Facebook Integration is Back

[cb82]

from the release notes -

 

• Added Twitter and Facebook sharing options to cache log pages, visit your profile or geocaching.com/my/sharing.aspx to connect your accounts

[+Ambient_Skater]

It's not so much "integration" as a button that automatically pastes the address of the log into the Facebook status update bar.

 

Or so I think. I haven't actually seen the buttons yet.

[+Castle Mischief]

This smells like pluots to me.

[+Maingray]

Too spammy. Allow us to toggle it "on" (default = off) for certain caches we log (as it stands, it seems to be on (once allowed) for every finds and DNFs). I'm gonna lose all my FB friends when I log my 200 cache runs .

 

I'd like the FB/twitter ability to toggle it for each cache... even the FB / twitter reporting of awarding a fave point would be cool, and actually useful.

 

 

http://uservoice.com/a/6Qsd1

[+Chokecherry]

I'm thankful now I don't have a lot of caching friends on facebook which would lead me to block posts by Groundspeak because of the million posts about caches.

Edited August 2, 2011 by Chokecherry

[+Bear and Ragged]

*Dislike*

 

And NOT going to use it!

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Too spammy. Allow us to toggle it "on" (default = off) for certain caches we log (as it stands, it seems to be on (once allowed) for every finds and DNFs). I'm gonna lose all my FB friends when I log my 200 cache runs .

 

I'd like the FB/twitter ability to toggle it for each cache... even the FB / twitter reporting of awarding a fave point would be cool, and actually useful.

 

 

http://uservoice.com/a/6Qsd1

200, eh?

 

That's EXACTLY why I dumped Fakebook.

Maingray apparently cares, but few others seem to. The worst part is.... most of those *********** were relatives.

[+hzoi]

*Dislike*

 

And NOT going to use it!

 

*Meh*

 

(and not going to use it, either)

[+captnemo]

*Dislike*

 

And NOT going to use it!

 

*Meh*

 

(and not going to use it, either)

+2

[+larryc43230]

*Dislike*

 

And NOT going to use it!

 

*Meh*

 

(and not going to use it, either)

+2

I might use it, but very selectively. I can't imagine tormenting my geocaching friends, and especially my non-geocaching friends, with a constant deluge of cache logs.

 

--Larry

[mtbikernate]

*Dislike*

 

And NOT going to use it!

 

*Meh*

 

(and not going to use it, either)

+2

+3

[+dfx]

Has anyone seen yet what such a tweet looks like? I'm just curious about the wording and all that...

[+Team Van Dyk]

Has anyone seen yet what such a tweet looks like? I'm just curious about the wording and all that...

 

http://twitter.com/search/coord.info

 

BTW, I'm with the others here who say they'd probably use it if you could do so selectively and avoid spamming twitter followers and facebook friends. Until you can do that, it's a pretty useless feature.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

*Dislike*

 

And NOT going to use it!

 

*Meh*

 

(and not going to use it, either)

+2

+3

+∞

[+larryc43230]

BTW, I'm with the others here who say they'd probably use it if you could do so selectively and avoid spamming twitter followers and facebook friends. Until you can do that, it's a pretty useless feature.

You can do that now:

 

Forum post from OpinioNate

 

--Larry

 

Edit to add: I just checked out this feature, and it seems to work. I went through the motions of adding a new log for one of my own caches (just never hit the "Submit Log Entry" button). The option to "Update Facebook status" appears only when you select either "Found It" or "Didn't find it" as Type of Log, and is unchecked by default.

Edited August 3, 2011 by larryc43230

[+GeoGeeBee]

BTW, I'm with the others here who say they'd probably use it if you could do so selectively and avoid spamming twitter followers and facebook friends. Until you can do that, it's a pretty useless feature.

You can do that now:

 

Forum post from OpinioNate

 

--Larry

 

Edit to add: I just checked out this feature, and it seems to work. I went through the motions of adding a new log for one of my own caches (just never hit the "Submit Log Entry" button). The option to "Update Facebook status" appears only when you select either "Found It" or "Didn't find it" as Type of Log, and is unchecked by default.

I just tried it... after linking my account to Facebook, I did the same as you. The only difference is that the "Update Facebook Status" option was checked by default, I had to un-check it.

[+larryc43230]

BTW, I'm with the others here who say they'd probably use it if you could do so selectively and avoid spamming twitter followers and facebook friends. Until you can do that, it's a pretty useless feature.

You can do that now:

 

Forum post from OpinioNate

 

--Larry

 

Edit to add: I just checked out this feature, and it seems to work. I went through the motions of adding a new log for one of my own caches (just never hit the "Submit Log Entry" button). The option to "Update Facebook status" appears only when you select either "Found It" or "Didn't find it" as Type of Log, and is unchecked by default.

I just tried it... after linking my account to Facebook, I did the same as you. The only difference is that the "Update Facebook Status" option was checked by default, I had to un-check it.

If you don't want the box selected by default, just go back to http://www.geocaching.com/my/sharing.aspx and uncheck "Update Facebook status when I log a geocache on the website." It looks as if the box on that page simply determines whether or not the "update" box on the cache log page is checked by default.

 

--Larry

 

[+GeoGeeBee]

BTW, I'm with the others here who say they'd probably use it if you could do so selectively and avoid spamming twitter followers and facebook friends. Until you can do that, it's a pretty useless feature.

You can do that now:

 

Forum post from OpinioNate

 

--Larry

 

Edit to add: I just checked out this feature, and it seems to work. I went through the motions of adding a new log for one of my own caches (just never hit the "Submit Log Entry" button). The option to "Update Facebook status" appears only when you select either "Found It" or "Didn't find it" as Type of Log, and is unchecked by default.

I just tried it... after linking my account to Facebook, I did the same as you. The only difference is that the "Update Facebook Status" option was checked by default, I had to un-check it.

If you don't want the box selected by default, just go back to http://www.geocaching.com/my/sharing.aspx and uncheck "Update Facebook status when I log a geocache on the website." It looks as if the box on that page simply determines whether or not the "update" box on the cache log page is checked by default.

 

--Larry

Thanks! That works great.

 

So now I can post the occasional "Wow!" cache to Facebook, and not annoy my FB friends with all of my finds. This is actually pretty cool.

[+Castle Mischief]

WHAT NO GOOGLE PLUSSES'S INTERGRETION??? I GUESS I WILL TAKE MY MONNIES ELSEWERES.

 

 

 

 

 

 

()

[+DanOCan]

I updated my account so I have the option available. I certainly wouldn't want to use it for every cache I log, but certainly for some of the more memorable ones it might be kind of useful.

 

I sometimes update Facebook with a link of the cache I'm going to attempt just so my friends and family know where to send search and rescue if I don't come back...

[mtbikernate]

 

Thanks! That works great.

 

So now I can post the occasional "Wow!" cache to Facebook, and not annoy my FB friends with all of my finds. This is actually pretty cool.

 

because you couldn't do that before?

 

I'm glad that as long as I don't "link" my account, I don't even see the option and I don't need to worry about it being checked or unchecked.

 

However, I do have a few friends who cache, and I really hope they don't wind up being the type to publish EVERY LOG to FB.

[+GeoGeeBee]

 

Thanks! That works great.

 

So now I can post the occasional "Wow!" cache to Facebook, and not annoy my FB friends with all of my finds. This is actually pretty cool.

 

because you couldn't do that before?

 

 

I could cut-n-paste before; now I don't have to. I like it. You don't. No big deal.

[AZcachemeister]

Why-O-why can't they do something in-house using the (abandoned) friends feature?

[+dfx]

Why-O-why can't they do something in-house using the (abandoned) friends feature?

 

Why reinvent the wheel?

[AZcachemeister]

Why-O-why can't they do something in-house using the (abandoned) friends feature?

 

Why reinvent the wheel?

 

Because I want the wheel to be on the vehicle I'm already driving?

 

I'm not interested in twitter or facebook, but I might like to communicate my caching exploits with other cachers on my friends list.

(That is if I hadn't removed all those friends due to the uselessness of the feature.)

[+NYPaddleCacher]

 

Thanks! That works great.

 

So now I can post the occasional "Wow!" cache to Facebook, and not annoy my FB friends with all of my finds. This is actually pretty cool.

 

because you couldn't do that before?

 

 

I could cut-n-paste before; now I don't have to. I like it. You don't. No big deal.

 

Just think about how much time that would save when logging a 800 cache power trail.

Edited August 5, 2011 by NYPaddleCacher

[vagabond]

 

Thanks! That works great.

 

So now I can post the occasional "Wow!" cache to Facebook, and not annoy my FB friends with all of my finds. This is actually pretty cool.

 

because you couldn't do that before?

 

 

I could cut-n-paste before; now I don't have to. I like it. You don't. No big deal.

 

Just think about how much time that would save when logging a 800 cache power trail.

 

800 I'm looking at doing the new ET trail then coming back and doing route 66. Closer to 3000

[+northernpenguin]

 

I'm not interested in twitter or facebook, but I might like to communicate my caching exploits with other cachers on my friends list.

(That is if I hadn't removed all those friends due to the uselessness of the feature.)

 

 

While that may be true for you, the fact is there are a great many people that are interested in social networks ... those two to be precise. There are entire geocaching communities who are based on Facebook groups. Having the ability to connect a log (vs the old like a cache feature) is a good thing. Those who use it wrong will lose followers, unless their followers are interested in getting slammed with logs in their news feeds. Same as any other use for the social networks. Those that go on about silly things don't have many followers. The twitter integration has been around for a long, long time already and most people (with followers that is) already know how to keep that signal to noise ratio to something sane.

 

Used selectively it can be great way to highlight a specific cache visit to your followers/friends. I like that you can link to your log - that way instead of sharing the cache, you can share your story about that cache.

 

So put me down as one who "likes" this feature

[cb82]

 

I'm not interested in twitter or facebook, but I might like to communicate my caching exploits with other cachers on my friends list.

(That is if I hadn't removed all those friends due to the uselessness of the feature.)

 

 

While that may be true for you, the fact is there are a great many people that are interested in social networks ... those two to be precise. There are entire geocaching communities who are based on Facebook groups. Having the ability to connect a log (vs the old like a cache feature) is a good thing. Those who use it wrong will lose followers, unless their followers are interested in getting slammed with logs in their news feeds. Same as any other use for the social networks. Those that go on about silly things don't have many followers. The twitter integration has been around for a long, long time already and most people (with followers that is) already know how to keep that signal to noise ratio to something sane.

 

Used selectively it can be great way to highlight a specific cache visit to your followers/friends. I like that you can link to your log - that way instead of sharing the cache, you can share your story about that cache.

 

So put me down as one who "likes" this feature

 

+1

[+larryc43230]

I tried to submit this on the Feedback forum, but since I've used up my 20 "votes" it appears I can't submit a problem report....

 

The new Facebook integration appears to work when I visit a cache page, click "Log your visit," and add a "Found it" or "Didn't find it" log the old-fashioned way. However, last night, which was my first opportunity to use the new feature, it didn't work as advertised.

 

I use an Oregon 550T, and upload field notes, via a GSAK macro, to log my finds and DNFs. After I uploaded my field notes from a day of caching, I went to the field notes Web page and clicked on the link for submitting a cache log. The Sharing Options box, with the "Update Facebook Status" checkbox, never appeared. I tried changing "Found it" to "Didn't find it" just to see if the "Update Facebook Status" box would show up, but no joy. I submitting a total of 19 logs last night, 16 finds and 3 DNFs, and I never saw the "Update Facebook Status" box.

 

Has anyone else tried the Facebook integration thing after uploading field notes, and does it work for you?

 

--Larry

Edited August 5, 2011 by larryc43230

[+DanOCan]

Has anyone else tried the Facebook integration thing after uploading field notes, and does it work for you?

 

I uploaded a couple of field notes from my Dakota 20 to the site and then when I composed the logs ans submitted them it sent the updates to Facebook because I forgot to turn the option off. Whoops, I spammed my friends!

[+larryc43230]

Has anyone else tried the Facebook integration thing after uploading field notes, and does it work for you?

 

I uploaded a couple of field notes from my Dakota 20 to the site and then when I composed the logs ans submitted them it sent the updates to Facebook because I forgot to turn the option off. Whoops, I spammed my friends!

I wonder why it worked for you and not for me? I take it from your post that you have "Update Facebook status when I log a geocache on the website" on the Sharing page checked, so your default is to send the log to Facebook unless you indicate otherwise. I have that box unchecked on the Sharing page, and I don't get the option at all on the Post a New Log page if I go to the page via a field note.

 

Maybe it's the combination of having the "Update Facebook status when I log a geocache on the website" box unchecked and posting logs via field notes that's not working? Or do I misunderstand the way it's supposed to work?

 

--Larry

 

[+DanOCan]

I wonder why it worked for you and not for me? I take it from your post that you have "Update Facebook status when I log a geocache on the website" on the Sharing page checked, so your default is to send the log to Facebook unless you indicate otherwise. I have that box unchecked on the Sharing page, and I don't get the option at all on the Post a New Log page if I go to the page via a field note.

 

Yeah, I went into my sharing settings and enabled it just to grant Geocaching access to my Facebook profile and I swear I unchecked it after that, but last night when I did my Finds it updated. I went back in and unchecked it again so I'll see what happens when I do my Find from today.

 

Sure glad it happened on a day where I only had two Finds -- my friends would have been very annoyed if I had spammed their News Feeds with a whole whack of caches.

[+larryc43230]

... my friends would have been very annoyed if I had spammed their News Feeds with a whole whack of caches.

Same here. I want to use the feature only for selected finds (and maybe some fun DNFs).

 

Yesterday, I was hoping to post just two finds to my Facebook page: The first, simply because I thought it made for a good story. The second, because the cache was hidden by a friend of mine who hangs out on Facebook, and I thought he'd get a kick out of the log (for the Facebook detractors out there, yeah, I know he got my log by e-mail, but his other Facebook friends didn't see it).

 

--Larry

[AZcachemeister]

 

I'm not interested in twitter or facebook, but I might like to communicate my caching exploits with other cachers on my friends list.

(That is if I hadn't removed all those friends due to the uselessness of the feature.)

 

 

While that may be true for you, the fact is there are a great many people that are interested in social networks ... those two to be precise. There are entire geocaching communities who are based on Facebook groups. Having the ability to connect a log (vs the old like a cache feature) is a good thing. Those who use it wrong will lose followers, unless their followers are interested in getting slammed with logs in their news feeds. Same as any other use for the social networks. Those that go on about silly things don't have many followers. The twitter integration has been around for a long, long time already and most people (with followers that is) already know how to keep that signal to noise ratio to something sane.

 

Used selectively it can be great way to highlight a specific cache visit to your followers/friends. I like that you can link to your log - that way instead of sharing the cache, you can share your story about that cache.

 

So put me down as one who "likes" this feature

 

And while this new development may suit YOUR needs, it doesn't do squat for me.

 

Sure, I'm behind the times and a retro-grouch to boot.

Certainly every other geocacher is on facebook and uses twitter.

[+power69]

add gc.com to the growing list of sites that are brought to their knees when FB is having issues.

you will never find me near that steaming pile of

[+Ambient_Skater]

add gc.com to the growing list of sites that are brought to their knees when FB is having issues.

I don't think that's how it works.

[+Team Van Dyk]

add gc.com to the growing list of sites that are brought to their knees when FB is having issues.

I don't think that's how it works.

 

It's not. It is some nice FUD, though.

[+Team Van Dyk]

 

I'm not interested in twitter or facebook, but I might like to communicate my caching exploits with other cachers on my friends list.

(That is if I hadn't removed all those friends due to the uselessness of the feature.)

 

 

While that may be true for you, the fact is there are a great many people that are interested in social networks ... those two to be precise. There are entire geocaching communities who are based on Facebook groups. Having the ability to connect a log (vs the old like a cache feature) is a good thing. Those who use it wrong will lose followers, unless their followers are interested in getting slammed with logs in their news feeds. Same as any other use for the social networks. Those that go on about silly things don't have many followers. The twitter integration has been around for a long, long time already and most people (with followers that is) already know how to keep that signal to noise ratio to something sane.

 

Used selectively it can be great way to highlight a specific cache visit to your followers/friends. I like that you can link to your log - that way instead of sharing the cache, you can share your story about that cache.

 

So put me down as one who "likes" this feature

 

And while this new development may suit YOUR needs, it doesn't do squat for me.

 

Sure, I'm behind the times and a retro-grouch to boot.

Certainly every other geocacher is on facebook and uses twitter.

 

Here's a good solution, then. Don't enable it. Ignore it (which should be easy since you'd have to go out of your way to even find a mention of it on the gc site if you don't have it enabled), and ignore threads discussing it.

 

Problem solved.

 

--Matt

 

P.S. This is a very good point, though: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=279241&view=findpost&p=4799185 It would be nice if they did something with that friends feature; even a simple stream of most recent "found it" logs tucked away under the friends tab would be nice.

Edited August 6, 2011 by Team Van Dyk

[+DanOCan]

Same here. I want to use the feature only for selected finds (and maybe some fun DNFs).

 

Yeah, that was my hope.

 

From what I saw of the postings before I deleted them all it said was "Dan Overes found a cache in Alberta, Canada." It then had a link to the cache page and the first few lines of the description. I was hoping it would somehow be more tied to my log instead of just the cache.

 

At least when I used to copy and paste URLs into Facebook I would get a chance to say something about "Why" I was posting it. I doubt I'll actually use the feature now that I've tried it.

[+larryc43230]

From what I saw of the postings before I deleted them all it said was "Dan Overes found a cache in Alberta, Canada." It then had a link to the cache page and the first few lines of the description. I was hoping it would somehow be more tied to my log instead of just the cache.

Well, that's disappointing, and pretty much useless. If the actual content of my log, or at least a link to it, isn't posted to my Facebook page, I don't think I'm interested after all.

 

--Larry