New forums

[+BlueDeuce]

More of us are spending more time over there so these 'Hey, it ain't working for me' reports aren't likely to sit for a month. Additionally after the everyone pops in with an idea they've been sitting on for a while, the initial flood of reports should decrease and common requests will start to gel together.

 

At least I hope so.

[+t4e]

More of us are spending more time over there so these 'Hey, it ain't working for me' reports aren't likely to sit for a month. Additionally after the everyone pops in with an idea they've been sitting on for a while, the initial flood of reports should decrease and common requests will start to gel together.

 

At least I hope so.

 

you see the glass half full and i see it half empty

 

we'll see who's right

[+BlueDeuce]

I am however going to ignore those 'Let me see who's watching my cache' types requests. That's just debate.

[+StarBrand]

I am certainly splitting time between these forums and the new feedback area helping out wherever I can. I see so very much overlap that it just becomes ridiculous. Also because of the "Employees are here to help" banner over in GS - there is a great expectation that actual Groundspeak employees are going to solve every issue - when in reality - the vast majority of issues are answered by some of the same friendly folks as in these forums.

[+Castle Mischief]

I am however going to ignore those 'Let me see who's watching my cache' types requests. That's just debate.

 

It's almost as if some of the old ancient debates have been sent over there so they have a place to live- the eternal limbo of "Under Consideration".

[+tozainamboku]

People can certainly answer questions, repond to ideas, and even indicate if they are having the same problem on the Get Statisfacation site. But that site is not setup as forum. It is set up a feedback site - primarily for people trying to get their questions, ideas, and problems noticed by the company. It doesn't lend itself to the lively discussions we can have in a forum that is designed for discussions. The Get Statisfaction site fails to support a back and forth discussion between users.

 

Ask a questiong -> someone answers -> people can vote: does this answer the question, and can comment on the answer. Propose an idea -> people can like the idea and whether they like it or not they can respond to the idea -> people can vote: this is one of the best responses, and can comment on the response. Report a problem -> people can vote: I have the problem too, and people can reply to the problem -> people can vote: this solves the problem, and can comment on the response.

 

Commenting on a response or answer does lend it self to a discussion. There is no threading or quoting facility. Sometimes people start another response to respond to a response and it becomes impossible to follow. There is no private message facility to take things offline. Groundspeak has limited capablilities to moderate threads. It seems they can delete offensive posts and that's about it.

 

With a discussion forum things happen differently. Often a question or idea will trigger a longer discussion from which other ideas emerge. Sometimes users will respond with a "workaround", such as a new Greasemonkey script, to solve a problem. When someone reports a problem, other users can describe how they dealt with a similar issue. Often we see users that help diagnose problems, sometimes resulting in fixes that Groundspeak was then able to quickly implement.

 

I think the Get Statisfaction site serves a purpose. It is encourages feedback from people who never checked the forums before or from those that did and didn't like what they saw (ideas being rudely dissmissed by regulars). It provides some tools to help Groundspeak track this feed back and judge how the community feels about It provides some tools for Groundspeak to let users know they have seen the feedback and whether they are considering this or not. I think the Get Satisifaction site fails to serve the purpose of discussing and debating those ideas the deserve a more detail examination. It fails in encouraging cooperative problem solving. It fails in providing a forum for users to ask other users for help and ideas before they go and contact Groundspeak about them.

[Skippermark]

I am however going to ignore those 'Let me see who's watching my cache' types requests. That's just debate.

 

It's almost as if some of the old ancient debates have been sent over there so they have a place to live- the eternal limbo of "Under Consideration".

CT has a local caching forum. Many of the users there have said they don't visit the GC forums, but there are several posts encouraging people to go to the geocaching feedback site and let them know how you feel about different things.

 

Before the Get Satisfaction site came to be, I think most cachers didn't know about or just didn't visit forums, but by having the feedback link on every page, people that wouldn't have visited the forums are going to the Get Satisfaction site and discussing things that have been talked about here for years.

[+The Blorenges]

I am certainly splitting time between these forums and the new feedback area helping out wherever I can. I see so very much overlap that it just becomes ridiculous...

 

Yes.

 

I would like there to be some Benign Moderating Deity, sitting out there in the geocaching ether, sorting out all the topics in these forums and "Get Satisfaction", sliding them about into the most appropriate places...

 

<sonorous tones>

Hmmm...

 

That's the fourth plea for help on trackable logging this week - I'll shift that down to the Travel Bugs forum for BD to deal with...

 

"Getting Lord Elph's icons onto Ordnance Survey Memory Maps" - over to UK forum In Tray...

 

"Create a personal calendar for geocaching events and other geocaching activity" - Interesting idea. The team might be able to develop that one - That's one for "Get satisfaction"...

 

Ah, somebody with a touch of levity! But not very Geocaching-related. Maybe I can drop that into Off Topic for that lot to play around with...

 

Yet another "Bring back Virtuals" to add to the 3000+ already in the "Get Satisfaction" topic...

 

"What do all the abbreviations mean?" - I'll push that down to "Getting Started"...

 

I could sure do with coffee and a donut...

 

Next one... "

</sonorous tones>

 

 

I'd just like it all a bit more orderly, I guess.

 

MrsB

[+t4e]

 

CT has a local caching forum. Many of the users there have said they don't visit the GC forums, but there are several posts encouraging people to go to the geocaching feedback site and let them know how you feel about different things.

 

Before the Get Satisfaction site came to be, I think most cachers didn't know about or just didn't visit forums, but by having the feedback link on every page, people that wouldn't have visited the forums are going to the Get Satisfaction site and discussing things that have been talked about here for years.

 

the Forum link has been on the left hand side for as long as i have been a member

 

why would the FEEDBACK be more prominent and encourage them to visit it?

why wasn't the FORUM link been made more prominent, perhaps with a note saying "we're here to help, visit our forums"?

 

the general purpose of a Forum is to get help, if people choose not to visit them maybe they don't need help

 

i have asked this before and nobody bother to answer

my understanding was that the FEEDBACK/Get Satisfaction was intended for technical issues, suggestions, improvements not for general caching questions?

 

why the turn around now?...that place is littered with simple questions that could be answered here

 

what in effect you have created now is an extremely confusing system

 

one place for everything is always more efficient than 2

Edited August 26, 2010 by t4e

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

More of us are spending more time over there so these 'Hey, it ain't working for me' reports aren't likely to sit for a month. Additionally after the everyone pops in with an idea they've been sitting on for a while, the initial flood of reports should decrease and common requests will start to gel together.

 

At least I hope so.

 

you see the glass half full and i see it half empty

 

we'll see who's right

 

I saw that glass. The only thing I could think of was "Yuck! What is in that glass?"

[+Panther&Pine]

The one thing I like about the Feedback thing is that it allows Groundspeak to openly tell folks what is/isn't or might happen on specific ideas.

 

I feel like it has cut down on the "Bring back Virts" threads, that is a positive.

 

On the negative it seems like topics that already had homes are appearing in odd places over here. Also a negative that I've noticed is that they don't seem to be able to limit who can leave feedback (eg. Ashniks is over there... or was last time I looked).

 

I'm sure that after a few months we'll all be used to the new set up.

[Skippermark]

why would the FEEDBACK be more prominent and encourage them to visit it?

why wasn't the FORUM link been made more prominent, perhaps with a note saying "we're here to help, visit our forums"?

 

the general purpose of a Forum is to get help, if people choose not to visit them maybe they don't need help

A lot of the CT cachers use the local forum as a "hang out" place to talk about all kinds of things, and it's not all about caching. A lot isn't appropriate (not naughty or bad), just not the right spot to talk about in a forum that's world-wide because a lot of it is like, "Hey, who wants to go kayaking this weekend" or "what did you think of America's Got Talent last night" type conversations.

 

Maybe when they saw the feedback link, it caught their eye as more of a "tell us what you think" rather than a "let's hang out and chit-chat" type place, which is how the CT local forum is seen.

 

I don't know the answers to your other questions, but I realize they aren't directed to me personally.

[+tozainamboku]

what in effect you have created now is an extremely confusing system

 

one place for everything is always more efficient than 2

I'm struck by how similar some of the complaints about Get Satisfaction are to complaints about Waymarking.

[+t4e]

 

A lot of the CT cachers use the local forum as a "hang out" place to talk about all kinds of things, and it's not all about caching. A lot isn't appropriate (not naughty or bad), just not the right spot to talk about in a forum that's world-wide because a lot of it is like, "Hey, who wants to go kayaking this weekend" or "what did you think of America's Got Talent last night" type conversations.

 

Maybe when they saw the feedback link, it caught their eye as more of a "tell us what you think" rather than a "let's hang out and chit-chat" type place, which is how the CT local forum is seen.

 

I don't know the answers to your other questions, but I realize they aren't directed to me personally.

 

certainly not, and not at the CT forum users either, my comments are of general nature

 

i know there are many local organizations with websites and forums where people hang out, but this forum is the "mother ship" and should have been made more prominent on the GC page and point and encourage people to use it for help

 

personally i prefer the "feel" of the forums where you can interact better and quote people and follow a discussion, which the FEEDBACK site lacks immensely

 

i go there once in a blue moon, and i helped a few people but as far as participating in any discussions its not efficient

Edited August 27, 2010 by t4e

[+Harry Dolphin]

what in effect you have created now is an extremely confusing system

 

one place for everything is always more efficient than 2

I'm struck by how similar some of the complaints about Get Satisfaction are to complaints about Waymarking.

+1 Both very poorly organized.

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

Is it true that "Under Consideration" means "We don't want to talk about this any more"?

[+Coldgears]

I find it funny that ashinkes is posting like mad on that forum but not this one... Doesn't make sense... I thought he quit geocaching!

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

I find it funny that ashinkes is posting like mad on that forum but not this one... Doesn't make sense... I thought he quit geocaching!

 

I don't think he has permission to post here. What with having been banned and all.

[+t4e]

I find it funny that ashinkes is posting like mad on that forum but not this one... Doesn't make sense... I thought he quit geocaching!

 

he has been banned from the forums and many of his off color remarks have been deleted on feedback site, i don't think someone can be banned in that system

[jholly]

I find it funny that ashinkes is posting like mad on that forum but not this one... Doesn't make sense... I thought he quit geocaching!

 

He didn't quit. There is a reason he is not posting here.

[+brslk]

I have visited the new site and do not like it. I will not view it again.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

the more time i spend in the FEEDBACK section the more i see that its obviously not working as it was intended

 

so the forums where removed because supposedly the Get Satisfaction was going to allow GS employees to give timely solutions/answers to people's problems

 

well its not working as intended, this one had to wait a whole month to get a reply and it wasn't even from a GS employee but rather from a regular user

 

http://feedback.geocaching.com/geocaching/..._from_watchlist

 

 

Agreed. I've been less than satisfied with Get Satisfaction. I started a topic that I figured would be fairly controversial. The last time I looked a couple of weeks ago it had 175 or so "like this" votes. Not a huge number compared to some of the other topics but still a reasonably strong mandate for my suggestion. However, there were also tons of comments on the issue, and the "mood" ratings were about even. The problem with the mood indicator was that "very sad" could mean "I don't like how things are being done now" or "I don't like it that someone is suggesting things should be changed". In any case, the topic got nary a peep from anyone from Groundspeak and after presenting what I thought was a very compelling (and long) argument to support my suggestion along with an argument which explained why "if you don't like it just don't do it" did not apply that's how most of the responses went and I finally just stopped following the topic. There may be discussions going on there. I didn't see a feature which allowed me to close a topic or retract my suggestion I would have used it a long time ago.

[+Castle Mischief]

...the "mood" ratings were about even. The problem with the mood indicator was that "very sad" could mean "I don't like how things are being done now" or "I don't like it that someone is suggesting things should be changed".

 

Agreed. I hope the "mood" is not some sort of metric that's being recorded and considered. It's got to be one of the goofier types of "feedback" I've ever seen collected in a system like this- especially in the way that it's implemented.

[+Castle Mischief]

Is it true that "Under Consideration" means "We don't want to talk about this any more"?

 

Right. It guess it's possible, but I kind of find it hard to believe that some of the ancient old ideas (nano size, bring back virts, etc) are still be actually "considered" by Groundspeak at this point. At some point you either are or are not going to make a change or implement an idea- so why not commit?

[+tozainamboku]

the more time i spend in the FEEDBACK section the more i see that its obviously not working as it was intended

 

so the forums where removed because supposedly the Get Satisfaction was going to allow GS employees to give timely solutions/answers to people's problems

 

well its not working as intended, this one had to wait a whole month to get a reply and it wasn't even from a GS employee but rather from a regular user

 

http://feedback.geocaching.com/geocaching/..._from_watchlist

 

 

Agreed. I've been less than satisfied with Get Satisfaction. I started a topic that I figured would be fairly controversial. The last time I looked a couple of weeks ago it had 175 or so "like this" votes. Not a huge number compared to some of the other topics but still a reasonably strong mandate for my suggestion. However, there were also tons of comments on the issue, and the "mood" ratings were about even. The problem with the mood indicator was that "very sad" could mean "I don't like how things are being done now" or "I don't like it that someone is suggesting things should be changed". In any case, the topic got nary a peep from anyone from Groundspeak and after presenting what I thought was a very compelling (and long) argument to support my suggestion along with an argument which explained why "if you don't like it just don't do it" did not apply that's how most of the responses went and I finally just stopped following the topic. There may be discussions going on there. I didn't see a feature which allowed me to close a topic or retract my suggestion I would have used it a long time ago.

Well it looks like it's "Under Consideration" now. Jeremy's comments indicates he agrees with at least one of your points. I sure would have preferred you had started that topic in this forum so we could have a lively debate over whether power trails are as evil as you claim. If the guidelines need to be refined because there are too many power trails being places or if they are not keeping with Jeremy's opinion the "Geocaching is about taking you to new places not taking you 528 feet", then perhaps we could find wording that defines just what is power trail and what isn't.

[+roziecakes]

what in effect you have created now is an extremely confusing system

 

one place for everything is always more efficient than 2

I'm struck by how similar some of the complaints about Get Satisfaction are to complaints about Waymarking.

 

I was just about to mention this!! I do have to say that I agree with t4e though. Why have so many different websites? It is less efficient, and for most people have so many different user interfaces to work with is confusing.

 

I just don't really have the time to bother to go to several different websites and figure out how to use them. I don't even post in all the sections of the forums on a regular basis. Mostly this is because I post in the forums when I have time between tasks at work (nonbillable); and I don't feel like opening several different sites and tabs.

 

But, for those who want to use it, great, hope it works out. I've looked at it, and I'm not too crazy about it. It's not bad, I just wonder why... and the reasons given don't make that much sense to me; seems like the same goals could be accomplished on the forums.

Edited August 27, 2010 by nymphnsatyr

[+Castle Mischief]

Well it looks like it's "Under Consideration" now. Jeremy's comments indicates he agrees with at least one of your points. I sure would have preferred you had started that topic in this forum so we could have a lively debate over whether power trails are as evil as you claim. If the guidelines need to be refined because there are too many power trails being places or if they are not keeping with Jeremy's opinion the "Geocaching is about taking you to new places not taking you 528 feet", then perhaps we could find wording that defines just what is power trail and what isn't.

 

That conversation has already been started in these forums. About four different times. The responses on the Get Satisfaction pretty mirror those that appeared on these forums ranging from "it's not in your back yard, why should you care" to "why can't you see the effect on the larger game".

 

I'm kind of surprised that you missed those threads or don't remember them.

[GOF and Bacall]

I don't know where I saw it or who posted but the question was raised "What will happen when they do the next new release?" Looks like we will find out tomorrow.

[knowschad]

I don't know where I saw it or who posted but the question was raised "What will happen when they do the next new release?" Looks like we will find out tomorrow.

That post was in the now closed "troll" thread. Looks like we now have an orange banner rather than red. Red was probably a bit too alarmist. Or do you suppose they went to a threat level coloring scheme?

[+Chrysalides]

That post was in the now closed "troll" thread. Looks like we now have an orange banner rather than red. Red was probably a bit too alarmist. Or do you suppose they went to a threat level coloring scheme?

That's an idea. Major site changes = red banner, bug fixes and minor feature upgrades = orange, and so on.

 

Came back here to check if there's any news regarding end of month updates. Looks like no announcements yet - unless it was posted on that other site. I've looked at the Get Satisfaction site in the past, I'm not thrilled by it either. I will probably go there if there is a major problem that I couldn't work around, but not otherwise. Which may be one of the side effects Groundspeak intended.

[GOF and Bacall]

The red certainly was eye catching.

[knowschad]

That post was in the now closed "troll" thread. Looks like we now have an orange banner rather than red. Red was probably a bit too alarmist. Or do you suppose they went to a threat level coloring scheme?

That's an idea. Major site changes = red banner, bug fixes and minor feature upgrades = orange, and so on.

 

Came back here to check if there's any news regarding end of month updates. Looks like no announcements yet - unless it was posted on that other site. I've looked at the Get Satisfaction site in the past, I'm not thrilled by it either. I will probably go there if there is a major problem that I couldn't work around, but not otherwise. Which may be one of the side effects Groundspeak intended.

Welcome back, if only just for a moment. We've missed you.

[+Chrysalides]

Welcome back, if only just for a moment. We've missed you.

Thank you Feels a little different, especially with the reorganization.

[+roziecakes]

Welcome back, if only just for a moment. We've missed you.

Thank you Feels a little different, especially with the reorganization.

 

It's good to see you again!!!! I miss your posts.

[jholly]

Welcome back, if only just for a moment. We've missed you.

Thank you Feels a little different, especially with the reorganization.

I agree there, just doesn't feel right anymore.

[+roziecakes]

Well, I'm going to start using the GS site. If I can help someone when they have a question, then maybe it will be worth using it... looks like they're having some pretty awful trolling problems there.

[GOF and Bacall]

Well, I'm going to start using the GS site. If I can help someone when they have a question, then maybe it will be worth using it... looks like they're having some pretty awful trolling problems there.

 

Say "get satisfaction". I have already run into trouble because people don't know the difference between Groundspeak and Get satisfaction if all you say is GS.

[+roziecakes]

Well, I'm going to start using the GS site. If I can help someone when they have a question, then maybe it will be worth using it... looks like they're having some pretty awful trolling problems there.

 

Say "get satisfaction". I have already run into trouble because people don't know the difference between Groundspeak and Get satisfaction if all you say is GS.

 

Oh! Good point! I will do so from now on.

[Keystone]

Well, I'm going to start using the GS site. If I can help someone when they have a question, then maybe it will be worth using it... looks like they're having some pretty awful trolling problems there.

 

Say "get satisfaction". I have already run into trouble because people don't know the difference between Groundspeak and Get satisfaction if all you say is GS.

This is a very useful suggestion. We have a natural tendency to abbreviate or shorten common terms. To remain clear in my own private discussions, I've sometimes shortened it to "GetSat."

[knowschad]

Well, I'm going to start using the GS site. If I can help someone when they have a question, then maybe it will be worth using it... looks like they're having some pretty awful trolling problems there.

 

Say "get satisfaction".

Are you supposed to snicker or cough after you say that, or do you just say it with a straight face, as though you somehow missed the irony?

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

Well, I'm going to start using the GS site. If I can help someone when they have a question, then maybe it will be worth using it... looks like they're having some pretty awful trolling problems there.

 

Say "get satisfaction".

Are you supposed to snicker or cough after you say that, or do you just say it with a straight face, as though you somehow missed the irony?

 

I try to say it with a straight face...Honest, I do. But sometime I have a bit of a self control issue.

[+tozainamboku]

nevermind

Edited August 31, 2010 by tozainamboku

[GOF and Bacall]

Well, I'm going to start using the GS site. If I can help someone when they have a question, then maybe it will be worth using it... looks like they're having some pretty awful trolling problems there.

 

Say "get satisfaction".

Are you supposed to snicker or cough after you say that, or do you just say it with a straight face, as though you somehow missed the irony?

 

I try to say it with a straight face...Honest, I do. But sometime I have a bit of a self control issue.

 

And here I was thinking you had no fun in your heart! Thanks for the tune friend.

[GOF and Bacall]

Oh! And now you went and took it back.

[+tozainamboku]

Oh! And now you went and took it back.

If I had my own sock puppet account I would have left it.

[+camzberry]

Amen!

[GOF and Bacall]

Amen!

 

Yeah! Amen to that!

 

(Um, what are we amening to anyways?)

[+Chrysalides]

I'm not sure if it is just my imagination, but it seems that more user reported bugs and user requested features are making it into the monthly fix after Groundspeak started using Get Satisfaction. For example, it used to be close to impossible to get new attributes, but seems like a bunch got added. Maybe it's just the timing... or it really makes the bugs and feature requests more visible / trackable to Groundspeak.

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

I'm not sure if it is just my imagination, but it seems that more user reported bugs and user requested features are making it into the monthly fix after Groundspeak started using Get Satisfaction. For example, it used to be close to impossible to get new attributes, but seems like a bunch got added. Maybe it's just the timing... or it really makes the bugs and feature requests more visible / trackable to Groundspeak.

 

If Groundspeak didn't know that people wanted those things before it is because they weren't listening. Everyone else that frequents the forums certainly knew. I suspect that some of those things may have been in the pipe before the move.

[+Cpt.Blackbeard]

Tags, like the SOLVED tag mentioned, can be done in Forums, phpBB has it and it's free open source software

Most of the other advantages I hear for Get Satisfaction can also be done easily in phpBB Forum Software.

I see no advantage to the change but plenty of problems. Paying a big license fee does not equal getting a superior product.