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Geocaching.com site update August 18th 2011


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as opposed to suggestions, broken features should take priority and the adoption has been a long standing feature on GC, i don't see how fixing that has to be determined by the community support

 

That's how it works. Confirmed bugs are given highest priority. (Keep in mind that feature in progress != bug.)

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Will links to nearby challenges be added to cache pages? Currently, such an option is missing...

 

...other caches hidden or found by this user

...nearby caches of this type, that I haven't found

...all nearby caches, that I haven't found

--->

...all nearby waymarks on Waymarking.com

...all nearby benchmarks

...nearby Hotels

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Will links to nearby challenges be added to cache pages? Currently, such an option is missing...

 

...other caches hidden or found by this user

...nearby caches of this type, that I haven't found

...all nearby caches, that I haven't found

--->

...all nearby waymarks on Waymarking.com

...all nearby benchmarks

...nearby Hotels

 

As a workaround, you can "find nearby caches" and then follow the "search for challenges around this location" link at the top.

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Domo!!!

 

Just got a 'feedback' from [feedback.geocaching.com] stating : "started: 'Don't make completions the same as finds…' " , posted by Jeremy, Mr.GC himself.

 

Great to have a feedback to our feedback. Always a good thing.

 

Also nice to know that our words have been 'listened to', and considered greatly, changing 'their' ideas.

 

Now, let's see how it's going to turn out this time. Hope it's what we want...

 

All for the better game of Geocaching!

 

Thanks!

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for now i can only conclude that pretty much everything in the Feedback, that they don't like, is falling into deaf ears and sits in the "internal queue for review"

 

 

I'm sorry that you've gotten this impression. Things go to "Under Review" when we feel that there has been enough community response in feedback to warrant adding to our issues tracking database. The items in that database are then routinely reviewed and prioritized in triage meetings by management and the dev team. Yes, some items fail to make the cut and get postponed until the next dev cycle, but that is part of the process of software development.

 

That said, what does, "We have prioritized this in the system. Please continue to vote to help us in our future planning.", mean? One of my suggestions was prioritized into the system around a year ago. Other items have been "prioritized" for even longer. This gives the impression to some that the suggestions are actually being ignored by burying them in the queue.

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That's how it works. Confirmed bugs are given highest priority. (Keep in mind that feature in progress != bug.)

 

That's great. But I don't understand why the display of PQs on the map still isn't repaired. I think it stopped being a "feature in progress" when the display of PQs on the old map was removed, or what?

http://feedback.geocaching.com/forums/75775-geocaching-com/suggestions/1930021-pq-map-view-doesn-t-update-when-pq-content-is-upda

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That said, what does, "We have prioritized this in the system. Please continue to vote to help us in our future planning.", mean? One of my suggestions was prioritized into the system around a year ago. Other items have been "prioritized" for even longer. This gives the impression to some that the suggestions are actually being ignored by burying them in the queue.

 

Maybe they're just prioritizing the suggestions down :ph34r:

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That said, what does, "We have prioritized this in the system. Please continue to vote to help us in our future planning.", mean? One of my suggestions was prioritized into the system around a year ago. Other items have been "prioritized" for even longer. This gives the impression to some that the suggestions are actually being ignored by burying them in the queue.

 

Maybe they're just prioritizing the suggestions down :ph34r:

 

"Please stop voting on this. We are ignoring it. A Lackey has posted a noncommittal note and given it a special colored label to give the false impression that we give a rat's tailfeathers what you think."

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I'm very happy the log dates are back, but now the find totals of each player are gone! On a cache page you used to be able to see how many finds each player had, even with the silly avatars, but now the avatars are gone and the find totals are gone. For me, seeing the number of finds a player has is very helpful. For example, if a noob cacher logs a dnf you take it with a grain of salt, but if a more experienced player logs a dnf there's a good possiblilty the cache is gone. Is this just a glitch or are the find totals gone for good?

Edited by RED 5
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That said, what does, "We have prioritized this in the system. Please continue to vote to help us in our future planning.", mean? One of my suggestions was prioritized into the system around a year ago. Other items have been "prioritized" for even longer. This gives the impression to some that the suggestions are actually being ignored by burying them in the queue.

I have also seen some of my favorite suggestions fall into this category for weeks, then months. I wonder if Don J isn't onto something here.

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That said, what does, "We have prioritized this in the system. Please continue to vote to help us in our future planning.", mean? One of my suggestions was prioritized into the system around a year ago. Other items have been "prioritized" for even longer. This gives the impression to some that the suggestions are actually being ignored by burying them in the queue.

 

Once a story or bug is in our queue, management periodically goes through the outstanding issues and gives them an initial priority. Obviously, many factors go into this. It is at this point that Nate generally posts the above comment in the feedback forum.

 

Once that has been done, prioritized issues are analyzed by the dev team to determine the development costs and where the story fits in with current long-range plans. A project that is epic in scope is going to have high dev costs and thus will be hard to fit in immediately.

 

Outright bugs usually skip most of this process and are added outright to the list for the next release.

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That said, what does, "We have prioritized this in the system. Please continue to vote to help us in our future planning.", mean? One of my suggestions was prioritized into the system around a year ago. Other items have been "prioritized" for even longer. This gives the impression to some that the suggestions are actually being ignored by burying them in the queue.

 

Once a story or bug is in our queue, management periodically goes through the outstanding issues and gives them an initial priority. Obviously, many factors go into this. It is at this point that Nate generally posts the above comment in the feedback forum.

 

Once that has been done, prioritized issues are analyzed by the dev team to determine the development costs and where the story fits in with current long-range plans. A project that is epic in scope is going to have high dev costs and thus will be hard to fit in immediately.

 

Outright bugs usually skip most of this process and are added outright to the list for the next release.

So if I am reading this right all the reported bugs with the maps are going to be fixed next release? I wonder why they weren't fixed on the last update? The way I see it, you have quite a list of bugs to fix and for the next release or two all we are going to see are bug fixes. I'm sure that is boring to management, but will be well received by the users.

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Unfortunately Groundspeaks' way of dealing with complaints is just to sit and wait until everyone gives up complaining.

 

Mark

This is just so wrong I couldn't let it go. You've been here long enough that you should know better.

Apparently you tend to forget things that people ask for that just work the first time. Like:

 

Increase in number of PQ's

Increase in number of bookmark lists

Increase the frequency of requesting PQ's

Several improvements in maps over the years. (Some as a direct result of people being unhappy with an earlier version)

 

I thought of these examples instantly. If I took 10 minutes I could list a dozen more.

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First off big kudos to Moun10Bike the last many days for being responsive and trying to keep us in the loop.

 

With that being said there are many references to these issues being sent back to the development team for review and to come up with a hot fix. Any chance that development team has changed a few members since the August 18th downgrade day?

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I don't usually respond to update "stuff" as I figure it won't make any difference, but add me to the folks who don't like the huge new logs on the cache pages. Don't need/want the avatar or the relative date - now have to scroll much more to get what I want. Also, for those of us who load the last 5 logs with our GPX file, I assume all those avatars are going to take up a chunk of memory, right? What in the world was wrong with the logs the way they were? Many site changes leave me wondering why???. Maybe you could add a brief reason to the changes?

 

Just my $.02......

 

Mrs. Car54

 

+1. I guess I`ll find out what happens when I`ve decided where I`m going at the weekend and upload a PQ of the area.

Also agree with the `about a week ago` comments, far too vague, bring back the last found on XX/XX/XXXX

 

+1 from me as well. The avatars (that in the current moment are being displayed as grey smileys) are not needed. However the person's finds are quite of importance.

As to challenges...I also did a test challenge. i'm not sure the challenges are needed inside gc.com. Then better bring back the virtual caches and allow creation of new web-cams.

In fact - a challenge "take a picture in front of the xx web-cam" is basically the same as the existing Web-cams. So why not allow to create new web-cam caches?

Edited by raimonda
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Domo again!!!

 

Back up again while walking my furry four-legged assistant. Cool.

 

AND, NO Challenge shown in my profile! SWEEEET!

 

Find counter is back! Awesome!

 

Log dates are showing as you've set up! Nice!

 

Avatar are,,,, still there...

 

What else has changed, or NOT changed.

A list of what has/hasn't been done would be VERY nice.

 

Thanks for the whatever has been done, good or the other.

Edited by Dr.MORO
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Here's a quick summary of what was addressed with today's hotfix:

  • Browser freeze when attempting to access a non-existent CX code
  • Criteria for defining "beginner cache" too restrictive
  • Server error when attempting to adopt a cache or trackable
  • Separation of challenge completions from cache finds in logs on cache pages and in login widget
  • Cache log dates not respecting user's date preference
  • "Completed a challenge" page fancybox copy
  • Clean up of the fancybox popup on the "Create a challenge" page

Please let us know if you run into any issues with these changes.

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AND Domo again!!!

 

Just posted a feedback here.

 

But, seems like all the notification emails are missing the log-posting Geocacher's name.

VERY weird... Cannot tell who's it about.

 

Needs a fix, a very hot one ASAP!

 

Even weirder, the cacher's names are back again... WTH???

 

A 'glitch' in the mainframe???

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AND Domo again!!!

 

Just posted a feedback here.

 

But, seems like all the notification emails are missing the log-posting Geocacher's name.

VERY weird... Cannot tell who's it about.

 

Needs a fix, a very hot one ASAP!

 

Even weirder, the cacher's names are back again... WTH???

 

A 'glitch' in the mainframe???

 

Even MORE weirderer, they're gone again...

 

A BAD dream...

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Here's a quick summary of what was addressed with today's hotfix:

  • Browser freeze when attempting to access a non-existent CX code
  • Criteria for defining "beginner cache" too restrictive
  • Server error when attempting to adopt a cache or trackable
  • Separation of challenge completions from cache finds in logs on cache pages and in login widget
  • Cache log dates not respecting user's date preference
  • "Completed a challenge" page fancybox copy
  • Clean up of the fancybox popup on the "Create a challenge" page

Please let us know if you run into any issues with these changes.

 

Awesome fix!

 

Thanks a bunch!

 

BTW, LOVE your quotation:

 

"When you go to hide a cache, think of the reason you are bringing people to that spot. If the only reason is for the cache, then find a better spot." - briansnat"

 

I will definitely keep this in mind.

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Here's a quick summary of what was addressed with today's hotfix:

  • Browser freeze when attempting to access a non-existent CX code
  • Criteria for defining "beginner cache" too restrictive
  • Server error when attempting to adopt a cache or trackable
  • Separation of challenge completions from cache finds in logs on cache pages and in login widget
  • Cache log dates not respecting user's date preference
  • "Completed a challenge" page fancybox copy
  • Clean up of the fancybox popup on the "Create a challenge" page

Please let us know if you run into any issues with these changes.

Very good update. One little nit, in my opinion, the challenge completions should not count on the total for caches on the public profile caches page. It should be an asterisks just like the benchmarks.

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AND Domo again!!!

 

Just posted a feedback here.

 

But, seems like all the notification emails are missing the log-posting Geocacher's name.

VERY weird... Cannot tell who's it about.

 

Needs a fix, a very hot one ASAP!

 

Even weirder, the cacher's names are back again... WTH???

 

A 'glitch' in the mainframe???

 

Even MORE weirderer, they're gone again...

 

A BAD dream...

 

This bad dream is over.

 

Thanks for the quick fix!

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In a member's profile, when you click to see all the caches they've found, there are hotlinks next to all of the different types (ie: traditional, multi, virtual, etc.) and when you click them you can see a list of all those types of caches the person has found. However, there's no hotlink for "Geocaching Challenges". Why?

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(1) I do not think a person should be able to Vote Upor Vote Downa Challenge they have not completed.

 

(2) Challlenges should have a review before publishing. This would be done preferrebley by a group similar to Waymarking.

 

(3) Who is to keep someone from Photoshopping the Photo Challenges.

 

(4) Perhaps there should have been a whole Web site for these like Waymarking has.

 

(5) Please being back Virtual Caches. Did I say please already?

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(1) I do not think a person should be able to Vote Upor Vote Downa Challenge they have not completed.
I disagree. I don't need to stick my tongue to a lamp post to know that an Action Challenge to lick a lamp post in sub-freezing weather is a bad idea.

 

(2) Challlenges should have a review before publishing. This would be done preferrebley by a group similar to Waymarking.
What are Challenges going to be reviewed for? Quality? I am not familiar with Waymarking, but the need for reviewers to assess the quality of virtual caches is what originally killed them 6 years ago.

 

(3) Who is to keep someone from Photoshopping the Photo Challenges.
From the FAQ: "Challenges run on the honor system. Say you completed it? We believe you. After all, you're only cheating yourself!"

 

(4) Perhaps there should have been a whole Web site for these like Waymarking has.
I think the goal was to create something that would actually be used. Like it or not, that means putting it on the geocaching.com site.

 

(5) Please being back Virtual Caches. Did I say please already?
Virtuals aren't coming back in their original form. The reasons they were grandfathered are still relevant today, perhaps even more so.
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I am saying, don't put the find number in the logs - I am saying put the date you started caching in the logs and PQs.

I can't help with the dates, but if you don't want to see the counts, this CSS will do it.

 

.logOwnerStats {display:none  !important}

 

Edward

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I've seen followup comments on the CSS I've posted for adjusting the log layout, so here's my latest. In addition to the previous functions, it removes the smily next to the find count (which I find confusing because it's the same icon as in the log type) and removes the display of "member", "premium member", "reviewer", and whatever else can go there. See details in the comments in the code.

 

/* Make avatars on logs just totally vanish.
I don't know whether this prevents the download. */

.logOwnerAvatar {display:none !important}

/* Tighten up the spacing in the log. Readability is not
reduced at all, due to the alternating background colors
and the bold log type. */

.LogDisplayRight .LogText
  {min-height: 0    !important;
   padding-top: 0   !important;
   margin-bottom: 0 !important}

/* Try to stop the View Log from taking up a whole line
all for itself. This occasionally (perhaps 1 log in 10)
causes the View Log to overlap a bit of the log text.
If this bothers you, remove this line. The only cost of
removing it is a bit of extra space at the bottom of
most logs. */

.LogText + .AlignRight {margin-top: -20px !important}

/* I also don't care whether the logger is a premium member, and showing
that sometimes forces an extra line in the log entry, so don't show it.
This is optional and independent of the other specs. */

.logOwnerBadge {display:none !important}

/* All the smily faces in the left column confuse me because it's the same
image as for the Found It log, so don't show it. But then the counts need
to be bolder.
This is optional and independent of the other specs. */

.logOwnerStats img {display:none  !important}
.logOwnerStats {font-weight: bold !important;
               color:#000000     !important}

/* All the following adjustments to text size and color are
optional and independent of the other specs. */

/* Make the log date display larger and bolder. */

.LogDate
  {font-weight: bold    !important;
   font-size:   100%    !important;
   color:       #000000 !important}

/* Well, now it's obvious that the log type is not black either. I'm a man,
I can fix that. http://emmanuelfonte.posterous.com/im-a-man-i-can-fix-that */

.LogType {color: #000000 !important}

/* and the log text too ... */

.LogText {color: black !important}

Edward

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I just skipped about three pages, so sorry if this hasn't been mentioned before, but a user in the General Topics forum just pointed out that the "Found by me on" <date> section of the cache page is gone! It was the poor man's version of Lil Devil's fantastic VIP script, but at least is was something. Now its gone.

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I just skipped about three pages, so sorry if this hasn't been mentioned before, but a user in the General Topics forum just pointed out that the "Found by me on" <date> section of the cache page is gone! It was the poor man's version of Lil Devil's fantastic VIP script, but at least is was something. Now its gone.

I just noticed that too. Hopefully it will only be a temporary SNAFU.

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I just skipped about three pages, so sorry if this hasn't been mentioned before, but a user in the General Topics forum just pointed out that the "Found by me on" <date> section of the cache page is gone! It was the poor man's version of Lil Devil's fantastic VIP script, but at least is was something. Now its gone.

Oh yes! This feature is gone now! Why? I hope it is only a bug and not a new "feature"! It seems that all changes of the last days always bring a loss of good features and loss of information (e.g. the missing log date).

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Oh yes! ................ It seems that all changes of the last days always bring a loss of good features and loss of information (e.g. the missing log date).

 

Yep! And did you also notice on the "New Look" Customer Feedback pages that the number of people voting and the average vote size numbers have also disappeared ??

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Maybe they are kidding us? Why do they turn off various features and usefull information from the site all over the last days just to fix it a few days later?

I think they want to test the community whether someone notices the missing things :laughing:.

 

Groundspeak: Please handle a bit more with care with your website updates!!!

 

Or is this the price to pay for the new Challenges...?

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I just skipped about three pages, so sorry if this hasn't been mentioned before, but a user in the General Topics forum just pointed out that the "Found by me on" <date> section of the cache page is gone! It was the poor man's version of Lil Devil's fantastic VIP script, but at least is was something. Now its gone.

 

Hot diggity dog - it sure is. I liked that feature. Speaking of VIP - will it live again?

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I just skipped about three pages, so sorry if this hasn't been mentioned before, but a user in the General Topics forum just pointed out that the "Found by me on" <date> section of the cache page is gone! It was the poor man's version of Lil Devil's fantastic VIP script, but at least is was something. Now its gone.

 

Hot diggity dog - it sure is. I liked that feature. Speaking of VIP - will it live again?

Only the devil knows.

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Oh yes! ................ It seems that all changes of the last days always bring a loss of good features and loss of information (e.g. the missing log date).

 

Yep! And did you also notice on the "New Look" Customer Feedback pages that the number of people voting and the average vote size numbers have also disappeared ??

 

People complained that the high ranking topics were being ignored. People were pointing out that certain Challenge related topics were ranked at the top in less than a day.

 

The only logical way to address these problems was to remove the rankings. Thank you Groundspeak for thinking outside of the box. :lostsignal:

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People complained that the high ranking topics were being ignored. People were pointing out that certain Challenge related topics were ranked at the top in less than a day.

 

The only logical way to address these problems was to remove the rankings. Thank you Groundspeak for thinking outside of the box. :lostsignal:

 

You know that we don't control the UserVoice (feedback forum) software, right?

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People complained that the high ranking topics were being ignored. People were pointing out that certain Challenge related topics were ranked at the top in less than a day.

 

The only logical way to address these problems was to remove the rankings. Thank you Groundspeak for thinking outside of the box. :lostsignal:

 

You know that we don't control the UserVoice (feedback forum) software, right?

 

I was really hoping that this was the case. Please let me apologize for my snarky-ness. Got caught up in the moment.

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AND Domo again, again!!!

 

Just posted a feedback here.

 

But, seems like all of my find counters displayed all over GC.com are NOT updated promptly, and has a long delay.

VERY weird...

Introduced since the latest fix on 8/24.

 

Needs a new fix!

I just noticed that myself. The count on the cache page is up to date, though.

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I am getting utterly fed up with the geocaching web site. The response was bad before the last update but it is now totally unacceptable. It is now 19:00hrs UK time and I am trying to log my finds. It can take several minutes for a cache page to load and then several more before the 'Log Find' screen appears. I then type my log, press Submit and what happens "Internet Explorer cannot display web page" and my log is lost. This has happened several times.

 

Come on Grounspeak! We pay our dues. We do not want to see pretty pictures. We just want to be able to log our finds.

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