"Virtual" Event Attendance

[+SSO JOAT]

An idea that is brewing and I'd like to hear comments about it.

 

Say you put together an educational event and have it set up for 2-way video conferencing to remote locations. Then you have a couple satellite locations set up at the other end of the video conference. A class is taught on some geocaching topic with the speakers at the primary event site, but other cachers attending via the remote feeds without having to travel long distances to the primary event location.

 

At the end of it you have a larger audience to participate in an educational event and they would all get to log the event as attended, even if they were at a satellite location perhaps hundreds of miles away.

 

Thoughts?

[+briansnat]

Doesn't sound like it's really in a spirit of what an event should be about, which is a gathering of geocachers.

 

What's next? Setting up webcams at events and letting everyone who watched the event from their living room log attendeds?

[GermanSailor]

An idea that is brewing and I'd like to hear comments about it.

 

Say you put together an educational event and have it set up for 2-way video conferencing to remote locations.

An educational event is a good idea, especially if people who can't travel can participate as well. But logging such an event is the decision of the individual geocacher. Why should it not be allowed? Can there be any harm if someone logs such an event?

 

My opinion: Do it, I don't care who logs or not! It's a free country!

 

GermanSailor

[+briansnat]

An idea that is brewing and I'd like to hear comments about it.

 

Say you put together an educational event and have it set up for 2-way video conferencing to remote locations.

An educational event is a good idea, especially if people who can't travel can participate as well. But logging such an event is the decision of the individual geocacher. Why should it not be allowed? Can there be any harm if someone logs such an event?

 

My opinion: Do it, I don't care who logs or not! It's a free country!

 

GermanSailor

 

A lot of things are harmless. It doesn't always mean they are a good idea.

[+Mom-n-Andy]

Since the whole sport of geocaching is based on using technology, why not use teleconference technology for an event?

 

I'd expect that the number of geocachers per square mile in Alaska is very low, and this may well be the only way to get a group of them together. We have friends of friends who live in the Alaskan outback and whose children attend school via teleconference, and otherwise they wouldn't be going to school.

[+thedeadpirate]

I think it's an interesting idea.

[GOF and Bacall]

I am not a fan of armchair logging. I think the whole point of geocaching is to visit the locations. But this is different. This maintains the element of participation that is a big part of an event. I think a virtual event attended by videoconferencing is more of a geo-event than a flash mob.

[+debaere]

Perhaps you could list this as multiple events. One for the live event, and one for each satellite site. Personally as long as I am going "somewhere" to meet a group of cachers, its an event. The fact that the main activity is watching a remote feed instead of someone live, who cares? Having multiple caches also gives you a better idea of how many attendees you had at each site.

 

I wouldn't allow "I logged in from home" folks tho, simple because they didn't "attend" anything.

[GermanSailor]

A lot of things are harmless. It doesn't always mean they are a good idea.

Being allowed and able to follow not so good ideas which don't hurt anyone is a pillar of freedom!

 

I actually think the video-conference event is a good idea.

 

GermanSailor

[+SSO JOAT]

Now let me add this idea to it...

 

Your "main" educational event is hosted in the "big city" with event cache "geocaching 101" and features an hour presentation on some basic caching topics geared toward new cachers (topic could be anything, this is just an example). The presenter is a famous cacher who likes to teach, but can't be expected to travel all over the countryside to give presentations separately to smaller groups. But we want to make this presentation available to others.

 

Now, at 2 or 3 separate locations in small towns that are a distance from the "big city" there are simultaneous event listings of the same name and description, etc. The only difference is that they are at a separate event location and have their own GC# listing. These sites are linked by video conference to the main event. A handful of local cachers attend each small event and participate in the educational event along with those back in the big city. The 2-way nature allows them to ask questions, etc. just as if they were there.

 

So you log the event that you were physically at, even though everyone technically attended the same "class".

 

Obviously that would satisfy the physical presence concept, but it creates more work and potential confusion on the part of the cache listings.

 

So which would be better? All log a single event listing at the "main" event, or have several events published that are in fact the same event spread out geographically.

 

In many regards, it sounds like a six of one and half dozen of the other.

 

BTW, I'm just fine with a cacher sitting in front of his computer attending an educational event via video conference and logging it. Give me a reason why that's not acceptable (unless said cacher is sitting there in his underware on a 2-way video conference). We're not talking about some kind of woodstock-wannabe gathering, we're talking about a "how to properly log a cache on geocaching.com" presentation.

 

EDIT- Was typing all this while "debaere" posted his idea that is pretty much the same thing.

Edited January 29, 2010 by SSO JOAT

[+Touchstone]

Several separate Events linked together by teleconference sounds workable, but the armchair version that you describe sounds to close to the "virtual logging" problem that has been brought here before.

 

In addition, if I'm logging in from CA, but the teleconference feed is coming from Florida, do I really deserve to check FL off my State List if that is where the main Event is based?

 

I'm not to sure about the concept. What's next? A Text Message Event? A Twitter Event????

[+SSO JOAT]

All reasons why I tend to think that the satellite events must be formal sites were you need to attend with an event "host" at each site. But I want to let all the potential ideas fly around on this one and see what comes out of it.

[knowschad]

I'm not to sure about the concept. What's next? A Text Message Event? A Twitter Event????

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

[+StarBrand]

Its been done before - here in Nebraska. Back when cachers were trying to get a statewide Geocaching organization going. I think it was late 2003. It would have been a 7 hour drive (one way) for me to drive to the meeting point in Lincoln. So about 7 or 8 of us participated via webcam and microphone - but we were actively participating in the whole discussion/event. I logged it back then. Since then I have travelled 3 or 4 times back east for a Nebraskache meeting. Now if we could only get those Omaha cacher's out this way.....

 

Would I do it today?? - probably not - but it seemed like a very logical way to get the maximum attendance at such an event back then. Nebraska is pretty far across from West to East.

[+succotash]

Why does every activity have to involve a smiley? Not allowing a smiley shouldn't prevent cachers from interacting using various technologies.

[+Castle Mischief]

Sounds like a great way to connect with distant cachers.

 

Should it qualify you for a "Attended" log on a GC.com event? No.

 

Why? Because an IP address is not the same as a set of coordinates. Location. The hobby is about location.

[+SSO JOAT]

So, how many people must show up at a published 'event' cache before they get to qualify as "attended"? Just because there is an IP address involved, doesn't mean there isn't a location. There are 3 or 4 very specific locations. Each location having a group of cachers who are "attending".

 

It seems to comply very well with your "requirements", so I don't understand why you don't think it is worthy of everyone logging it.

[+sbell111]

So, how many people must show up at a published 'event' cache before they get to qualify as "attended"? Just because there is an IP address involved, doesn't mean there isn't a location. There are 3 or 4 very specific locations. Each location having a group of cachers who are "attending".

 

It seems to comply very well with your "requirements", so I don't understand why you don't think it is worthy of everyone logging it.

The idea does seem to be in line with the spirit of the guidelines.

[Clan Riffster]

The Florida Geocaching Association reps meet via a separate chatroom. When I am "at" one of these meetings, the term I would use is that I "attended" the meeting. I don't see much difference with what you're asking about. Whether I was at the main site, or one of the satellite locations, (presumably with other cachers... located by a set of coords), I would log it as "attended". Sounds like a hoot! Have you asked your local reviewer about the idea?

[+JoGPS]

An idea that is brewing and I'd like to hear comments about it.

 

Say you put together an educational event and have it set up for 2-way video conferencing to remote locations. Then you have a couple satellite locations set up at the other end of the video conference. A class is taught on some geocaching topic with the speakers at the primary event site, but other cachers attending via the remote feeds without having to travel long distances to the primary event location.

 

At the end of it you have a larger audience to participate in an educational event and they would all get to log the event as attended, even if they were at a satellite location perhaps hundreds of miles away.

 

Thoughts?

 

Personally don't see any thing wrong with it, only good, its ideas like this that keep the game evolving

 

Just think of all the changes since 2001, a whole hella of a lot of changes, even though I have not agreed with them all the sport is better for them. Would also bet the Lackeys have looked at it also

 

logging one smiley for attending either from the orgional location or a satlite what does it matter.

 

How much does a smiley cost any way ?

 

Happy Trails

 

Joe

[+CTYankee9]

Sounds like a great idea, possibly not new, but still out of the ordinary. It is an event, so as long as the local reviewer where the main speaker is located and then each reviewer in the satallite locations doesn't see anything wrong with it, go for it! I do think that attendence at one of the locations would be the only way I would log is as "attended", not if I patched in from my home.

 

Think of the Mega-Event possibilities, would GS consider attendence in total of all the satallite locations????

[+Snoogans]

All reasons why I tend to think that the satellite events must be formal sites were you need to attend with an event "host" at each site. But I want to let all the potential ideas fly around on this one and see what comes out of it.

 

That's better than my original idea that I posted back in 2004. I got a couple of virtual attends on that event that were later changed to notes.

 

However, think of this, why would I as a frequent event host want to hold a satellite event for you? What's in it for me? (A limited coin or pathtag maybe? )

 

As I understand it, the idea is to get all the attends on one page which takes away the hosting stat from your satellite hosts. That's not exactly incentive unless it's thrown together in under the 2 week event posting limit.

 

Otherwise the idea is not original, because there have been quite a few WWFM concurrent separate events already.

 

Just my 2 cents....

 

Now, PabloMac already set precedent for an audio event at a pizza place on Oregon as I recall which as I recall wasn't very well received by some folks. I thought it was cool to do once, but I wouldn't make a practice of attending audio events.

[+briansnat]

Now let me add this idea to it...

 

Your "main" educational event is hosted in the "big city" with event cache "geocaching 101" and features an hour presentation on some basic caching topics geared toward new cachers (topic could be anything, this is just an example). The presenter is a famous cacher who likes to teach, but can't be expected to travel all over the countryside to give presentations separately to smaller groups. But we want to make this presentation available to others.

 

Now, at 2 or 3 separate locations in small towns that are a distance from the "big city" there are simultaneous event listings of the same name and description, etc. The only difference is that they are at a separate event location and have their own GC# listing. These sites are linked by video conference to the main event. A handful of local cachers attend each small event and participate in the educational event along with those back in the big city. The 2-way nature allows them to ask questions, etc. just as if they were there.

 

So you log the event that you were physically at, even though everyone technically attended the same "class".

 

Obviously that would satisfy the physical presence concept, but it creates more work and potential confusion on the part of the cache listings.

 

So which would be better? All log a single event listing at the "main" event, or have several events published that are in fact the same event spread out geographically.

 

In many regards, it sounds like a six of one and half dozen of the other.

 

BTW, I'm just fine with a cacher sitting in front of his computer attending an educational event via video conference and logging it. Give me a reason why that's not acceptable (unless said cacher is sitting there in his underware on a 2-way video conference). We're not talking about some kind of woodstock-wannabe gathering, we're talking about a "how to properly log a cache on geocaching.com" presentation.

 

EDIT- Was typing all this while "debaere" posted his idea that is pretty much the same thing.

 

With that little tweak I think it's a great idea.

[+Castle Mischief]

So, how many people must show up at a published 'event' cache before they get to qualify as "attended"? Just because there is an IP address involved, doesn't mean there isn't a location. There are 3 or 4 very specific locations. Each location having a group of cachers who are "attending".

 

It seems to comply very well with your "requirements", so I don't understand why you don't think it is worthy of everyone logging it.

 

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I think it would be fine if there were multi-satellite events that were linked together via video chat client. Clearly those are separate events that happen to be linking up to each other.

 

The thought of a multitude of people sitting at home and all meeting in virtual space and then claiming an "attended" I'm not so crazy about. Sure, there might be a location, but those sitting at home aren't at it.

 

I think I missed this comment:

 

All reasons why I tend to think that the satellite events must be formal sites were you need to attend with an event "host" at each site. But I want to let all the potential ideas fly around on this one and see what comes out of it.

 

Which I agree with.

Edited January 29, 2010 by Castle Mischief

[+SSO JOAT]

However, think of this, why would I as a frequent event host want to hold a satellite event for you? What's in it for me?

 

This isn't an issue here. We already have the site hosts as they are part of the education committee that is setting all this up for our state's geocaching organization. I expect that after a successful run or two, there will be more interest from pockets of cachers further away. What more "incentive" does one need than to help educate fellow cachers and bring in new cachers properly? If that's not incentive enough, then there's nothing we can do to convince someone that they "need" to host a satellite educational event. We'll just find someone else. "If you build it, they will come."

 

As I understand it, the idea is to get all the attends on one page which takes away the hosting stat from your satellite hosts. That's not exactly incentive unless it's thrown together in under the 2 week event posting limit.

 

Could you expand on this or rephrase? I have absolutely no idea what you are trying to say here. What is a "hosting stat"?? It's not about getting everybody on the "same page". It's about allowing them all to be present at the same educational lecture. Think of it as a distance learning class full of students, not a business meeting amongst board members as many seem to keep referencing.

 

For instance, I could publish a satellite event in my area that is linked to a main event occurring up in the "big city". Cachers will show up at my event, perhaps scheduled up to a half hour before the main event. We meet-n-greet and have some social time. The we link to the main event via video conference and participate in an educational lecture. Following that, we go offline and maybe finish up with a door prize drawing and more social stuff or maybe head out the door to go do some group caching. The satellite location gets the same core educational stuff as the main site, but we have leading and trailing time that is all ours.

 

Responding to a question by another poster... yes, reviewers have been consulted and they recommend the separate event listings for the satellite locations.

[+bittsen]

Without reading all of the replies, here is my opinion on it.

 

Geocaching is about taking you to a place, physically.

 

So, it wouldn't be a real geocaching type event since you don't physically go to any place in particular.

[+angevine]

I like this idea from an educational point of view. I'm still astonished at how many people have not heard of geocaching, and I think that streaming into classrooms and libraries and so on is brilliant.

 

It's just not the same as an event, to my mind.

 

Jeannette (angevine)

[+Castle Mischief]

Without reading all of the replies, here is my opinion on it.

 

Geocaching is about taking you to a place, physically.

 

So, it wouldn't be a real geocaching type event since you don't physically go to any place in particular.

 

The idea is that the attendees would be gathered together, in a physical location, at their own satellite event and would all "phone home" and conference the events together.

[+Too Tall John]

Without reading all of the replies, here is my opinion on it.

 

Geocaching is about taking you to a place, physically.

 

So, it wouldn't be a real geocaching type event since you don't physically go to any place in particular.

The idea is that the attendees would be gathered together, in a physical location, at their own satellite event and would all "phone home" and conference the events together.

Sounds like a series of coordinated events.

[+bittsen]

Without reading all of the replies, here is my opinion on it.

 

Geocaching is about taking you to a place, physically.

 

So, it wouldn't be a real geocaching type event since you don't physically go to any place in particular.

 

The idea is that the attendees would be gathered together, in a physical location, at their own satellite event and would all "phone home" and conference the events together.

 

Then each gathering would be an event, not the teleconferenced location.

[Clan Riffster]

Then each gathering would be an event, not the teleconferenced location.

Prior to the reviewer chiming in, I would've said it would work either way. I did a CITO event that had 9 separate locations, combined. The idea was for folks to pick the Seminole County Wilderness Area nearest them and do a CITO. If, after they were done, they felt like munching on some poorly cooked hotdogs, I had the grill fired up at one of the spots. It's kinda similar. sorta...

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Several separate Events linked together by teleconference sounds workable, but the armchair version that you describe sounds to close to the "virtual logging" problem that has been brought here before.

 

In addition, if I'm logging in from CA, but the teleconference feed is coming from Florida, do I really deserve to check FL off my State List if that is where the main Event is based?

 

I'm not to sure about the concept. What's next? A Text Message Event? A Twitter Event????

 

How the event is logged aside, I think a geocaching virtual conference would be pretty interesting.

 

Last year I "attended" a virtual conference called "Handheld Librarian" on the use of mobile technology in Libraries. The conference used a web based conferencing application that allowed attendees to connect to a web site, watch presentations and ask questions to the presenters through the application. There were over 2000 people that "attended". I participated in the conference from my desk at work, and at one point carried my laptop to our lunch room and participated from there. Not only did all the attendees attend the conference virtually but all of the presenters gave their talk from their local site as well. So at one point I was listening to someone in Boston asking a question to a presenter in Denver from my desk in New York.

 

While many scoff at the entire concept of Twitter (I have to wonder if it would be taken more seriously if itwasn't called Twitter) it also played a useful role during the conference. A "hashtag" (#hhlib) was set up prior to the conference that anyone sending a message on Twitter (a Tweet) would include in the message. That allowed anyone to follow what others were saying. That produced a back channel discussion, sharing of links related to the presentation, and a few snarky comments as well. In Twitter there is a concept called "trending" and is basically a ranking of the most frequently used hashtag during a given time. The Twitter site has a list of the top 10 current "trending topics". At one point, the hashtag ranked as high as the 5th most popular topic in the world. For a few hours, a bunch of librarians talking about the use of cell phones and ebook readers was more popular than Paris Hilton. An interesting phenomenon occurs when a topic is trending. There are are group of individuals that will see the topics popularity as an opportunity to spread their own message. When it was up in the top ten topics we started seeing spam, porn message ("I am hotter than #hhlib) and lots of "What the h*** is #hhlib?" messages.

 

A virtual geocaching conference could be used similarly to spread the word that we want to spread rather than have people read about the game through a news story about a microwave in the wood getting blown up by the bomb squad.

[+Konnarock Kid & Marge]

Good idea!

After all, rather we like it or not, technology evolves and so does our approach to most everything, including geocaching. Sometimes we force the game into technology e.g. Wherigo and sometimes we force the technology into the game e.g. the OP's suggestion.

One little 'ol smiley shouldn't be worried about one way or another. Folks, it's a game not a religion!

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Without reading all of the replies, here is my opinion on it.

 

Geocaching is about taking you to a place, physically.

 

So, it wouldn't be a real geocaching type event since you don't physically go to any place in particular.

 

Geocaching, as a verb, is about taking you to a place, physically. Geocaching, as a game, is both about the locations one visits, and the people in the geocaching community. Lots of geocaching events, while allowing you to log them as a find, are not really geocaching (as a verb), but about the geocaching community. As others have written, a virtual geocaching conference would be an educational as well as social event with the added benefit it can education non-geocachers.