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Rant against mobil device logging trend


DarkZen

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I'm generally not a ranter. I'm pretty easy going but one thing really bugs me, logs that read only:

 

"Sent from my mobile device"

 

These come almost exclusively from cachers with no hides. I put a lot of time, effort and money into placing caches. Would it kill you to at least add, "TFTC" so I know you appreciated it? Heck, I'd even gladly take a complaint... give me something.

Edited by DarkZen
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I've used my BlackBerry to log TB picks & drops a few times just so I could do those in real time. I've only logged a find 1 time with it and that was because it was a FTF in a urban area, so I wanted to get the log in place quickly so that others wouldn't go through wasted effort in dashing out after a FTF ('cause I try to be considerate that way).

 

In these cases, I wrote an entire log. It's a tad more difficult to write a bunch with a BB, which is why I prefer to do it when I get home and have a real keyboard. But it is certainly possible to write a log with a "smart phone". (ironic that smart phones seem to dumb things down for most)

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I'm generally not a ranter. I'm pretty easy going but one thing really bugs me, logs that read only:

 

"Sent from my mobile device"

 

These come almost exclusively from cachers with no hides. I put a lot of time, effort and money into placing caches. Would it kill you to at least add, "TFTC" so I know you appreciated it? Heck, I'd even gladly take a complaint... give me something.

New cachers just have to be educated. I use Trimble's software on my BlackBerry. When I first started, I didn't know that phrase annoyed people. If I hadn't ever browsed the forum here, I still wouldn't know. I may never find one of your caches, but thanks for hiding them. The newbies appreciate it, even if they don't know how to express it properly.

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I'm generally not a ranter. I'm pretty easy going but one thing really bugs me, logs that read only:

 

"Sent from my mobile device"

 

These come almost exclusively from cachers with no hides. I put a lot of time, effort and money into placing caches. Would it kill you to at least add, "TFTC" so I know you appreciated it? Heck, I'd even gladly take a complaint... give me something.

 

IMHO, This has nothing to do with logging a cache using a mobile device nor is it a "newbie" issue. This issue is some people are writing terse logs that really don't have anything to say. Directing your ire to mobile device users or newbies is misplaced.

 

Perhaps some mobile apps make easier to log a terse or canned log, but it's just as easy to post a terse or canned log from a computer through the regular site. I logged three cache using my phone simply because it was a lot more convenient at the time. Wrote I wrote in each log was no different than what I would have written had I been logging from my computer. I would not consider logging from a mobile device a trend. It's just something that was not possible up until a year ago or so. BTW, I've never seen a log on any of my caches which only consisted of "Sent from my mobile device" .

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Perhaps some mobile apps make easier to log a terse or canned log, but it's just as easy to post a terse or canned log from a computer through the regular site.

I've noticed that when I myself post from the field, my logs are a fair bit shorter. I'm a fairly verbose logger on average, but it's just a lot less comfortable for me to type lengthy logs on my phone's keyboard.

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My friend logs from his phone and usually writes at least something. I started logging from my phone and gave it up as my logs got longer. Just easier for me to take quick field notes and bring them home and do the logging.

 

Anyhow, sometimes my friend is unable to send logs due to where we are and reception issues and this will occasionally cause multiple logs.

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...... Four logs from same nick with the same message.

What are they called? Apps? Time to call the apps users sumpin? B)

I think you'll find that the multi-log was due to a glitch in the system as quite a few logs entered from Iphones today seem to have multiple entries.

 

That aside, I use a smartphone with the Trimble application, but that just enters a fixed message into the fieldnotes, which I then convert to a proper log on my return home. If I need to enter a real-time log from on-site, then I'll enter that via the website directly.

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...... Four logs from same nick with the same message.

What are they called? Apps? Time to call the apps users sumpin? B)

I think you'll find that the multi-log was due to a glitch in the system as quite a few logs entered from Iphones today seem to have multiple entries.

 

That aside, I use a smartphone with the Trimble application, but that just enters a fixed message into the fieldnotes, which I then convert to a proper log on my return home. If I need to enter a real-time log from on-site, then I'll enter that via the website directly.

What system? :D

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This is just what happens with users that don't know how to use the software.

 

The menu option is called "Post a Log/Field Note." The problem is that the default style is to post as log and if you don't actually type a log, you get that generic "sent from mobile device" message. All they have to do is change it to "Submit As Field Note" (and once it's changed, it sticks) to remind them of the find and then type the actual log when they get to a computer.

 

Dunno why it's so confusing, but apparently it is.

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What system? B)

Probably Groundspeak - I spotted it in a thread in the UK section, but I see that there's a new thread in this section too about multiple logs (logging problems - http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=262090)

 

Edited to add: This default text thing tends to wind me up too. I like to read logs that either inspire me to go and have another look for that DNF, or maybe reflect how the finders experience was different or similar to my own encounter. 'Sent from my mobile device' or 'TFTC' does neither.

Edited by geobrian-
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I have recently received a few logs from a mobile device that state" tftc-placeholder" the logger later edited their log to add much more of a message regarding their experience at the cache. I think this is an excellent way to handle quick field logging and the sharing of experiences when more time and a larger keyboard is available.

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...... Four logs from same nick with the same message.

What are they called? Apps? Time to call the apps users sumpin? B)

I think you'll find that the multi-log was due to a glitch in the system as quite a few logs entered from Iphones today seem to have multiple entries.

 

That aside, I use a smartphone with the Trimble application, but that just enters a fixed message into the fieldnotes, which I then convert to a proper log on my return home. If I need to enter a real-time log from on-site, then I'll enter that via the website directly.

I found four caches today. In all cases, the official Geocaching app reported that it couldn't post the record at that time. Yet, it was appearing in the logs. So users kept retrying and getting the failure messages not knowing they were really posting.

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...... Four logs from same nick with the same message.

What are they called? Apps? Time to call the apps users sumpin? B)

I think you'll find that the multi-log was due to a glitch in the system as quite a few logs entered from Iphones today seem to have multiple entries.

 

That aside, I use a smartphone with the Trimble application, but that just enters a fixed message into the fieldnotes, which I then convert to a proper log on my return home. If I need to enter a real-time log from on-site, then I'll enter that via the website directly.

 

Today the iPhone app was saying "Failed to update logs, please try again later", then left the log on the pending stack. Those of us that tried a few times got a surprise when we checked later and saw all the "failed attempts" had actually gone through.

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GCQJG6.

Four logs from same nick with the same message.

What are they called? Apps? Time to call the apps users sumpin? B)

funny how the website reports their "finds". they have 14 finds now, which corresponds to 14 "found" logs. so far so good. when you look at the list of their finds through their profile, it says "Total Records: 14", but only really shows 10 caches. i'd call this a bug. i'd report it on the feedback site, but i have no votes left, so i can't. lulz.

Edited by dfx
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It doesn't matter what the finder logs with. A bad log is a bad log, and TFTC SL is a bad log. That being said, there are a lot of bad hides out there. Make the log match the cache at a minimum. It would be nice if people would use the same concept as trading up (yeah I know, but it's a concept) and log better than the cache might deserve. You don't want to get too gushing on a bad hide, or it will encourage more of the same. So it is a little bit of a slope. You can generally weed out many bad caches with a little common sense and don't do them if you don't think they will deserve a decent log.

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I use my Droid phone for pretty much all my caching, and always try to write something...even at the very least TFTC SL. It doesn't take too long, and I know that if I placed a cache, I would want a nice note of some sort...

 

I hope logging from my Droid isn't offensive! B)

 

Nope. But TFTC may be if you are finding caches that the owner has put in considerable thought and effort into. Then again there are some caches out there that don't deserve more.

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I'm not a big fan of using my older Blackberry to log finds. It isn't real easy to type logs on it. I've used it to log my first ever FTF, I wanted to be real sure I got it posted first. I went back and added more verbiage later. Otherwise its a hassle.

 

I thought about using it today, as I was getting my bike out of the van and I got a hit on a watchlist cache on the bike trail I would be riding. That alert was from a guy with a iphone. I thought maybe we could meet up. Alas, when I checked the map, he was a good 5 miles away and heading in the other direction.

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I log some caches from my iphone for the first time today, and my logs don't say anything about being logged from my iphone. I'm glad, why should we advertise for them?

I do have to say, I didn't even break out my gps today, because the iphone app worked so well. Good to know I can go geocaching without my gps.

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I'm generally not a ranter. I'm pretty easy going but one thing really bugs me, logs that read only:

 

"Sent from my mobile device"

 

These come almost exclusively from cachers with no hides. I put a lot of time, effort and money into placing caches. Would it kill you to at least add, "TFTC" so I know you appreciated it? Heck, I'd even gladly take a complaint... give me something.

I completely agree....although when you've put in a lot of work on a cache, a tftc is pretty lame. I like to hear people's stories/adventures, where they're from, etc...when they log caches. That's part of what makes logging a cache fun. (I still have a ton of yours to find Dark Zen, and I'll be descriptive!). One of these days I'll make it up to your neck of the woods.

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...... Four logs from same nick with the same message.

What are they called? Apps? Time to call the apps users sumpin? B)

I think you'll find that the multi-log was due to a glitch in the system as quite a few logs entered from Iphones today seem to have multiple entries.

 

That aside, I use a smartphone with the Trimble application, but that just enters a fixed message into the fieldnotes, which I then convert to a proper log on my return home. If I need to enter a real-time log from on-site, then I'll enter that via the website directly.

I rarely log from my iphone, preferring my garmin for accuracy and just because...anyway, when I do log from my iphone, I do log a message, some longer, some shorter. i will say, some caches can make me wax eloquent, as they say, and some I have to struggle to find something to say....LPC anyone? Although, sometimes fun, and sometimes people really don't know they are not a 3/evil hide. You have to take the good with the bad in this hobby/sport. Still love it, always will.

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Re: Mulitple logs yesterday:

 

I think the app works by sending your log to the GS servers. This adds your log to the cache page and updates the find count.

 

The app then calls back to the server and requests a new download of the logs for that cache. This way your log is showing on the cache page on the app.

 

The problem seems to be with the second part, calling back the download of latest logs. Hence the "failed to load logs" error message. Clearly though the log has gone through.

 

I have had this happen with one of the other apps before.

 

If I get an error message now I just move on to the next one and check it when I get home on the computer. The phone stores the fact you found that cache anyway so it's easy to go back and check.

 

The other way to check it is to have a quick look at the cache page in your phone's browser. If your log was successful, it will be there on the cache page.

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I've seen a few of the 'logged from my mobile device' on a couple of my caches, too. It's not much different from TFTC, which I read as 'I'm too busy to even spell out the words.' (this is why you'll never see me in a TFTC t-shirt)

 

I check the finders to be certain it isn't a bot, but haven't deleted any. Perhaps it's the video game mentality - Has anyone every thanked Mario for entertaining them or Sonic for collecting all those rings? I know from experience that online-gamers tend to abbreviate even abbreviations and develop their own lingo.

 

It is worth pointing out to them, by way of email, that this is a social game and cache owners do have feelings, even if Mario and Sonic do not.

 

On my best day of finds (36), though I was quite tired that evening, I typed a unique entry for each one. Some I even posted pictures to. It's the least I can do for those kind enough to place and maintain them.

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Ok someone sent me this and i see what it is i do understand that yea that comments are great but its not like i tell people you have to and alot of the time when im out caching i use my blackberry and its a app that i paided for to have on my phone and it just says that it was found using a app or something like that i guess some people can't be happy that people are taking time out to get out and have fun but you want them to sit at a computer and type something in for each comment i try that but sometimes i'm busy when i'm home don't try to be on here that much so guys please i don't under stand why its a big deal if someone leaves a comment i thought that if someone found your cache that was good enough i guess not!

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Ok someone sent me this and i see what it is i do understand that yea that comments are great but its not like i tell people you have to and alot of the time when im out caching i use my blackberry and its a app that i paided for to have on my phone and it just says that it was found using a app or something like that i guess some people can't be happy that people are taking time out to get out and have fun but you want them to sit at a computer and type something in for each comment i try that but sometimes i'm busy when i'm home don't try to be on here that much so guys please i don't under stand why its a big deal if someone leaves a comment i thought that if someone found your cache that was good enough i guess not!

 

Punctuation is your friend.

 

Feel free to log my caches with "TFTC" or "Logged from my Blackberry with Geocache Navigator" anytime.

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They need to get the InstaLog app. It randomly generates one of 72 unique logs, and you can customize them depending on your style and level of snarkyness. It's pretty cool. :(

Not sure if that's a joke or not but even that would be preferable. At least then I'd have the satisfaction that they worked at it a bit.

 

Hi coralteach! I'll be looking forward to those logs. :angry:

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This sounds like one of the topics a few years ago about cachers just doing a cut and pate job to log a cache find. Some cachers just do not want to put any effort in their logs. THere is no a lot that can be done about it though. It is kind of like the use of a rubber stamp in a log. No one wants to put any effort into logs.

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Ok someone sent me this and i see what it is i do understand that yea that comments are great but its not like i tell people you have to and alot of the time when im out caching i use my blackberry and its a app that i paided for to have on my phone and it just says that it was found using a app or something like that i guess some people can't be happy that people are taking time out to get out and have fun but you want them to sit at a computer and type something in for each comment i try that but sometimes i'm busy when i'm home don't try to be on here that much so guys please i don't under stand why its a big deal if someone leaves a comment i thought that if someone found your cache that was good enough i guess not!

I can't read this. I'm not being mean. I really cannot make sense of it.

? :rolleyes:

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This sounds like one of the topics a few years ago about cachers just doing a cut and pate job to log a cache find. Some cachers just do not want to put any effort in their logs. THere is no a lot that can be done about it though. It is kind of like the use of a rubber stamp in a log. No one wants to put any effort into logs.

 

And when that becomes the dominant mode of logging then cache hiders will adopt the stance: "Meh. Why should I go through all the effort to hide a cache and compose a page for that rubbish?" and the game goes with a whimper.

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This sounds like one of the topics a few years ago about cachers just doing a cut and pate job to log a cache find. Some cachers just do not want to put any effort in their logs. THere is no a lot that can be done about it though. It is kind of like the use of a rubber stamp in a log. No one wants to put any effort into logs.

 

And when that becomes the dominant mode of logging then cache hiders will adopt the stance: "Meh. Why should I go through all the effort to hide a cache and compose a page for that rubbish?" and the game goes with a whimper.

 

Because there are still cachers that will leave a well-written log. I don't hold it against the "TFTC" crowd, but I do treasure the logs that offer more.

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I log all my finds from my phone... since I'm there, and it's fresh on my mind. o_o

 

Luckily my app doesn't seem to tack on "sent from my phone/mobiledevice/any other tag"

 

Sometimes my logs ARE very short, but if the cache was just...yet another random cannister hidden in a bush in an empty field, (which there are LOTS of here,) it's sometimes hard to think of more to say than "thanks for the cache!" or tftc.

 

If I see something worth commenting about a hide, I will. Neat/unique cannisters ALWAYS get a comment from me. If I had a bad day and the cache was a huge pick-me-up, I'll say so. If it's in a beautiful or interesting area I can comment on, I will.

If I found something neat in there, and left something, I'll say so.

 

But if there's really nothing I can do except say I didn't take or leave anything, and thank the owner for the cache... personally that's a lot better than nothing. I don't want to sit there and try to force myself to artificially lengthen a log when there's....really not much to say about the cache in question.

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I'm generally not a ranter. I'm pretty easy going but one thing really bugs me, logs that read only:

 

"Sent from my mobile device"

 

These come almost exclusively from cachers with no hides. I put a lot of time, effort and money into placing caches. Would it kill you to at least add, "TFTC" so I know you appreciated it? Heck, I'd even gladly take a complaint... give me something.

 

This is actually (as far as I've experienced) a "bug" in the "official" Groundspeak geocaching app for the iPhone. I went on a caching run with my brother (who had the iPhone), finding about 15 caches in one day this past summer. He logged all of his finds in detail (leaving "reasonable" entries on most of them). When we got home, we looked up the caches that he found and TWELVE of them said "Sent from my mobile device", which REPLACED the ACTUAL text that he had entered.

 

So in my personal experience, the cacher himself is NOT the one typing "Sent from my mobile device".

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This sounds like one of the topics a few years ago about cachers just doing a cut and pate job to log a cache find. Some cachers just do not want to put any effort in their logs. THere is no a lot that can be done about it though. It is kind of like the use of a rubber stamp in a log. No one wants to put any effort into logs.

 

And when that becomes the dominant mode of logging then cache hiders will adopt the stance: "Meh. Why should I go through all the effort to hide a cache and compose a page for that rubbish?" and the game goes with a whimper.

 

I won't be discouraged. People writing a bad log is a refection on them, not me. I have a cache in Reseda California. GC1GMF7. People hit this area on numbers runs, finding up to 100 caches in a night. They compose their cut n' paste logs, but in all but two cases, they break protocol and add at least an extra sentence to mine.

 

People writing garbage logs is just a challenge to me to hide better caches.

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it's sometimes hard to think of more to say than "thanks for the cache!" or tftc.

 

No, it isn't. Here's an example of one of my logs.

"Nothing of interest to see at GZ, not even cleverly hidden, just a simple way to get my number up... There really isn't much to type about, I barely needed to get out off the car... If I put my car in the right spot I could have grabbed it from inside the car...."

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it's sometimes hard to think of more to say than "thanks for the cache!" or tftc.

 

No, it isn't. Here's an example of one of my logs.

"Nothing of interest to see at GZ, not even cleverly hidden, just a simple way to get my number up... There really isn't much to type about, I barely needed to get out off the car... If I put my car in the right spot I could have grabbed it from inside the car...."

 

Ha. Love it. I'd like to add "...just go ahead and sign my name to it next time you place one of these."

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