Jump to content

Social Network For Geocachers.


To The Moon

Recommended Posts

This is question for the board.

 

I have been doing some research about a social network just for geocachers. It seems the wishlist is that Groundspeak make one that is integrated to the website. I don't know if they have plans to do that or not.

 

My question is, would people be interested in a social network (same idea as facebook) but just for geocaching. It would not be integrated or have anything to do with geocaching.com though.

 

Let me know yes or no. I have built one for another project I am working on, so I could put it together fairly quick.

 

Thanks

 

Moon.

Link to comment

This is question for the board.

 

I have been doing some research about a social network just for geocachers. It seems the wishlist is that Groundspeak make one that is integrated to the website. I don't know if they have plans to do that or not.

 

My question is, would people be interested in a social network (same idea as facebook) but just for geocaching. It would not be integrated or have anything to do with geocaching.com though.

 

Let me know yes or no. I have built one for another project I am working on, so I could put it together fairly quick.

 

Thanks

 

Moon.

I personally have zero interest in using such a site, however I implore you to build it. That way we can point the Facebook must be dominate everything crowd directly to you. One cautionary prediction though. No matter how much time, thought, and effort you put into it: It will never be good enough. They are going to want Facebook times ten and customizable a million ways. Do you really need all that aggravation? Good Luck.

Link to comment

I have been resistant to doing the whole geocaching thing on Facebook. Cant really post puzzle answers or attempts there because friends of friends would get upset...you can control your friends but not your friends of friends. You cant mention specific hides.

 

I just stick with email when I want to talk to them. If I did FB, would have to be real generic stuff, like events and stuff.

Link to comment

I'll admit I kinda like the idea of a geocaching only social network with usernames. There's a Facebook group that I haven't joined because it's publicly viewable... anyone with a Facebook account can see what gets posted.

 

Having said that, I'd guess that most people wouldn't be interested in it because it's not Facebook.

Link to comment

If you can't tell yet, you have just opened the proverbial can-o-worms. The subject has come up quite a few times in the past under various contexts, and every time, the overwhelming reaction is counter to the idea. Groundspeak, however, has seemed to show at least a passing interest in the idea at various times.

Link to comment

Thank you for the feedback thus far, I still hope for more. Facebook has definately integrated itself into our lives and it is hard to break free.

 

Anyways thanks for the feedback keep it coming.

 

Another avenue to this question is, for a niche area like geocaching or rockhounding etc, is a social network even necessary or does the use of a forum suffice?

 

Moon

Link to comment

I had hopes that the 'Friends List' feature would have grown in this general direction, but (sadly) it didn't.

I tease my wife about the time she spends on facebook, and she counters with 'look how much time you spend in the Geocaching forums'.

I wish you all the best if you decide to go forward, but I don't think I'll be participating.

Link to comment

Thank you for the feedback thus far, I still hope for more. Facebook has definately integrated itself into our lives and it is hard to break free.

Anyways thanks for the feedback keep it coming.

 

Another avenue to this question is, for a niche area like geocaching or rockhounding etc, is a social network even necessary or does the use of a forum suffice?

 

Moon

 

Not mine and not S'cycle's either. I do not understand the appeal.

Link to comment

<snip>...Facebook has definately integrated itself into our lives and it is hard to break free.

<snip>

Sorry, but you are wrong. FB did get into my life, but I gave it up and now I am FREE! Hoorah!

 

I see too many where it seems that FB controls their life. It's actually rather funny sad to watch withdrawal symptoms when they cannot get to it.

Don't believe me? Pay attention to what you see, but then, your last four words in the quote above say quite a bit!

Link to comment

I have a feeling that, if such a thing were created, a lot of cachers would get into it very quickly, and then lose interest in it.

 

(I don't know why I feel this way! It's just a hunch!)

 

Perhaps you are thinking of the geocaching "friends" feature the not many folks think about or use much.

 

I do like the feature, but I don't make much use of it.

Link to comment

People are already on ones that already exist. Facebook groups work because people are already on it.

 

And they can mention non Groundspeak sites, activities and apps there... unlike on here. I doubt that will be different on a GS network.

 

TOTALLY AGREE! I belong to 4 local FB Groups, and i like it. Its great that friends can post what ever they like without GC.com slamming the hammer down!

 

Oops, we better be careful, because GC.com might ban the use of the word "Facebook" on here <smile>

Edited by GeoLobo
Link to comment

We already have this tightly moderated forum, the loosely-moderated Off Topic forum, Clayjar's Chat and several Geocaching-Facebook pages and I don't see a huge percentage of geocachers using them. If you look at the forum posts and Clayjar's chat you will see it's really a small number of cachers who regularly participate.

 

I'm all for it, but I suspect that I'm in the minority. Maybe promote the use of what exists rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.

 

As far as Facebook (or any other internet site) privacy, don't post anything you don't want the whole world to see! Just as when you leave your house you have no right or expectancy of privacy, the same is true online - when you hit post you have opened it up for the world to see.

Edited by TheAlabamaRambler
Link to comment

I have always considered the various geocaching websites/forums to be a social network of sorts. Almost every time I announce a visit to a particular geocaching continuum, I get offers to cache, eat, and even come and stay at geocacher's homes. I have offered the same to other cachers I know.

 

Here are just a couple of examples:

 

3 years ago I spent a week in Asheville, NC, and Ozguff threw one heck of an event in my honor. Folks showed up from the 5 nearest states and 4 hours away on the other side of the state. There was night caching and then Oz escorted me around to the best caches in town the next morning for several hours until it was time to head to the airport.

 

I published my 8,666 mile route for GW8 and got several offers to stay at cacher's homes along the way in several states. I didn't take anyone up on it, but only because the stops didn't fit with my schedule.

 

Good luck to the OP on his effort. I'm not against it. I just think we basically have it already. A social network doesn't need to look like Facebook or MySpace to be valid.

 

No, thank you. Don't do FB, and I use this website to contact cachers, and ClayJar's chat when I want to chat with other cachers.

I'm a very sociable person, but I like to socialize locally, and in person.

 

I always considered the forums to be socializing. :anibad:

Link to comment

Cachers who want to be in a social network with other cachers use Facebook.

 

Many cachers do not want to be in a social network with other cachers.

I think this is about as objective as a response can be :)

 

I think Facebook is the most well-known and used social network already, with loads of flexibility and privacy built right in. Other sites are geared to smaller groups and niche crowds of geocachers, and FB itself is filled with individual groups... I don't think there'd be much use of a single, enormous social network of geocachers, when there's already so many options out there.

 

That's not to say that it's pointless to build more if you have a target group in mind... if you can make it, go for it, there's nothing stopping you :) It can still be successful, even if the non-socialites here never touch it :ph34r:

 

Or in other words, these forums may not be the best crowd to be polling for interest ;)

Link to comment

This is question for the board.

 

I have been doing some research about a social network just for geocachers. It seems the wishlist is that Groundspeak make one that is integrated to the website. I don't know if they have plans to do that or not.

 

My question is, would people be interested in a social network (same idea as facebook) but just for geocaching. It would not be integrated or have anything to do with geocaching.com though.

 

Let me know yes or no. I have built one for another project I am working on, so I could put it together fairly quick.

 

Thanks

 

Moon.

 

Not sure what it really was, as I never got to play with it, but a couple of years ago didn't Groundspeak come up with a Whibbit.com thingy for social networking? Here's a blog post about it - Geocaching Journal.

 

logo_whibbit_splashpage2.png

Edited by GeoGerms
Link to comment

This is question for the board.

 

I have been doing some research about a social network just for geocachers. It seems the wishlist is that Groundspeak make one that is integrated to the website. I don't know if they have plans to do that or not.

 

My question is, would people be interested in a social network (same idea as facebook) but just for geocaching. It would not be integrated or have anything to do with geocaching.com though.

 

Let me know yes or no. I have built one for another project I am working on, so I could put it together fairly quick.

 

Thanks

 

Moon.

 

Not sure what it really was, as I never got to play with it, but a couple of years ago didn't Groundspeak come up with a Whibbit.com thingy for social networking? Here's a blog post about it - Geocaching Journal.

 

logo_whibbit_splashpage2.png

 

Ohhh yeaaa. I remember hearing about that now. I must have severely damaged that brain cell the last time me and my Patron bottle had some quality time. :laughing:

Link to comment

 

I always considered the forums to be socializing. :anibad:

 

Even when some of it's participants can be decidedly anti-social.

 

I've been participating in online forums using a variety of platforms for about 30 years and one thing that every single one of them has in common is that someone, that has not previously spent anytime engaging with the active community in the forum, will suggest some other platform everyone in the community should migrate to for future discussion. That's fairly similar to the phenomenon in which someone that has barely started participating in a forum suggest that there's something wrong with how it's active members are behaving and that we all should change.

Link to comment

Ah, I like all the chatter this is generating. I am not sure what I will do. I might just build it for Sh-ts and giggles and see what happens;). It will cost me a bout $60 bucks and a couple of hours as I have already put together a project with a similair format.

 

For those of you who are interested in propsecting , rockhounding and mining, I have created a network with a forum, directory and social network. I am 99% complete. If anyone wants the link shoot me an email and i will forward it to you. Checkout the social networking part and tell me what you think. I could build the same social networking site for geocaching. It's not facebook but it is an alternative.

 

Thanks All

 

claimsale@gmail.com

 

Moon.

Link to comment

 

I always considered the forums to be socializing. :anibad:

 

Even when some of it's participants can be decidedly anti-social.

 

I've been participating in online forums using a variety of platforms for about 30 years and one thing that every single one of them has in common is that someone, that has not previously spent anytime engaging with the active community in the forum, will suggest some other platform everyone in the community should migrate to for future discussion. That's fairly similar to the phenomenon in which someone that has barely started participating in a forum suggest that there's something wrong with how it's active members are behaving and that we all should change.

Link to comment

Not interested and I love social networks.

 

I already have Facebook for the people I know, and Twitter for the people I wish I knew -- and a few that I do know that made the leap over there. I have Google+ but I rarely use it because I don't see how it fills a niche the other two don't. I have a Geocaching circle but not much happens there.

 

I've already seen the local geocaching page on Facebook pretty much kill the converation in our local forums.

 

My observation seems to be that those on forums have little interest in social networks and those on social networks have little interest in the forums. I see lots of people on our local geocaching FB page who never even created an account on the forums.

 

What *is* interesting is that the conversation on the FB page tends to be less heated or controversial -- likely because people there are using their real names and it makes the experience more socialable than hiding behind nicknames.

Link to comment

Ah, I like all the chatter this is generating. I am not sure what I will do. I might just build it for Sh-ts and giggles and see what happens;). It will cost me a bout $60 bucks and a couple of hours as I have already put together a project with a similair format.

 

For those of you who are interested in propsecting , rockhounding and mining, I have created a network with a forum, directory and social network. I am 99% complete. If anyone wants the link shoot me an email and i will forward it to you. Checkout the social networking part and tell me what you think. I could build the same social networking site for geocaching. It's not facebook but it is an alternative.

 

Thanks All

 

claimsale@gmail.com

 

Moon.

 

Uh Oh.

 

this doesn't include digging does it?

 

Anything associated with geocaching that includes digging will get us kicked out of a lot of parks... again.

Link to comment

I have been disappointed with the 'Friends' feature, it does not seem to do anything, if you can improve on that then great!

I personally would like a social network using my gc name, Facebook uses my real name such is great for friends etc but I associate cachers with their caching names!

Link to comment

I have been disappointed with the 'Friends' feature, it does not seem to do anything, if you can improve on that then great!

I personally would like a social network using my gc name, Facebook uses my real name such is great for friends etc but I associate cachers with their caching names!

 

We have a local facebook page and to solve the name problem, some of us (including myself) have added our caching names after our regular facebook names. Just add a '-' (dash) inbetween.

Link to comment
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...