Jump to content

Im tired of TFTC logs.


Recommended Posts

If you can't remember the caches you did on a 70-cache run, then why did you do them? I am genuinely curious, and really not trying to be judgmental. Does the sheer number of finds give you that "I accomplished something" feeling? Is signing caches something fun to do with friends, and the quality of the caches themselves secondary?

 

Often it depends on the purpose of the trip.

For example a friend and I did a trip where we wanted to see how many caches we could get in 24 hours. So there were block of time when it was night and therefore cemeteries and parks were off-limits. So in some areas that did not leave much left to choose from.

There was another trip where we wanted to see how many different cache types we could get in one day. Since web-cams are rare we had to travel a decent distance (to get one my caching buddy had not already visited)and if a traditional cache was convenient to one of the more rare cache types we would grab it just because it was on the way not because it was special.

There have been trips where we wanted to see how many caches we could get in one county in 'X' amount of hours so it was grab every cache we ran across.

There have trips where we had a batch of puzzle solutions worked out for an area and would just grab whatever other caches happened to be there in between puzzle solutions.

The last trip was how many counties we could cache in during daylight. Someday we might do a similar thing but only in darkness or another 24-hour trip.

 

Personally I would rather be pleasantly surprised by a great cache while not expecting it then to be specifically after only great caches and ending up disappointed.

 

But overall I would say that the cache itself is not that big of a deal to me. It is not about the destination but the journey (or however that is supposed to go)

Link to comment

I know that some people like to narrate their entire caching day and share it via the find log. But in my opinion, and this is only my opinion, those types of logs are best suited for someone's blog, twitter, or Facebook page. I just want to know what you though of my cache without having to read an essay. Again, just my .02 but not worth complaining about either. It is simple to just delete the duplicate emails.

Why is it that, whenever this subject comes up, we end up discussing two extremes... blank.TFTC, or epic novels. There is a happy medium. Oftentimes, a single, short sentence is all that is needed:

 

"Great walk to the cache, spotted a bluebird on the way. TFTC" would make a GREAT log!

Couldn't agree more. I guess i got everyone riled up in my OP when i said i wanted a 500 word essay. Everyone overlooked that that was just an idea for one cache hide, which i later found out was against the guidlines. I dont actually want the 500 word extreme logs on all my hides. just one or 2 sentences.

 

Plus on most of my hides i ask for feedback in the description. How well is it hidden? Is the D/T propper for the hide? How cool is the container? I only have 7ish hides (6 now i think, i had to archive one) so far and i've been trying to only hide uniuqe ones. The feedback would only help me be a better hider.

 

When i'm out hunting, i also use TFTC on bad hides like others have stated. I realize this isnt the norm though so thats not why it grinds my gears. I really just like the feedback and know people enjoyed my cache. I guess i should try to bring back that 3 letter accronym that was used for bad hides. I don't remember what it was, i recall seeing it here in the forums last year. I believe it was latin, anyone know what im referring to?

Link to comment

When i'm out hunting, i also use TFTC on bad hides like others have stated. I realize this isnt the norm though so thats not why it grinds my gears. I really just like the feedback and know people enjoyed my cache. I guess i should try to bring back that 3 letter accronym that was used for bad hides. I don't remember what it was, i recall seeing it here in the forums last year. I believe it was latin, anyone know what im referring to?

Never mind, google is my friend and i searched for it. I was referring to DPM. And its not latin it was french. :blink: Which is an abbreviation for “des palourdes mortes", and is french for The Dead Clams.

Link to comment

Now I'm concerned that COs and other cache finders have been looking askance at these logs. Really? I should be saving these sorts of logs for my blog? I always thought that logging our finds online were to reflect our caching experience. That's the whole point. I'm quite perturbed to find that's not the case. :anibad:<_<

 

My issue is not with the really long logs. As I stated earlier, I have written a number of these kinds of logs.

 

My issue is when the log doesn't really pertain to any cache but is more of a narrative of the cacher's day.

 

For contrast, Flask has been known to write really long narratives. But her logs cover all the caches she found that day. She writes one big narrative. Then she splits it up and posts the parts that pertain to each cache as the find log for that cache.

 

That kind of log I would not mind. I would not be receiving 30 duplicate emails. Instead, each email would build on the last as they came in and you would read them all in order to get the entire story. I wouldn't mind that.

 

I wouldn't really mind getting 1 email with a long narrative that had nothing to do with my cache. But I don't like receiving 30 duplicate emails that have nothing to do with my cache. I would rather read that kind of narrative on someone's blog or Facebook page.

I guess that makes sense. I have posted general - type logs, but I don't copy and paste them. Sometimes I write similar stories about the day, but I always write them a bit differently each time. Especially if I know that the caches are owned by the same people.

Link to comment

Now I'm concerned that COs and other cache finders have been looking askance at these logs. Really? I should be saving these sorts of logs for my blog? I always thought that logging our finds online were to reflect our caching experience. That's the whole point. I'm quite perturbed to find that's not the case. :anibad:<_<

 

My issue is not with the really long logs. As I stated earlier, I have written a number of these kinds of logs.

 

My issue is when the log doesn't really pertain to any cache but is more of a narrative of the cacher's day.

 

For contrast, Flask has been known to write really long narratives. But her logs cover all the caches she found that day. She writes one big narrative. Then she splits it up and posts the parts that pertain to each cache as the find log for that cache.

 

That kind of log I would not mind. I would not be receiving 30 duplicate emails. Instead, each email would build on the last as they came in and you would read them all in order to get the entire story. I wouldn't mind that.

 

I wouldn't really mind getting 1 email with a long narrative that had nothing to do with my cache. But I don't like receiving 30 duplicate emails that have nothing to do with my cache. I would rather read that kind of narrative on someone's blog or Facebook page.

I guess that makes sense. I have posted general - type logs, but I don't copy and paste them. Sometimes I write similar stories about the day, but I always write them a bit differently each time. Especially if I know that the caches are owned by the same people.

 

I will admit to having a couple of days of caching where there were so many caches of the same type by the same hider along the same route that it was extremely difficult to say something unique. Only once (so far) have I resorted to copy/paste logs for that sort of day, but the others really weren't much better... pretty much of a stretch to say something even remotely unique, and it probably didn't fool anybody.

 

But... for those that say they hit too many to remember... if you have a smartphone, you already have a digital recorder. If not, stand-alone digital recorders are very cheap and very small. They will fit in your shirt pocket. It is very easy to record something as you are walking back to the car or to the next cache that will help trigger your memory.

Link to comment

Now I'm concerned that COs and other cache finders have been looking askance at these logs. Really? I should be saving these sorts of logs for my blog? I always thought that logging our finds online were to reflect our caching experience. That's the whole point. I'm quite perturbed to find that's not the case. :anibad:<_<

 

My issue is not with the really long logs. As I stated earlier, I have written a number of these kinds of logs.

 

My issue is when the log doesn't really pertain to any cache but is more of a narrative of the cacher's day.

 

For contrast, Flask has been known to write really long narratives. But her logs cover all the caches she found that day. She writes one big narrative. Then she splits it up and posts the parts that pertain to each cache as the find log for that cache.

 

That kind of log I would not mind. I would not be receiving 30 duplicate emails. Instead, each email would build on the last as they came in and you would read them all in order to get the entire story. I wouldn't mind that.

 

I wouldn't really mind getting 1 email with a long narrative that had nothing to do with my cache. But I don't like receiving 30 duplicate emails that have nothing to do with my cache. I would rather read that kind of narrative on someone's blog or Facebook page.

I guess that makes sense. I have posted general - type logs, but I don't copy and paste them. Sometimes I write similar stories about the day, but I always write them a bit differently each time. Especially if I know that the caches are owned by the same people.

 

I will admit to having a couple of days of caching where there were so many caches of the same type by the same hider along the same route that it was extremely difficult to say something unique. Only once (so far) have I resorted to copy/paste logs for that sort of day, but the others really weren't much better... pretty much of a stretch to say something even remotely unique, and it probably didn't fool anybody.

 

But... for those that say they hit too many to remember... if you have a smartphone, you already have a digital recorder. If not, stand-alone digital recorders are very cheap and very small. They will fit in your shirt pocket. It is very easy to record something as you are walking back to the car or to the next cache that will help trigger your memory.

I try to take at least one picture at every cache I find. This has saved me so many times. Especially the last few years where I have not been logging until a long time later (sometimes years later). It really works well when doing multiples in one day.

Link to comment
This thread shows the most negative comments about longer logs that I've ever seen.

 

I think you are not reading the thread correctly. The complaint is about long cut-and-paste logs, not long logs in general.

Some of it was, but not all of it. I'm too tired to back through all the posts to see.

Link to comment
I try to take at least one picture at every cache I find. This has saved me so many times. Especially the last few years where I have not been logging until a long time later (sometimes years later). It really works well when doing multiples in one day.

 

That's an excellent idea. During longer caching days (to me that's > 20 caches) I take short notes; a few words that will trigger my memory of the cache. I occasionally do puzzle runs; in those cases, I have generally planned out a route and I print a sheet with the cache names on it with a space to enter a few words for each. I write a unique, original log for every cache I find. Not necessarily a long one, but enough to let the hider know I remember their cache.

Link to comment
I try to take at least one picture at every cache I find. This has saved me so many times. Especially the last few years where I have not been logging until a long time later (sometimes years later). It really works well when doing multiples in one day.

 

That's an excellent idea. During longer caching days (to me that's > 20 caches) I take short notes; a few words that will trigger my memory of the cache. I occasionally do puzzle runs; in those cases, I have generally planned out a route and I print a sheet with the cache names on it with a space to enter a few words for each. I write a unique, original log for every cache I find. Not necessarily a long one, but enough to let the hider know I remember their cache.

Yup! I've done that too, in the past, and it can work really well. But I get distracted and don't do a very good job of staying on top of that. Since my camera is surgically attached to me, that tends to work better. ;):laughing:

Link to comment

Also, I tend to lose papers, especially when it's been years. My organization is haphazard. I tend to save things for a long time, and right before I need them, I lose them. It never fails! Pictures tend to fair better, as long as I remember to back them up in an external. I've learned to take pictures of everything - gps coordinates for waymarks, etc. and even written things like notes. I always take pictures for answers to ECs and virts, instead of notes. So much faster and easier for retrieval later on.

Link to comment

Even if I write notes on the cache some caches just meld together and it's not only the caches like lamp post hides. Here at some point the swamps and the woods all start to blend in. If there's nothing really special in that spot of woods I could take a picture of the trees and it would look like every other picture of trees I found. I write a note that I found an ammo can under a fallen tree and then have a bunch of other notes of ammo cans under fallen trees.

 

Sometimes there's just nothing that unique about the cache or location. I might be pretty but so were all the other locations. I might be a good container but so where all the others. They just blend together. So I integrate something into my logs. I feel it would be more obnoxious for me to cut and past "great cache, great container all is well" on every single cache page than to just take the time to write of my journey. I write logs for me more so than for the cache owner. When I had the issue with my eyes I wrote about that and caching so I could remember how that all went down for example.

Link to comment

But I bet a CO would rather a TFTC than no log, if not just to say that the cache is still in place.

I can't speak for all cache owners, or even a significant percentage of cache owners, as I am just one guy, and I know going in that I have a distinct bias, but I can certainly speak for me. This cache owner would much rather see no log, then see just an acronym. For me, the phrase "TFTC", when used alone, translates directly to "Your Cache Sucks So Bad All It Rates Is This Lame Acronym".

Link to comment

But there are a few reasons why your log is OK and the one I quoted is not:

  • Your log makes no mention about find counts, consecutive day counts, FTFs, or anything of that nature.
  • Your log doesn't smack of a form with details added.
  • Your log is interesting.

Agreed! It's just not interesting when a log just says "#X of Y for the day. Find number #Z. Temperature was T degrees, conditions were [cloudy, sunny, rainy, or snowy]. Cache condition was [great, good, fair, poor]. TNLNSL. TFTC.

 

It's not rude, but it is boring.

 

It is annoying when a geocacher creates a slogan for themselves. E.g., "Woof, woof! Awesome dog sniffs out another!" This is then written on every single log they write.

Link to comment

But I bet a CO would rather a TFTC than no log, if not just to say that the cache is still in place.

I can't speak for all cache owners, or even a significant percentage of cache owners, as I am just one guy, and I know going in that I have a distinct bias, but I can certainly speak for me. This cache owner would much rather see no log, then see just an acronym. For me, the phrase "TFTC", when used alone, translates directly to "Your Cache Sucks So Bad All It Rates Is This Lame Acronym".

Fair enough. I think I'm more like the CO that SotW describes - a TFTC tells me that the cache was found and in place and I can reset my "it's been X days since a find was logged, maybe I should check up on it" counter. Which, as much as I hate maintenance, is pretty great for me.

 

I tend to believe that most of the cachers who find my cache (forum denizens and some power cachers probably excepted) actually think that TFTC is a nice code-wordy thing to say. It's in Groundspeak's glossary as something "written by geocachers in physical cache logbooks or online when logging cache finds". It's in both the cacheopedia and GeoLex as a straight-forward acronym with no hidden negative meaning. I'd guess that new cachers would largely be surprised to find out that some cachers use it negatively, and that some COs find it insulting.

 

I'm not saying it's a great idea for a log, because I've seen how many on these boards feel about it, and because I know as a CO I'd prefer something more interesting. I've just been assuming that most of the people who find my cache are not geocaching vets or forum folks, and are likely to believe what they read in all of the online glossaries. I haven't been assuming ill intent.

Link to comment

For me, the phrase "TFTC", when used alone, translates directly to "Your Cache Sucks So Bad All It Rates Is This Lame Acronym".

Funny. I always thought it stood for Thanks For The Cache. But if you can discern a different intent just from the fact they are used alone, more power to you.

Link to comment

Even if I write notes on the cache some caches just meld together and it's not only the caches like lamp post hides. Here at some point the swamps and the woods all start to blend in. If there's nothing really special in that spot of woods I could take a picture of the trees and it would look like every other picture of trees I found. I write a note that I found an ammo can under a fallen tree and then have a bunch of other notes of ammo cans under fallen trees.

 

Sometimes there's just nothing that unique about the cache or location. I might be pretty but so were all the other locations. I might be a good container but so where all the others. They just blend together. So I integrate something into my logs. I feel it would be more obnoxious for me to cut and past "great cache, great container all is well" on every single cache page than to just take the time to write of my journey. I write logs for me more so than for the cache owner. When I had the issue with my eyes I wrote about that and caching so I could remember how that all went down for example.

 

That is where the voice recorder can come in handy. "Found the ammo can, spotted a deer on the way in" or "Found the ammo can, took longer than expected", "This was the ammo can I found while sneezing", and so-on.

Link to comment

For me, the phrase "TFTC", when used alone, translates directly to "Your Cache Sucks So Bad All It Rates Is This Lame Acronym".

Funny. I always thought it stood for Thanks For The Cache. But if you can discern a different intent just from the fact they are used alone, more power to you.

Its a thanks, for sure, but a rather monotone thanks. Like you fix dinner for someone and they mumble "thanks" and leave. Now, "TFTC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" is a whole 'nuther animal.

Link to comment

For me, the phrase "TFTC", when used alone, translates directly to "Your Cache Sucks So Bad All It Rates Is This Lame Acronym".

Funny. I always thought it stood for Thanks For The Cache. But if you can discern a different intent just from the fact they are used alone, more power to you.

Its a thanks, for sure, but a rather monotone thanks. Like you fix dinner for someone and they mumble "thanks" and leave. Now, "TFTC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" is a whole 'nuther animal.

I find 25 exclamation marks in a row incredibly boring and having zero information. Now if it were /\/\/\/\/\/\/ it would mean something.

Edited by tozainamboku
Link to comment

For me, the phrase "TFTC", when used alone, translates directly to "Your Cache Sucks So Bad All It Rates Is This Lame Acronym".

Funny. I always thought it stood for Thanks For The Cache. But if you can discern a different intent just from the fact they are used alone, more power to you.

Its a thanks, for sure, but a rather monotone thanks. Like you fix dinner for someone and they mumble "thanks" and leave. Now, "TFTC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" is a whole 'nuther animal.

I find 25 exclamation marks in a row incredibly boring and having zero information. Now if it were /\/\/\/\/\/\/ it would mean something.

You actually counted them? Now, that is what I would find boring.

Link to comment

For me, the phrase "TFTC", when used alone, translates directly to "Your Cache Sucks So Bad All It Rates Is This Lame Acronym".

Funny. I always thought it stood for Thanks For The Cache. But if you can discern a different intent just from the fact they are used alone, more power to you.

Its a thanks, for sure, but a rather monotone thanks. Like you fix dinner for someone and they mumble "thanks" and leave. Now, "TFTC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" is a whole 'nuther animal.

I find 25 exclamation marks in a row incredibly boring and having zero information.

<pedantic>

Actually, the first exclamation mark conveys information. However, the 24 which follow have zero additional information.

</pedantic>

Link to comment

For me, the phrase "TFTC", when used alone, translates directly to "Your Cache Sucks So Bad All It Rates Is This Lame Acronym".

Funny. I always thought it stood for Thanks For The Cache. But if you can discern a different intent just from the fact they are used alone, more power to you.

Its a thanks, for sure, but a rather monotone thanks. Like you fix dinner for someone and they mumble "thanks" and leave. Now, "TFTC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" is a whole 'nuther animal.

I find 25 exclamation marks in a row incredibly boring and having zero information.

<pedantic>

Actually, the first exclamation mark conveys information. However, the 24 which follow have zero additional information.

</pedantic>

 

I agree!!!

Link to comment

Even if I write notes on the cache some caches just meld together and it's not only the caches like lamp post hides. Here at some point the swamps and the woods all start to blend in. If there's nothing really special in that spot of woods I could take a picture of the trees and it would look like every other picture of trees I found. I write a note that I found an ammo can under a fallen tree and then have a bunch of other notes of ammo cans under fallen trees.

 

Sometimes there's just nothing that unique about the cache or location. I might be pretty but so were all the other locations. I might be a good container but so where all the others. They just blend together. So I integrate something into my logs. I feel it would be more obnoxious for me to cut and past "great cache, great container all is well" on every single cache page than to just take the time to write of my journey. I write logs for me more so than for the cache owner. When I had the issue with my eyes I wrote about that and caching so I could remember how that all went down for example.

 

That is where the voice recorder can come in handy. "Found the ammo can, spotted a deer on the way in" or "Found the ammo can, took longer than expected", "This was the ammo can I found while sneezing", and so-on.

 

Still doesn't tell you about the cache location. I write those little notes on my paper to try to trigger some memory but still there's just not a whole lot unique to say. Found ammo can. found another dead tree.

Link to comment

Even if I write notes on the cache some caches just meld together and it's not only the caches like lamp post hides. Here at some point the swamps and the woods all start to blend in. If there's nothing really special in that spot of woods I could take a picture of the trees and it would look like every other picture of trees I found. I write a note that I found an ammo can under a fallen tree and then have a bunch of other notes of ammo cans under fallen trees.

 

Sometimes there's just nothing that unique about the cache or location. I might be pretty but so were all the other locations. I might be a good container but so where all the others. They just blend together. So I integrate something into my logs. I feel it would be more obnoxious for me to cut and past "great cache, great container all is well" on every single cache page than to just take the time to write of my journey. I write logs for me more so than for the cache owner. When I had the issue with my eyes I wrote about that and caching so I could remember how that all went down for example.

 

That is where the voice recorder can come in handy. "Found the ammo can, spotted a deer on the way in" or "Found the ammo can, took longer than expected", "This was the ammo can I found while sneezing", and so-on.

 

Still doesn't tell you about the cache location. I write those little notes on my paper to try to trigger some memory but still there's just not a whole lot unique to say. Found ammo can. found another dead tree.

Well, it can help trigger your memory about a specific cache. Or, you can record more. There is generally enough time to record a considerable amount while walking or driving between caches. But more than anything, for me at least, is that its like taking notes during a lecture... if you take them, you probably won't even need them.

Link to comment

Even if I write notes on the cache some caches just meld together and it's not only the caches like lamp post hides. Here at some point the swamps and the woods all start to blend in. If there's nothing really special in that spot of woods I could take a picture of the trees and it would look like every other picture of trees I found. I write a note that I found an ammo can under a fallen tree and then have a bunch of other notes of ammo cans under fallen trees.

 

Sometimes there's just nothing that unique about the cache or location. I might be pretty but so were all the other locations. I might be a good container but so where all the others. They just blend together. So I integrate something into my logs. I feel it would be more obnoxious for me to cut and past "great cache, great container all is well" on every single cache page than to just take the time to write of my journey. I write logs for me more so than for the cache owner. When I had the issue with my eyes I wrote about that and caching so I could remember how that all went down for example.

 

That is where the voice recorder can come in handy. "Found the ammo can, spotted a deer on the way in" or "Found the ammo can, took longer than expected", "This was the ammo can I found while sneezing", and so-on.

 

Still doesn't tell you about the cache location. I write those little notes on my paper to try to trigger some memory but still there's just not a whole lot unique to say. Found ammo can. found another dead tree.

Well, it can help trigger your memory about a specific cache. Or, you can record more. There is generally enough time to record a considerable amount while walking or driving between caches. But more than anything, for me at least, is that its like taking notes during a lecture... if you take them, you probably won't even need them.

 

That's why I write the little notes. Some locations are just kind of generic. It is what it is. They may be perfectly fine but generic. It doesn't happen really often because usually I can find something to write about about my cache day in the log but sometimes it just doesn't turn my crank and there's not much today. Also through training I don't take a ton of notes usually. I have a short hand. I rarely took notes in college or grad school. Either I knew it or didn't know it. Notes didn't fix it. And with clients I don't always have time so I taught myself to just remember the important parts.

 

I'm not a big fan of the little recorders. Had to use them in school and work too much for legal things and practice things. I'm not a fan of listening to myself.

Edited by Chokecherry
Link to comment

For me, the phrase "TFTC", when used alone, translates directly to "Your Cache Sucks So Bad All It Rates Is This Lame Acronym".

Funny. I always thought it stood for Thanks For The Cache. But if you can discern a different intent just from the fact they are used alone, more power to you.

Its a thanks, for sure, but a rather monotone thanks.

Exactly. Like when a petulant teen is encouraged to apologize. They will probably say the word, "sorry", but the tone, timber and facial expressions will let whoever they are apologizing to that they don't really mean it. Naturally, Toz knows this. He just likes to argue incessantly in defense of anything and everything perceived to be lame. LOL!

 

When I thank someone for a positive cache finding experience, by the time they finish reading my log, they will have no doubt about my intentions in posting my log. To me, expressing gratitude takes more than four letters. Different strokes for different folks, I reckon. If the Tozes of the world are OK expressing themselves via acronyms, who am I to argue? I doubt I'll embrace what appears, from over here in the cheap seats to be lazy logging practices, but I suppose I should at least be diverse enough to accept that some folks will see the 1.2 seconds required to post "TFTC" on everything from a film can in a Burger King shrub, to an ammo can at a scenic waterfall, as them genuinely expressing how grateful they are for the experience.

Link to comment

I'd like to point out another option: civil disobedience. Go ahead and delete the blank logs or the TFTC logs. Let the finder go cry to GS. At least they would have to write something then.

If enough people did this, things would change.

(Note that I am just pointing this out, I don't think enough people care about it that much, so it would not really be effective.)

While you could probably get away with that for a while, I suspect that you would be getting some pretty stern warnings from The Frog, possibly ending with you spending your time on another caching site.

Well, yeah... that's kinda the idea of "civil disobedience." You're taking a pretty big risk if you're the only one that does it. But imagine...

 

"(If) three people do it, three, can you imagine, three people logging in,

singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant, deleting TFTC, and logging out. They may think it's an

organization. And can you, can you imagine fifty people a day,I said

fifty people a day logging in singin a bar of Alice's Restaurant, deleting TFTC and

logging out. And friends they may thinks it's a movement.

 

And that's what it is , the Alice's Restaurant Anti-TFTC Movement, and

all you got to do to join is sing it the next time it come's around on the

guitar."

Link to comment

For me, the phrase "TFTC", when used alone, translates directly to "Your Cache Sucks So Bad All It Rates Is This Lame Acronym".

Funny. I always thought it stood for Thanks For The Cache. But if you can discern a different intent just from the fact they are used alone, more power to you.

Its a thanks, for sure, but a rather monotone thanks.

Exactly. Like when a petulant teen is encouraged to apologize. They will probably say the word, "sorry", but the tone, timber and facial expressions will let whoever they are apologizing to that they don't really mean it. Naturally, Toz knows this. He just likes to argue incessantly in defense of anything and everything perceived to be lame. LOL!

 

When I thank someone for a positive cache finding experience, by the time they finish reading my log, they will have no doubt about my intentions in posting my log. To me, expressing gratitude takes more than four letters. Different strokes for different folks, I reckon. If the Tozes of the world are OK expressing themselves via acronyms, who am I to argue? I doubt I'll embrace what appears, from over here in the cheap seats to be lazy logging practices, but I suppose I should at least be diverse enough to accept that some folks will see the 1.2 seconds required to post "TFTC" on everything from a film can in a Burger King shrub, to an ammo can at a scenic waterfall, as them genuinely expressing how grateful they are for the experience.

Perhaps your experience in law enforcement allows you to determine the tone of the letters someone is typing on the Internet. I can't do more than accept what they mean at face value.

 

Do I wish finders would take more time for each log? Sure. But logging finds is a relatively small part of the game. Some people don't bother logging online at all. I imagine that for many people who don't read the forums and know what Clan Riffster's and fizzymagic's personal preferences are for a found log, a short TFTC is a legitimate way to say thank you.

 

Imagine that, Toz is defending brevity.

Link to comment

I tend to believe that most of the cachers who find my cache (forum denizens and some power cachers probably excepted)

I'm going back to all the caches I found of yours and editing in TFTC just for you! :laughing:

 

Before you all jump on me, I generally write two paragraph logs on each cache. I add TFTC at the end just because... Why not? I want to thank them!

Link to comment

Who do you think came up with TFTC, or any of the many other caching acronyms? A cacher. And why do you think those acronyms became so popular and such a Geocaching phenomenon that millions of us use them and Groundspeak features them in their Glossary Terms? It's not because they were every meant to be a negative gesture, but that's exactly what some of you want to make them. Y'all read too much into these things. From 4 little letters, you discern so much supposed information, it's amazing. Someone doesn't do it just the way you want them to, so you demonize them.

 

I suspect that for most geocachers, it really is intended genuinely, and not petulantly. It's fun to know a secret handshake.

That's basically how I felt when I first discovered Geocaching. What are all these strange acronyms I'm seeing in logbooks? I had better find out...and I did. And I thought how interesting it was that this relatively small group of people playing this lesser known game have their own little "language." I don't want anyone to think they have to log a certain way simply because of what they read in this forum. And this is coming from someone who usually writes at least a sentence or 2. I just don't see the need to turn this type of thing into such a negative issue.

 

ALR is another acronym used by Groundspeak themselves that some seem to forget about.

Edited by TL&MinBHIL
Link to comment

Perhaps your experience in law enforcement allows you to determine the tone of the letters someone is typing on the Internet. I can't do more than accept what they mean at face value.

Yeah, right. It doesn't take experience in law enforcement to make decisions about the tone behind the written word, Toz. People have been doing it for as long as words have been written down. We're not always right, but there are certain conventions that have been established over the centuries that we all understand. Can there be misunderstanding? Of course. But infrequently. My "Yeah, right" could be an expression of agreement, for example, but I'll bet that you interpreted it as an expression of sarcasm.

Link to comment

Who do you think came up with TFTC, or any of the many other caching acronyms? A cacher.

Absolutely NOTHING wrong with "TFTC". I have never, ever heard of anybody complaining about the use of that or any other acronym in a log. The problem comes from when that it 100% of the log. Bare minimum logging (well, prior to the blank log, anyway). Think of it like leaving a nickle tip.
Link to comment

Im tired of people leaving just TFTC logs on my caches. So i was thinking of maybe doing an essay themed cache. In order to be able to log it as a find, you have to write at least, oh i dunno lets say a 500 word log. If you dont, i delete your log. ok well i wouldnt actually count to make sure its 500 words, just as long as its descriptive and not just TNLN, SLTFTC... In the description i would explain why its nice to leave good logs. so what ya think, bad idea or has any seen this before?

 

edit: oh i forgot to add that i would make sure that it was a good hide, worthy of nothing but great logs. I'll be the first one to agree that some hides aren't worth great logs but we all should still try to write a decent log just to lead by example.

Hell, sounds like my kinda cache!

 

Note, this is my last log: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=94626b48-5af9-4db8-8ba5-5f634b22e24e

 

This is not out of the ordinary... this is an average log size for me. It's a common occurrence for me to have to shave down my log by few sentences or a paragraph to get it to fit into the 4000 character limit. I like to give people something to read for the exact reason you made this topic :D.

Link to comment

Im tired of people leaving just TFTC logs on my caches. So i was thinking of maybe doing an essay themed cache. In order to be able to log it as a find, you have to write at least, oh i dunno lets say a 500 word log. If you dont, i delete your log. ok well i wouldnt actually count to make sure its 500 words, just as long as its descriptive and not just TNLN, SLTFTC... In the description i would explain why its nice to leave good logs. so what ya think, bad idea or has any seen this before?

 

edit: oh i forgot to add that i would make sure that it was a good hide, worthy of nothing but great logs. I'll be the first one to agree that some hides aren't worth great logs but we all should still try to write a decent log just to lead by example.

Hell, sounds like my kinda cache!

 

Note, this is my last log: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=94626b48-5af9-4db8-8ba5-5f634b22e24e

 

This is not out of the ordinary... this is an average log size for me. It's a common occurrence for me to have to shave down my log by few sentences or a paragraph to get it to fit into the 4000 character limit. I like to give people something to read for the exact reason you made this topic :D.

Wow. I tend to make my logs depict the advenure, and most of em are not nearly half the size of that.

 

But I don't post plain TFTC logs... Okay maybe I did once ore twice when I was a newbie, but now I know what the standards are.

Link to comment

Im tired of people leaving just TFTC logs on my caches. So i was thinking of maybe doing an essay themed cache. In order to be able to log it as a find, you have to write at least, oh i dunno lets say a 500 word log. If you dont, i delete your log. ok well i wouldnt actually count to make sure its 500 words, just as long as its descriptive and not just TNLN, SLTFTC... In the description i would explain why its nice to leave good logs. so what ya think, bad idea or has any seen this before?

 

edit: oh i forgot to add that i would make sure that it was a good hide, worthy of nothing but great logs. I'll be the first one to agree that some hides aren't worth great logs but we all should still try to write a decent log just to lead by example.

Hell, sounds like my kinda cache!

 

Note, this is my last log: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=94626b48-5af9-4db8-8ba5-5f634b22e24e

 

This is not out of the ordinary... this is an average log size for me. It's a common occurrence for me to have to shave down my log by few sentences or a paragraph to get it to fit into the 4000 character limit. I like to give people something to read for the exact reason you made this topic :D.

Wow. I tend to make my logs depict the advenure, and most of em are not nearly half the size of that.

 

But I don't post plain TFTC logs... Okay maybe I did once ore twice when I was a newbie, but now I know what the standards are.

Actually, re-reading the linked log, it looks like I went off on a tangent a bit more than usual there about the container size. In general, most of the bulk of the log is dedicated to the cache, the hunt, and generally a story about my fun with the cache.

 

Oh, and in reference to your 'when you were a newbie' comment... I think I always started out wanting to make longer logs. My shortest log ever was within the first month or so of geocaching... it was a DNF log that was 63 words long. The length just kinda kept on going up from the beginning. I like to tell stories I guess.

Edited by Kabuthunk
Link to comment

Haha, so funny. I just got a log on one of my caches:

 

Tftc!!!

 

I'm so offended. My cache only warranted three exclamation marks. :anibad::laughing:

His fingers got tired of holding Shift+1 and let go... Thats a short attention span, if ya ask me.

*tsk tsk*

 

People nowadays. No work ethic. :anibad:

Link to comment

In Denmark we have just had a discussion about these short logs as well. A lot of cache descriptions has now been added words about writing a good log after a find. It has resulted in logs from many finders now almost with the geocachers life story for the day. Duplicated to all of their finds of the day. And still only a very few - if none at all - about the actual cache. I don't know, what is worst.

Edited by Q10
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...