Geocaching.com Google Map

[+dfx]

My impression is that one server can run of several computers simultaneously, a la Google with their thousands of machines running in parallel.

 

You're probably thinking of a cluster, not a server.

[+mtn-man]

Yep. That is why sometimes you will see reports in the forums where some people have issues and some don't. The computer you are routed too might be having issues and the others are not.

[+dfx]

Yep. That is why sometimes you will see reports in the forums where some people have issues and some don't. The computer you are routed too might be having issues and the others are not.

 

But that's the web servers, not the database server(s). Having multiple web servers and balancing the load between them is a no-brainer, trivial one might say. Database is a wholly different matter. Making a database truly scalable is possible, but not trivial. Reading Jeremy's post about their coming hardware upgrades sure sounds like it's only one (main) database server. Upgrading the hardware of that is a short term solution, not long term.

Edited April 26, 2011 by dfx

[+mtn-man]

I misread, and don't know the answer to that one.

 

My guess is that they are intentionally planning this as a short term solution so there is something to talk about in the forums besides hating nanos , TFTC logs and bringing back virtual caches.

[+Mallah]

Well todays problem with Beta Maps for me is that it displays the map for a few seconds before the caches are overlaid, and blot out the maps! so all I get is a page of coloured squares or smileys on a grey background.

[+Sol seaker]

it isn't like the whole game is ruined because personalization on the maps isn't work just right.

 

Pretty close though.

 

Yes, it totally shut down my geocaching yesterday as I started coming across caches I had found long ago.

I decided I didn't want to spend the day revisiting old finds and went home.

 

But the fact is this isn't like my electricity going out or something.

My refrigerator still works. I will survive.

 

Some may not realize it but geocaching is not one of the basic survival necessities. We will make it until this is fixed.

 

This is Groundspeaks business, and they know how important these smilies are.

We can be sure they are spending a lot of time and money on this issue (as they have indicated in their correspondences on this).

I'm sure they are working their hamster butts off on this issue.

 

I am generally really happy with the job Groundspeak does. I can handle a minor glitch here and there.

No one is perfect.

 

Geocaching is a fast growing sport, especially since GPS's have come out on phones now. This thing has got to be exploding. It's no wonder they are having trouble keeping up. When this thing started with one bucket in Oregon they had no idea it would explode to everyone with an I-phone and a micro under every lamp post. (heck, they didn't even know what an I-phone was)

 

So the website is having some growing pains. It's reasonable considering the situation.

I can be patient. Groundspeak is good.

[+Sol seaker]

I misread, and don't know the answer to that one.

 

My guess is that they are intentionally planning this as a short term solution so there is something to talk about in the forums besides hating nanos , TFTC logs and bringing back virtual caches.

 

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

 

Now we know the real reason.

 

Thanks. We needed the change of pace!!

 

:laughing: :laughing:

[+dneuwir]

I just want to whine and rant here. I'm not asking for anything, and I'm not trying to start an argument, though I probably will. My hopes are just that the map design team can take my opinion below and add it to their list of detractors. I understand that everything must be "improved" over time, though I really had very few complaints about the old maps (probably my only one was the 500 cache per screen limitation, but I digress...)

 

---I HATE THE NEW MAP!!!---

 

There. I said it.

 

It used to be, just a week ago, that I could click "map", and get a real map, with real smileys that showed my finds, that zoomed in and out as quickly as my fingers could flick the scroll wheel, and that loaded as fast as I could zip it around.

 

Now, I get maps that I have to click "enable personalization" to enable the smileys (okay, not THAT much of a hassle), but:

 

1. They're SLOWER THAN SNOT! Zooming in and out takes like 10 seconds to refresh the screen, and continues to zoom even after I've stopped moving the wheel (it kind of "queues up" a bunch of movements but can't process them in realtime). I'm not using a bleeding-edge brand new PC, but it's a decent, reasonably fast, well maintained 3-year-old box that's a LOT snappier on the old maps.

2. When personalization is on, after a bit of moving left right or in/out, I suddenly lose the smileys (this is a random occurrence and I can't make it happen at will, but it happens often enough to be annoying). Personalization checkbox is still "on", but no more found indicators. Nothing I can do at that point (i.e. disable, enable personalization) makes the smileys return. I have to completely Back out of the maps page, then re-open the maps page and re-enable to get the smileys back. This is a pain.

3. I can't zoom in very far in Satellite view. The "old" maps could zoom in far enough that I could easily get a visual reference of for example, which small tree out of a cluster of three that the cache was closest to. Now, I can only zoom in to what used to be about 6 clicks out on the old maps. In other words, it used to zoom to roughly 5m per inch of screen, and now it's about 50m per inch of screen, or a ten-fold reduction in maximum zoom. This makes the new maps fine for plotting out general areas you want to search, but useless for assisting in narrowing down where the cache may be within a 20-foot swath or--worse--double-checking the coordinates you're posting for a new cache hide are visually accurate to the maps as well as my GPSr.

 

ALL THAT SAID: YES, I understand the maps are Beta and are a work in progress. But please, OFFER IT AS AN OPTION---don't FORCE me to use the new ones until they're "fully baked" and have all these issues worked out--you've disabled the status indicators on the old maps, so I'm basically forced to use the new ones if I intend to do most of what I need.

 

[END RANT]

[GOF and Bacall]

I wish they'd get it worked out. If for no other reason that to stop this never ending string of threads.

 

Here, have a donut my friend.

[+SwineFlew]

I wish they'd get it worked out. If for no other reason that to stop this never ending string of threads.

 

 

Same here.

[+Harry Dolphin]

IBTL. Yes. Maybe that will make someone actually get the maps to work! Squeaky Wheel...

[+mtn-man]

I just want to whine and rant here.

 

<snipped>

I merged the last four posts into this ongoing topic since it was a complaint rather than just another topic asking what happened. Please feel free to read the topic to see the other responses.

 

Fun to play with the Merge Topic tool every now and then too. Donuts were on sale yesterday at Kroger. I should have bought some.

[+Herndons]

I bet if we all canceled our memberships they would get this fixed!!

[+AlohaBra and MaksMom]

Yep..it is screwed up...I need the "personalization" to work..with the old maps...

That is bc I print up an area map with numbers..and a legend to drive to those locations....

The new maps don't allow a legend to be displayed and to be "snipped" for printing...some legend or a display of the GC #s is necessary to reference the icons on the new map [yes...I need to print the map...cause sometimes the android has poor reception..]

 

thanx..ab

[+mtn-man]

Bumping back to the first page of the forums for the weekend rush.

[GOF and Bacall]

Why doesn't someone pin this thread to the top for a while? Then perhaps we wouldn't see new thread after new thread get started and locked over this issue.

 

Not that you can stop all of it.

[chadfink]

I came across another forum post with a greasemonkey fix for this.

 

NinjaCarr wrote:

I coded up a quick band-aid solution for this until the problem is solved properly. Follow these steps:

 

- Use Firefox

- Install the Greasemonkey addon

- Go to http://carr.no/gm/smileymarkers.user.js and hit "install"

- Visit your "found geocaches" log page at http://www.geocaching.com/my/logs.aspx?s=1&lt=2

- Your found caches should now have a smiley icon on the geocaching map

 

After logging a find, you should re-visit your "found geocaches" page. This lets the script update its internal list of your finds.

[+Dr. House]

Why doesn't someone pin this thread to the top for a while? Then perhaps we wouldn't see new thread after new thread get started and locked over this issue.

 

Not that you can stop all of it.

 

+1

[+mtn-man]

It is more fun to bump it every now and then.

[+Cpt.Blackbeard]

It is more fun to bump it every now and then.

You're right, it is

[+Fianccetto]

Well todays problem with Beta Maps for me is that it displays the map for a few seconds before the caches are overlaid, and blot out the maps! so all I get is a page of coloured squares or smileys on a grey background.

 

I liked it when it did that...I could zoom out and watch while the whole world 9well, a lot of it) got obliterated by cache icons!

 

Yesterday (and today) the problem is the caches are not showing up...I zoom in a little, and the ones that I can see disappear and a few others appear (but there's still some missing). When I hover over the cache icons, sometimes the cache name appears, sometimes not, and if it does it usually stays showing even when I scroll away from it. What else? If I click on a cache icon/name on the map, I don't get the little pop up box showing anymore, to open the cache page in a separate window.

 

It did all work fine on the first day or so. I just wish you could select/ deselect by cache size also.

[+dfx]

Yesterday (and today) the problem is the caches are not showing up...I zoom in a little, and the ones that I can see disappear and a few others appear (but there's still some missing). When I hover over the cache icons, sometimes the cache name appears, sometimes not, and if it does it usually stays showing even when I scroll away from it. What else? If I click on a cache icon/name on the map, I don't get the little pop up box showing anymore, to open the cache page in a separate window.

 

It did all work fine on the first day or so. I just wish you could select/ deselect by cache size also.

 

Yeah I'm seeing this also. Quite annoying, you want to zoom in to get a closer look and then everything disappears!

[+Sol seaker]

Yes, when I opened the beta maps I saw a field of unfound smilies. I hit the personalization button

And ALL caches disappeared. Found and unfound.

 

Well at least now the old maps are working well.

I really don't need two sets of maps anyway. The one works great at this point.

[+Panther&Pine]

I noticed a little odd thing with the new maps today (normally I just use PQ's and Google Earth), when personalization is turned on and you've hidden caches if you hover over a hidden icon the cache name still pops up.

Odd little bug. I'm using IE8 on a Win7 machine.

[+AeroMechAZ]

I know this is an old thread, but I have sad news......Gary (Burt_Gummer) passed away earlier this year.  Several of his caches have been adopted by other local cachers.  I liked Gary - he will be missed.  He had a mini series of hides called the "Graboid" series - Guess one of them finally got him!

RIP, Gary/Burt!