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Suggested Improvements for GC.com


Gunnie69

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Hi all, a couple of days ago I forwarded a couple of suggestions to Groundspeak, for consideration of a couple of things I think would be handy on the GC.com site. In their reply, Groundspeak asked that the ideas be floated in the forum as the changes will ultimately affect all cachers.

 

Here is what I forwarded.

 

On individual cache pages, there is a field to highlight the number of people watching a cache. It would be nice if you could see who they were by selecting a "see" option. I am predominantly interested in who are watching my caches but it would be handy for events also.

 

A feature I think would be really handy is to bring up the geocaching google map from the home page. The map could default to your home location if you have submitted the coords, or to the home country if not. I use the map a lot for planning and currently find it a long path to get to a map.

 

What I also thought would be handy is in my profile where it lists my last 30 days activity, perhaps a map option could be included on the right hand side of the cache you have found so you can go immediately to the area map for that cache, rather than through the cache page.

 

They are my suggested improvements. Please feel free to comment so the Groundspeak team get an idea on whether the ideas are worth implementing.

 

Cheers

Gunnie69

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On individual cache pages, there is a field to highlight the number of people watching a cache. It would be nice if you could see who they were by selecting a "see" option. I am predominantly interested in who are watching my caches but it would be handy for events also.

 

Why? Is there a purpose to see them? I ask because there have been numerous reasons listed not to.

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love the idea of knowing who is watching a cache, even if it is only available to the owner of a cache.

 

i also think maybe a time limit on a cache that has been muggled as well. there is one around the corner, perfect cache hidy spot but it is gone and the person who owns it hasnt been on geocaching for months. i would be willing to take on looking after it but how do we get in touch if they have gone...

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On individual cache pages, there is a field to highlight the number of people watching a cache. It would be nice if you could see who they were by selecting a "see" option. I am predominantly interested in who are watching my caches but it would be handy for events also.

 

Why? Is there a purpose to see them? I ask because there have been numerous reasons listed not to.

 

Numerous ? Please explain. I thought the only reason was privacy issues.

I think it should be similar to allowing PMO hiders to "see" who's looking at their hides.

No real "purpose", but Groundspeak seems to feel that looking at watchers isn't the same as PMO hits.

If there is a true privacy concern, it should be deemed so on both. The ability to "see" who's logging on PMOs should be removed.

I don't log onto PMO hides for just that reason. Why is my privacy less of an issue than a watchers ?

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A feature I think would be really handy is to bring up the geocaching google map from the home page. The map could default to your home location if you have submitted the coords, or to the home country if not. I use the map a lot for planning and currently find it a long path to get to a map.

 

I too think it takes far too many clicks to get to the Google map (at least two, and that's if the form is auto-filled). Perhaps not put the map on the homepage, but at least make it only one click away. As you say, defaulting to the home location to begin with is a good idea, then if the searcher wants to view somewhere else, use the search function.

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A feature I think would be really handy is to bring up the geocaching google map from the home page. The map could default to your home location if you have submitted the coords, or to the home country if not. I use the map a lot for planning and currently find it a long path to get to a map.

 

I too think it takes far too many clicks to get to the Google map (at least two, and that's if the form is auto-filled). Perhaps not put the map on the homepage, but at least make it only one click away. As you say, defaulting to the home location to begin with is a good idea, then if the searcher wants to view somewhere else, use the search function.

I don't get it. I use http://www.geocaching.com/my/ as my "home page". In the righthand column is an icon that reads, "Map It" map_it.gif that does just that.

 

Search for nearest geocaches from your home coordinates (filter out finds).

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On individual cache pages, there is a field to highlight the number of people watching a cache. It would be nice if you could see who they were by selecting a "see" option. I am predominantly interested in who are watching my caches but it would be handy for events also.

 

"Watch" is a feature available to all members. Bookmark is a feature available to Premium members. I mention this because they both provide the option to receive logs as email. I might have every one of your caches on a bookmark, and get all logs as email. Unless I create the bookmark as public, you'd never know.

 

This is neither a for/nor against revealing watchers - I have no particular opinion on this. But it does speak to the limited nature of it. Any premium member can "watch" your cache invisibly. I rarely watchlist caches. If I'm interested, I bookmark, to a not public, not shared list (this because removing Watched items takes 2 clicks per, while you can bulk delete from Bookmarks).

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On individual cache pages, there is a field to highlight the number of people watching a cache. It would be nice if you could see who they were by selecting a "see" option. I am predominantly interested in who are watching my caches but it would be handy for events also.

 

Why? Is there a purpose to see them? I ask because there have been numerous reasons listed not to.

 

Numerous ? Please explain. I thought the only reason was privacy issues.

I think it should be similar to allowing PMO hiders to "see" who's looking at their hides.

No real "purpose", but Groundspeak seems to feel that looking at watchers isn't the same as PMO hits.

If there is a true privacy concern, it should be deemed so on both. The ability to "see" who's logging on PMOs should be removed.

I don't log onto PMO hides for just that reason. Why is my privacy less of an issue than a watchers ?

 

I am not aware of any privacy issues, however the tin foil hat crowd may see otherwise.

 

I agree that the audit logs serve no useful purpose and should be done away with for the same reason that seeing watchers should not be implemented; angst.

 

As you can see from the many other threads, people mistakenly think this information gives them reliable information to determine who damaged a cache, stole a cache, moved a cache, etc. In the case of the audit logs, people send rather nasty emails to someone that they perceive looking at their caches for the wrong reasons.

 

In the case of watch list, people will do the same in addition to things like thinking a watched cache is more popular, meaning lets hide more paper bag caches behind dumpsters since this is popular.

 

I agree that cachers ignoring and watching should not be shown as well as even the number who are. Include also not showing find counts and doing away with audit logs as all of these serve no useful purpose other than to satisfy the urges of people who may otherwise be sitting in their windows with binoculars watching other peoples apartments.

 

Back to the OP; Is there a valid reason for the request that may have been missed?

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.....

I don't get it. I use http://www.geocaching.com/my/ as my "home page". In the righthand column is an icon that reads, "Map It" map_it.gif that does just that.

 

Never noticed this link before... I need to be more observant. (When I see the term "map it" I'm thinking of me mapping something, not looking at someone else's map.) So all Groundspeak would need to do is to change the initial zoom level out a couple clicks and the requested functionality would exist. I know we can zoom in and out, but it's nice to start at the most frequently used level and odds are that caches in your area that you want to see are more than a half mile away. .. maybe set it to cover 3 +/- miles?

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love the idea of knowing who is watching a cache, even if it is only available to the owner of a cache.

 

i also think maybe a time limit on a cache that has been muggled as well. there is one around the corner, perfect cache hidy spot but it is gone and the person who owns it hasnt been on geocaching for months. i would be willing to take on looking after it but how do we get in touch if they have gone...

If the cache is gone or destroyed, the CO isn't responding to emails, and hasn't logged on for several months, post a Needs Archived log. the website doesn't "know" when a cache has been muggled, it's the responsibility of cachers to post the appropriate logs when they think action needs to be taken.

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A feature I think would be really handy is to bring up the geocaching google map from the home page. The map could default to your home location if you have submitted the coords, or to the home country if not. I use the map a lot for planning and currently find it a long path to get to a map.

 

I too think it takes far too many clicks to get to the Google map (at least two, and that's if the form is auto-filled). Perhaps not put the map on the homepage, but at least make it only one click away. As you say, defaulting to the home location to begin with is a good idea, then if the searcher wants to view somewhere else, use the search function.

I don't get it. I use http://www.geocaching.com/my/ as my "home page". In the righthand column is an icon that reads, "Map It" map_it.gif that does just that.

 

Search for nearest geocaches from your home coordinates (filter out finds).

 

That's cool - didn't know about the 'Map It' link. However, I'm talking about the Geocaching home page, as in www.geocaching.com which does not have this feature. If the answer is to use the */my as the homepage, then so be it...

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