When Were Virtual Caches Outlawed?

[+randycoxclemson]

I know this must be here somewhere, but I have searched and not found it (which means someone will have the answer in mere moments)...

 

When were Virtual and Webcam caches outlawed?

 

I got to thinking about then when reading some of the statistics threads about the overabundance of micro caches, so I had to pull the data for the 509 caches within 20 miles of my home. Sure enough, between 2007 and 2008, the tiny caches (small+micro) started to outnumber the bigger caches (regular+large) and in the most recent couple of years outpaced the larger stuff by a ratio of 2:1.

 

Now, I like virtual caches and think they add quite a lot to geocaching (reminiscent of those Discover America commercials in the 1970s?). And I don't get why new 'real' virtuals (historic landmarks or great vistas) are relegated to that other site. But whatever the reason, I'm guessing that the tiny caches are really taking off because you have to have something, anything, at the cache site in order to create it. So, if a cache owner has a place they want others to see, they can just pop out a nano and stick it there since virtuals aren't allowed. Is that part of what happened? If so, it's a sad replacement for an unspoiled virtual.

 

On an unrelated topic, I also checked the number of premium only caches in my vicinity, as some people insist that only those are being created anymore. Of the 509 caches, only 1 was premium-only. That doesn't seem to be a problem around here.

[+Isonzo Karst]

November 2005 was the guidelines update that officially closed the door on both webcams and virtuals. This after the Waymarking site went live.

Virts changed character, from "anything goes" to needing to meet two standards in March 03:

1, only could be placed where a physical cache could not be (like around a state capitol, or in a National Wildlife Refuge),

2, had to have "wow factor". Also defined that virts needed to have some form of verification question or photo requirement.

 

Locationless were put on hold about then, ie, new ones stopped in mid-late 03.

 

Somewhere along in there, webcams added the requirement that the cache owner had to post a picture of themselves in front of the camera as part of the listing.

 

and is it the reason for the explosion of tiny caches?

 

No, this is not one of the reasons for the micro/nano growth.

Edited May 14, 2012 by Isonzo Karst

[+The A-Team]

and is it the reason for the explosion of tiny caches?

No, this is not one of the reasons for the micro/nano growth.

Agreed. The majority of micros and nanos I've found have not been in locations that would make good virtuals. There usually isn't anything notable there.

[Skippermark]

Closing this thread in favor of this one since the question has been answered.

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=295690&st=0&p=5040299entry5040299