SUBMITTED (27495) - [FEATURE] Add a 'Like' button to cache logs

[+MazterGee]

It would be great if we could 'Like' a comment or log entry that's been added to a cache listing. Some logs are very positive, a joy to read and has great feedback. You just want to say "what great comment or log", a like button would be great. We would just be letting others know what a nice log it is etc. I hope all can agree or at least understand what I mean

[+Baumschmuser]

First I thought this doesnt sound like a good idea, but then I imagined that maybe some people would write more interesting logs because of this. perhaps this could put an end to 4 letter logs.

 

I like

[+MazterGee]

Awesome man, thanks.

[jholly]

Why does the entire world have to revolve around facebook? I really get tired of hearing why don't have more facebook features? How about if we more have geocache features and less social networking features?

[+Hitech MD]

Why does the entire world have to revolve around facebook? I really get tired of hearing why don't have more facebook features? How about if we more have geocache features and less social networking features?

 

AMEN

[AZcachemeister]

Why does the entire world have to revolve around facebook? I really get tired of hearing why don't we have more facebook features? How about if we more have geocache features and less social networking features?

 

Add another AMEN to that first AMEN!

 

Firstly, I write my logs for (mostly) the entertainment of the CO...sometimes there are bits in there for followers-on...but mostly I am speaking to the CO. If anyone else gets something out of it, that's nice too.

 

I do see the value of encouragement to write entertaining logs, but how am I to know if someone stumbled onto my log and 'liked' it? An eMail that Billy-Bob Nosepicker 'liked' my log?

NO THANKS!

[OlManJeb]

Why does the entire world have to revolve around facebook? I really get tired of hearing why don't have more facebook features? How about if we more have geocache features and less social networking features?

 

LIKE

[+dfx]

As long as the "like" button is just an image with a link to click on, I don't mind. But please don't have this iframe nonsense again.

[TheCacheSeeker]

Why does the entire world have to revolve around facebook? I really get tired of hearing why don't have more facebook features? How about if we more have geocache features and less social networking features?

+1

[+t4e]

no thanks, we had that and took a some convincing to get rid of the sucker

[+cerberus1]

Why does the entire world have to revolve around facebook? I really get tired of hearing why don't we have more facebook features? How about if we more have geocache features and less social networking features?

 

Add another AMEN to that first AMEN!

 

Firstly, I write my logs for (mostly) the entertainment of the CO...sometimes there are bits in there for followers-on...but mostly I am speaking to the CO. If anyone else gets something out of it, that's nice too.

 

I do see the value of encouragement to write entertaining logs, but how am I to know if someone stumbled onto my log and 'liked' it? An eMail that Billy-Bob Nosepicker 'liked' my log?

NO THANKS!

 

+ many

I thought this was put to rest after the huge number of folks said, "Please get rid of this thing" (the "like" button.)

I cache for me and enjoy sharing adventures (through the log) with the CO who placed it there, hoping it was fun. I don't cache or write logs for the amusement of others.

[+Lil Devil]

The CO never said it had to be a Facebook Like. Maybe it could be something internal to geocaching.com, like a Favorites Points for logs.

[Pup Patrol]

The CO never said it had to be a Facebook Like. Maybe it could be something internal to geocaching.com, like a Favorites Points for logs.

 

That's what I assumed, too, but I just noticed the full subject title:

 

Add a 'Like' button to cache logs like on facebook comments

 

Wasn't there a Feedback site thread/idea started for "Favorites" to be for cache logs?

Edited November 26, 2011 by Pup Patrol

[+Lil Devil]

The CO never said it had to be a Facebook Like. Maybe it could be something internal to geocaching.com, like a Favorites Points for logs.

That's what I assumed, too, but I just noticed the full subject title:

 

Add a 'Like' button to cache logs like on facebook comments

Whoops. I missed that. Thanks. But I think my alternate idea is better.

 

Wasn't there a Feedback site thread/idea started for "Favorites" to be for cache logs?

Hey that's a good idea!

 

There could even be a big black banner above the logs telling you of the feature!

[GOF and Bacall]

No thanks. This is geocaching, not face book. Please leave it that way.

[+popokiiti]

Some logs deserve a star/like. Most of mine are directed to the CO, hopefully to give them a laugh at my expense. I'm not bothered either way though.

[Moun10Bike]

This request is currently in our database.

[knowschad]

This request is currently in our database.

 

Can you remove it?

[BoredRoom]

It isn't clear whether this is a FaceSpace/MyBook-specific "Like" like as in your clicking on it somehow sends data back to them

 

OR

 

if it is an internal "Like" like the favorite points...

 

?

[Moun10Bike]

The request in our database is one for an internal system for logs similar to the "favorites" feature for caches.

[+northernpenguin]

The request in our database is one for an internal system for logs similar to the "favorites" feature for caches.

 

Would be an interesting way to promote more than the "TFTC" or "+1" log, if the number of "favorited" logs was on the player's profile page (or by that found count on the logs).

On the other hand, as always this could be open to abuse if there is not a limiter similar to the one in place for "favouring" caches.

[jholly]

The request in our database is one for an internal system for logs similar to the "favorites" feature for caches.

 

Would be an interesting way to promote more than the "TFTC" or "+1" log, if the number of "favorited" logs was on the player's profile page (or by that found count on the logs).

On the other hand, as always this could be open to abuse if there is not a limiter similar to the one in place for "favouring" caches.

If you want discourage the TFTC logs include a dislike button.

[knowschad]

The request in our database is one for an internal system for logs similar to the "favorites" feature for caches.

 

I "like" that idea much better!

[+Ambient_Skater]

How about a thumbs up or down system? This way poor logs can also be rated as such.

[+Mallah]

This request is currently in our database.

 

Can you remove it?

NO - Keep it on, it's a great idea. Don't listen to all this negativity and anti social malarky. It's not something that is compulsory so the negative crowd wouldn't be forced to use it - but what are the bets that they would?

 

With this we could also sort logs by those given a 'like' or 'thumbs up' so that we can see all the good ones first, or indeed the not do good ones. You can do it with reviews on Amazon, why not on GC? after all, logs are essentially a review of someones experience with that cache - IF they can be bothered, so I firmly believe it would help to improve logs.

Edited May 24, 2012 by mike142sl

[+Zop]

Why does the entire world have to revolve around facebook? I really get tired of hearing why don't have more facebook features? How about if we more have geocache features and less social networking features?

 

This post deserves a "LIKE" ;-)

[+Dan2099]

If people do not like having tftc maybe they need to make better caches.

[+Don_J]

If people do not like having tftc maybe they need to make better caches.

 

For a lot of people, the quality of the cache has nothing to do with it. TFTC is what they post on each and every cache they find.

[+Don_J]

I actually like this idea as long as it is internal to the website. The fiasco that we faced prior was because it was an actual Facebook Like button. The addition of such blocked the entire cache page from certain networks that blocked Facebook and individual browsers that were setup to block iFrames.

 

I have had logs posted to my caches that I would absolutely click a Like button if it were available. I don't even see this as social networking. I see it as positive reinforcement, much like the Favorites feature.

[+Glenn]

I geocache for my own enjoyment. I don't need other people rating my log entries or clicking a like button. If you want to tell me something you can send me an email.

 

If this site implements something like this then I am going keep my own private log book. All of my online logs will be 4 simple letters, TFTC.

[+Mallah]

I geocache for my own enjoyment. I don't need other people rating my log entries or clicking a like button.

What do you mean by 'Need'?, as if this has some form of bearing on your everyday life. Stop and think about it first - YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW if anyone had 'liked' your post on a cache unless you specifically went back to look - and then what is the consequence? It sounds like you already have an issue with people reading your cache logs so perhaps it is better that you refrain from writng any more and use your own log book.

[+Glenn]

I geocache for my own enjoyment. I don't need other people rating my log entries or clicking a like button.

What do you mean by 'Need'?, as if this has some form of bearing on your everyday life. Stop and think about it first - YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW if anyone had 'liked' your post on a cache unless you specifically went back to look - and then what is the consequence? It sounds like you already have an issue with people reading your cache logs so perhaps it is better that you refrain from writng any more and use your own log book.

I don't mind sharing my adventures but I'm not in a contest. I don't have a need to have my log entries ranked and rated by the geocaching community. I suppose some people need that kind of validation but I don't.

 

As a CO I wouldn't want to see it on my caches either. I think it would encourage people to write logs simply to get "votes". I see someone starting all their log entries with the phrase "Like if you hate muggles." I want honest log entries not log entries that are trying to get as many likes as possible.

[+6NoisyHikers]

I don't see the point to this at all. Whether a finder has written a "great log" has no bearing on whether that particular cache is enjoyable to find (whatever your interpretation of enjoyable may be).

 

We spend so much time judging the worthiness of caches. Now we are talking about judging the worthiness of what random people say about them?

 

Knowing if other finders consider a cache a favourite enhances my geocaching experience by allowing me to use that in choosing which caches to seek. Knowing that somebody has a nice turn of phrase (as much as I like a good story) does not.

[+Don_J]

I don't see the point to this at all. Whether a finder has written a "great log" has no bearing on whether that particular cache is enjoyable to find (whatever your interpretation of enjoyable may be).

 

We spend so much time judging the worthiness of caches. Now we are talking about judging the worthiness of what random people say about them?

 

Knowing if other finders consider a cache a favourite enhances my geocaching experience by allowing me to use that in choosing which caches to seek. Knowing that somebody has a nice turn of phrase (as much as I like a good story) does not.

 

A lot of us are already judging the worthiness of others logs. Probably 1/3 of the debates on this forum are about just that. Just because others concern themselves doesn't mean that you have to. As a feature, nothing could be simpler to ignore.

[+OZ2CPU]

great caches generates better logs.

so if you like to see a better quality of logs ??

then you should fight for higher quality caches,

and their maintenence level.

[Pup Patrol]

great caches generates better logs.

so if you like to see a better quality of logs ??

then you should fight for higher quality caches,

and their maintenence level.

 

I've seen no evidence of this being reality.

 

Cache "quality" makes no difference to the types of logs that people are inclined to post.

 

 

B.

Edited May 30, 2012 by Pup Patrol

[NeecesandNephews]

If you enjoy Facebook features....GO TO FACEBOOK!!! This is NOT it. I echo the many previous posts and have to enter a resounding "NO" vote on this idea.

 

I forsee the same lazy smartphone cachers abusing this feature (if added) and logging "tftc" then "liking" their own log, and feeling like they have gone above and beyond the call. The next step would be wanting to get a smiley for simply "liking" a cache they found. As the ONLY log.

 

Please do not open the door to this.

 

And before you hit the reply button to flame me about the "lazy smartphone cacher " comment... if you are not like that , then you have no reason to be offended by it. And if you don't believe such a person could even exist, you have no reason to be outside your padded room and on the computer.

[+Lieblweb]

I agree with most.... No like button please!!!

 

You can login using facebook - isn't that enough?

 

Yeah, I have a facebook account and I use it regularly - but I DO NOT log in thru facebook. Totally separate entities. Facebook is facebook. Geocaching is not a social media site.

 

If anything..... Have LIKE button for forum posts. If a forum post is useful and/or you enjoyed it - LIKE IT. Keep track of those 'LIKES' and people on the forum will see who the most helpful people are on the forum (so to speak). Either that, or who spends WAY too much time on the forum LOL

[+Don_J]

great caches generates better logs.

so if you like to see a better quality of logs ??

then you should fight for higher quality caches,

and their maintenence level.

 

It really gets tiring to constantly read this. I don't place crappy caches and I don't ignore maintenance. I have a cache that has the second highest favorite count in the area. I still get crappy "TFTC" and "1 of 30 as we cleaned up our map", type logs. I can look past that but it would be nice to be able to click a button to show approval for the ones that took the time to write something nice.

[+6NoisyHikers]

 

It really gets tiring to constantly read this. I don't place crappy caches and I don't ignore maintenance. I have a cache that has the second highest favorite count in the area. I still get crappy "TFTC" and "1 of 30 as we cleaned up our map", type logs. I can look past that but it would be nice to be able to click a button to show approval for the ones that took the time to write something nice.

 

Except that this is an clear example of the problem. If you enjoyed someone's log, then write them a nice message thanking them for it. Clicking a "like" button is just as lazy as cut and paste or TFTC. The finder took the time to compose a good log. If you are going to respond to it, you owe them at least as much. Trade even or trade up.

[+Volvo Man]

I used to do the TFTC log thing, but since this , along with cache quality has been such a hot topic for a while, I am now making the effort to write unique logs for each cache if they are of a high quality, by way of thanking the CO for no placing random film cans in the woods.

 

Unique log writing is a lot easier now that the API has come out, as I have always taken a laptop with GSAK with me, I now write each log as soon as I get back to the car, then just publish them all with one click when I get back to WiFi. This not only spreads out the effort to do unique logs, and saves the time of accessing each GC page individually, the cache is still fresh in memory and so easier to think of something interesting or at least unique to write.

 

I recently did a short run of Micro to mid-sized caches along a path, even the micros were really good quality and all sizes were appropriate to their locations. the locations too were mostly worthy of placing a cache, each had at the very least a view, and most had a feature to bring to your attention. In return, when I got back to the car, I made the effort to make each log different to the last, even if it was saying the same thing in effect. I also made the effort to mention how nice it was to see such good quality hides which take me back to back in the day when I started caching.

 

Ironically of course, the worst quality caches also get a unique log, too often along the lines of - I'm pretty sure this is in someone's garden, and from the lack of maintenance I don't think it's the CO's. (whilst I was slightly more diplomatic, I actually wrote a log that basically said this last week)

 

Back on topic though, I vote for more geocaching features being added to facebook I'd love to be able to run a daily PQ on FB to only get the stuff I want, and eliminate all the games invitations, reposts, shared photos etc that some of my "friends" post.

[+Volvo Man]

-snip-

 

If anything..... Have LIKE button for forum posts. If a forum post is useful and/or you enjoyed it - LIKE IT. Keep track of those 'LIKES' and people on the forum will see who the most helpful people are on the forum (so to speak). Either that, or who spends WAY too much time on the forum LOL

 

Like

 

(although to determine who spends too much time here, just divide the number of posts under their avatar by the number of days since they joined, in your case 1.636585365853659 posts per day - that's quite reasonable, I've seen some non-mods who average over 20 posts a day!)

[+Don_J]

 

It really gets tiring to constantly read this. I don't place crappy caches and I don't ignore maintenance. I have a cache that has the second highest favorite count in the area. I still get crappy "TFTC" and "1 of 30 as we cleaned up our map", type logs. I can look past that but it would be nice to be able to click a button to show approval for the ones that took the time to write something nice.

 

Except that this is an clear example of the problem. If you enjoyed someone's log, then write them a nice message thanking them for it. Clicking a "like" button is just as lazy as cut and paste or TFTC. The finder took the time to compose a good log. If you are going to respond to it, you owe them at least as much. Trade even or trade up.

 

Touche', but I will say this. I am not always comfortable emailing people unsolicited. Not everyone appreciates it and I know that I am personally not always receptive to getting messages in my mailbox from people that I don't know. I simply want to let them know that I appreciated their log, not start an email or social relationship with them. I'm kind of in between those that say "no way, never" and those that want a full social network where we have instant access to everyone, ala Facebook type networks.

[+Don_J]

 

Back on topic though, I vote for more geocaching features being added to facebook I'd love to be able to run a daily PQ on FB to only get the stuff I want, and eliminate all the games invitations, reposts, shared photos etc that some of my "friends" post.

 

Actually, that is not the topic. A "like" feature for logs would be internal to Geocaching.com and have nothing to do with Facebook. I personally would like to see Geocaching.com stay as far away from being linked with Facebook as possible. I simply don't object to copying what I see to be a useful feature.

[+Mallah]

Would it not be easier to unrestrict the Fav Points system so that everyone can identify how impressed they are/were with a cache, independant of how many finds they have made. I've never understood the reason for limiting that to 1 per 10 found yet you can place without finding any etc etc... Why restrict the Fav Points?

Although I 'like' the OP suggestion, unrestricting the Fav Points would be better than adding another appreciation system, and provide a better indication of the quality of a cache - how often have you done a series with plenty of caches worthy of a Fav point but you've run out!.

[+The A-Team]

how often have you done a series with plenty of caches worthy of a Fav point but you've run out!.

Never. I've only used a little over 25% of my 247 points. I'm pretty stingy then handing them out, though.

 

Anyway, that isn't what this topic is about. This topic is about rewarding specific logs, not caches.

[Pretty Face]

I also think it would go a long way in reducing the "lame logs" tftc etc. It also might serve as an encouragement and an additional "feel good" to the cache owner. It might even inspire others to actually hide some to see the cudos on their own. It might also inspire more creative cache hides in an attempt to get some of those accolades.

[jholly]

If Groundspeak ever puts a like button on logs I will take great pleasure in liking every ".", ";", TFTC, SL and any other variation I can find. Like buttons don't belong on cache logs, they belong on facebook postings.

[AZcachemeister]

Will there be a stat for how many people 'liked' my logs?

 

Will people be asking me to 'like' their log on my cache because they 'liked' my log on their cache?

 

Will we be able to sort caches based on the number of 'liked' logs they generated? (Lots of Fav points + many 'liked' logs must absolutely mean it's an AWESOME cache, right?)