this forum trying to learn as much as I can. While reading these forums I have noticed a lot of threads concerning false logs, not recording DNFs, people not logging properly, several people logging finds when only one person made the find, and things like that. And the question I have is, "Why do we care?" I am not saying that to be a smarta**, I just don't understand why so many people are worried about how other people are logging their finds, or what other people are considering a find?

 

Is there some sort of race to get the most caches that I am not aware of? Something that involves a prize in the end?

 

When I am caching, I have to physically open the cache for me to consider it a find because that is the rule I set for myself. But I do not log a DNF unless I put a full effort into a search and could not find it. There has been times where I started looking when it was to dark and decided to come back in the light, or started looking and realized it was to wet and to come back at a later date. I do not log those as DNF because I never really looked that hard. Am I breaking some sort of rule?

 

Here again, I don't want to make it seem like I am being sarcastic or anything I just want to make sure I am not breaking some rules that I am unaware of, and with some of these posts I am reading I am beginning to think that maybe I am.

 

My thought on it was kind like golf. Everyone has their own way of keeping score, and as long as we are just playing for fun then why do I care what the other guy is writing on his score card? Why do I care if he LCAP is ball on every shot? If he is not playing within the rules of the game the only person he is cheating is himself, and if he is okay with that it is fine by me.

 

So are we competing in some way that I am unaware of?

 

A lot of cachers have a lot of protocols and personal ways of logging/not logging.

 

Unless whatever those others are doing affects what you are doing/would like to be doing, don't worry about it.

[+wimseyguy]

And as far as this forum goes, I better watch it because my post count is getting dagnerously close to my Found Cache count. Seems I am spending more time talking about caching then actual caching!!!

 

wimseyguy's #1 rule-Never ever ever let that happen! One's find count should always be greater than the post count.

#2 rule-see the top sig line.

[+ras_oscar]

The real problem is that there are monthly quotas required to maintain the secret double platinum membership.