TFTC

June 9, 2012

Many cachers who hide caches for others to find spend much time and thought about the caches that they hide., to give maximum enjoyment to those who seek and find them.

It is disappointing when the finder justs posts a simple TFTC when the cache is found. No mention of whether or not it was an easy find, or any other observation they may have about the cache in question.

I personally spend time, and money, manufacturing and camouflaging my caches. I sometimes wonder if it is worth it when my cache receives a log that just says

"TFTC". Surely our efforts are worth a bit more than that.

June 9, 2012

I must say that I do enjoy reading people's adventures when caching. When we started we weren't really sure what to say and "TFTC" seemed to fit the bill. Hopefully now we have developed a little of our own logging style. That said, if we are doing a series of 15+ caches round the woods there is only so much you can say. "We walked through the woods we looked for the cache, we found/did not find, we walked through the woods to the next cache." We could expand but we're also very wary about saying too much for fear of spoiling the hunt for someone else.

38.2k · June 9, 2012

Not an uncommon complaint. A simple TFTC was once the way that many geocachers said "Your cache was so unremarkable that I couldn't think of anything worth writing about" (i.e. they thought the cache stunk).

Now it's common even for outstanding caches.

June 9, 2012

I always make an effort with my logs and find it interesting reading other peoples tales as well. I would rather find less caches and do decent logs then be a cache whore and just do loads of them and put "tftc", "in the area whilst working" etc that I often see. But each to their own really

7.3k · June 9, 2012

From 2007:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=172314

From this year:

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=296391

B.

June 9, 2012

Unfortunately I just cant do it... I cant help leaving a proper log. I really enjoy recording my experiences and luckily I think it is often appreciated. The day I just start recording TFTC on caches is the day I will give up.

All those that are proud of the quality of logs please, please, please keep logging your experiences in as much detail as possible. You are educating future caches in the art of what I believe is one of the most important 'on-line' parts of this game.

10.2k · June 9, 2012

You know what? I'm going to sit this one out. I will, however, summarize my feelings by posting the pic that is in my profile right now. It's caption is "Not exactly a fan of lame smartphone logs".

8.3k · June 9, 2012

TFTC is a much better and thoughtful log than . or just nothing. I'll take a TFTC over a dot or nothing any day.

Edited June 9, 2012 by jholly

June 9, 2012

TFTC is a much better and thoughtful log than . or just nothing. I'll take a TFTC over a dot or nothing any day.

Thou set your sights too low and then appear to fail to achieve them.

1.2k · June 9, 2012

I must say that I do enjoy reading people's adventures when caching. When we started we weren't really sure what to say and "TFTC" seemed to fit the bill. Hopefully now we have developed a little of our own logging style. That said, if we are doing a series of 15+ caches round the woods there is only so much you can say. "We walked through the woods we looked for the cache, we found/did not find, we walked through the woods to the next cache." We could expand but we're also very wary about saying too much for fear of spoiling the hunt for someone else.

I will never understand how one can walk in the woods and not see something of interest - just walking on to the next geocache with blinders in place.

1.1k · June 9, 2012

Not an uncommon complaint. A simple TFTC was once the way that many geocachers said "Your cache was so unremarkable that I couldn't think of anything worth writing about" (i.e. they thought the cache stunk).

Still is for me, maybe not stink but uninteresting at least ie: most power trails. :blink:

2.6k · June 9, 2012

Not an uncommon complaint. A simple TFTC was once the way that many geocachers said "Your cache was so unremarkable that I couldn't think of anything worth writing about" (i.e. they thought the cache stunk).

Now it's common even for outstanding caches.

I thought that's what DPM was for...

8.3k · June 9, 2012

Not an uncommon complaint. A simple TFTC was once the way that many geocachers said "Your cache was so unremarkable that I couldn't think of anything worth writing about" (i.e. they thought the cache stunk).

Now it's common even for outstanding caches.

I thought that's what DPM was for...

Diesel Particulate Matter? What sort of caches do you find?

2.6k · June 9, 2012

Not an uncommon complaint. A simple TFTC was once the way that many geocachers said "Your cache was so unremarkable that I couldn't think of anything worth writing about" (i.e. they thought the cache stunk).

Now it's common even for outstanding caches.

I thought that's what DPM was for...

Diesel Particulate Matter? What sort of caches do you find?

From the Geocaching Lexicon page....

DPM – Including the letters “DPM” in a cache log was a once-secret way to indicate the cache was of low quality. DPM is an abbreviation for “des palourdes mortes", which is French for “the dead clams”. The entire French phrase is “Les longs sanglots des palourdes mortes blessent mon coeur avec un languor monotone pendant qu'ils dansent à minuit", which translates to “The long sobs of the dead clams wound my heart with a monotonous languor as they dance at midnight”. The idea was to include this phrase in a cache log to clue in others that the cache was of low quality. Rarely actually used, as the meaning of DPM quickly spread throughout the geocaching community, and its secrecy was lost.

Edited June 9, 2012 by Chief301

8.9k · June 10, 2012

Heck, I may just start logging caches I don't care for with "ɔʇɟʇ"

8k · June 10, 2012

Not an uncommon complaint. A simple TFTC was once the way that many geocachers said "Your cache was so unremarkable that I couldn't think of anything worth writing about" (i.e. they thought the cache stunk).

Now it's common even for outstanding caches.

I'm not sure that TFTC was ever meant as a replacement for DPM.

There have always been people who just aren't very expressive when it comes to posting online. When they find a cache they just want to log their find and don't really consider that using the log is a way to share experiences and to the thank the cache owner. Getting these people to log TFTC or TNLNSL at least lets them post a experience or a thank you, even it if it is just doing the minimum and even if they do it on every cache they found.

Certainly cache owners appreciate it when someone writes more. So do other cachers who are searching for the cache. But to argue that some may have left this because they want to signify the cache didn't deserve a longer log is reading far to much into it. I suppose I have to take those who say the do this at their word. But if they were to leave TFTC on my cache, I would still assume they couldn't think of more to say rather than that they didn't like my cache.

Edited June 10, 2012 by tozainamboku

June 10, 2012

When I do a series of a hundred or more 35mm film canisters thrown down beside every second power pole, or every 530 feet by a "T" post, TFTC is all it is gonna get, and it has nothing to do with rating the cache. It simply means I found it and Thanks for the Cache.

Edited June 10, 2012 by kwhart

2.8k · June 10, 2012

Many cachers who hide caches for others to find spend much time and thought about the caches that they hide., to give maximum enjoyment to those who seek and find them.

It is disappointing when the finder justs posts a simple TFTC when the cache is found. No mention of whether or not it was an easy find, or any other observation they may have about the cache in question.

I personally spend time, and money, manufacturing and camouflaging my caches. I sometimes wonder if it is worth it when my cache receives a log that just says

"TFTC". Surely our efforts are worth a bit more than that.

IBTL

1.8k · June 10, 2012

You know what? I'm going to sit this one out. I will, however, summarize my feelings by posting the pic that is in my profile right now. It's caption is "Not exactly a fan of lame smartphone logs".

Yawn...

June 10, 2012

I must say that I do enjoy reading people's adventures when caching. When we started we weren't really sure what to say and "TFTC" seemed to fit the bill. Hopefully now we have developed a little of our own logging style. That said, if we are doing a series of 15+ caches round the woods there is only so much you can say. "We walked through the woods we looked for the cache, we found/did not find, we walked through the woods to the next cache." We could expand but we're also very wary about saying too much for fear of spoiling the hunt for someone else.

I will never understand how one can walk in the woods and not see something of interest - just walking on to the next geocache with blinders in place.

I see you have never treked through British woods in the pouring rain on a summer Sunday! Believe me it is quite possible to go for miles and not see anything remotely interesting!! And as I said in my previous posting , if I start putting "really interesting 20 trunk tree" I'm kind of going to give the game away as to where the cache is hidden.

Edited June 10, 2012 by whh0

June 10, 2012

While admittedly we have only a handful caches we think of as truly 'quality hides', we do try and put an effort into placing caches at spots we would favorite, nothing less than that - whether they be placed on trails, at viewpoints, geologically or historically interesting spots.

And we have definite experience on this matter, with nearly 127 hides ATM, with the latest just published an hour ago and awaiting an FTF.

You wouldn't believe how disheartening it is to receive "TFTC" despite the fact you've placed a good cache, spent a good few days prior mapping out the location and area, waiting quarter of an hour averaging coordinates, snapping photos (you won't find a single cache listing of ours without a photo! ), and then spending anywhere from an hour to a day writing up drafts, researching information and slowly building an essay-length description of your cache - all to get "TFTC" on a log. Ridiculous.

We wrote 2000 words for the description. And you can't manage more than 4 characters, and maybe an additional punctuation symbol? Give us a break.

3.1k · June 10, 2012

I personally spend time, and money, manufacturing and camouflaging my caches. I sometimes wonder if it is worth it when my cache receives a log that just says "TFTC". Surely our efforts are worth a bit more than that.

I, too, have put lots of time and money into creating some of my caches. One reason I do so is because I feel it's a way to give back to the geocaching community that has placed so many caches for me to find. Another reason I do so is because I simply enjoy creating these caches.

While it's fun to read logs about my caches, logs really aren't a major motivating factor for me. If someone simply logs a "TFTC," then I assume they just didn't feel like writing much about their experience. That's okay. Everybody caches differently.

I don't feel I'm entitled to long logs, so when they do arrive in my email, they're a bonus. I guess I look at the glass as half full.

June 10, 2012

You know what? I'm going to sit this one out. I will, however, summarize my feelings by posting the pic that is in my profile right now. It's caption is "Not exactly a fan of lame smartphone logs".

Well I guess with a smartphone a cache owner atleast gets:

"TFTC

This cache was logged from cacher's smart phone on **/**/****

using the caching app"

:laughing:

June 11, 2012

You know what? I'm going to sit this one out. I will, however, summarize my feelings by posting the pic that is in my profile right now. It's caption is "Not exactly a fan of lame smartphone logs".

Well I guess with a smartphone a cache owner atleast gets:

"TFTC

This cache was logged from cacher's smart phone on **/**/****

using the caching app"

geez. I'll try to not take a personal offense to all this smartphone bashing, but ...MAN. you guys are rough!

I have a smartphone, and I always write something.

i plan on using a smartphone for a while, unless someone wants to shell out the $$ for a GPSr for me. our family of 4 lives on a tight budget.

I have only found 127 " with my smartphone" so far, I know... not 200, not 1000.... but I have ALWAYS traded up. ( yes, up.) I continue to make personal swag as well as assemble "geo emergency kits " and purchase other new things to leave. plus I leave them all in little ziplocs so they won't get dirty . I realize most of the swag I've seen so far is what w

most would consider to be junk- but I will still leave behind good stuff. and usually at least 1 more than i take. AND write a decent Found log. some are rather wordy.

we're not all bad. at least I'm not. ;-)

Edited June 11, 2012 by lampethree

10.2k · June 11, 2012

geez. I'll try to not take a personal offense to all this smartphone bashing, but ...MAN. you guys are rough!

I have a smartphone, and I always write something.

i plan on using a smartphone for a while, unless someone wants to shell out the $$ for a GPSr for me. our family of 4 lives on a tight budget.

I have only found 127 " with my smartphone" so far, I know... not 200, not 1000.... but I have ALWAYS traded up. ( yes, up.) I continue to make personal swag as well as assemble "geo emergency kits " and purchase other new things to leave. plus I leave them all in little ziplocs so they won't get dirty . I realize most of the swag I've seen so far is what w

most would consider to be junk- but I will still leave behind good stuff. and usually at least 1 more than i take. AND write a decent Found log. some are rather wordy.

we're not all bad. at least I'm not. ;-)

Whoops. I guess I didn't sit this one out. :rolleyes: For every person like you, who becomes interested enough in Geocachihg too look at the forums, there are 100 people out there logging caches with "Tftc", "nice", "great", "found it", "" "" (that one would be the infamous totally blank log) And my personal favorite, random words and phrases from people who obviously have no clue their even uploading their logs to the website, such as "batman". You want to see "batman" as a find log? I can give you a link.

1.5k · June 11, 2012

I don't let it bother me. Even on my caches that I put a bit of work into. We live in a society where many people don't want to exert much effort for anything, and that's sad for them. What can be expected of a society where the players on a last place team in a kids league gets a trophy? As for my logs, if it's a good one, I'll do a good log. If it's a cheesy LPC or it's equivalent, it gets a QF, ie, Quick Find.

June 11, 2012

I use TFTC as part of the closing to my log entry. I'll write something about the cache or the experience and I'll end it by writing "TNLNSL TFTC". Of course the abbreviations change depending on the cache. I'll write TFTE (event), TFTME (mega event), TFTVC (virtual cache), etc. I've gotten into the habit of using TFTH (hunt) for caches that receive a favorite point from us.

1.9k · June 12, 2012

I must say that I do enjoy reading people's adventures when caching. When we started we weren't really sure what to say and "TFTC" seemed to fit the bill. Hopefully now we have developed a little of our own logging style. That said, if we are doing a series of 15+ caches round the woods there is only so much you can say. "We walked through the woods we looked for the cache, we found/did not find, we walked through the woods to the next cache." We could expand but we're also very wary about saying too much for fear of spoiling the hunt for someone else.

There is always more you can say ... The weather was ___, the mosquitoes _____, we _____ the camo on this cache, it was well/not well covered, we took ____, we left ________, we saw ________, ...

June 12, 2012

I must say that I do enjoy reading people's adventures when caching. When we started we weren't really sure what to say and "TFTC" seemed to fit the bill. Hopefully now we have developed a little of our own logging style. That said, if we are doing a series of 15+ caches round the woods there is only so much you can say. "We walked through the woods we looked for the cache, we found/did not find, we walked through the woods to the next cache." We could expand but we're also very wary about saying too much for fear of spoiling the hunt for someone else.

There is always more you can say ... The weather was ___, the mosquitoes _____, we _____ the camo on this cache, it was well/not well covered, we took ____, we left ________, we saw ________, ...

This is England - the weather was wet! LOL

4.5k · June 12, 2012

You know what? I'm going to sit this one out. I will, however, summarize my feelings by posting the pic that is in my profile right now. It's caption is "Not exactly a fan of lame smartphone logs".

Well I guess with a smartphone a cache owner atleast gets:

"TFTC

This cache was logged from cacher's smart phone on **/**/****

using the caching app"

geez. I'll try to not take a personal offense to all this smartphone bashing, but ...MAN. you guys are rough!

I have a smartphone, and I always write something.

i plan on using a smartphone for a while, unless someone wants to shell out the $$ for a GPSr for me. our family of 4 lives on a tight budget.

I have only found 127 " with my smartphone" so far, I know... not 200, not 1000.... but I have ALWAYS traded up. ( yes, up.) I continue to make personal swag as well as assemble "geo emergency kits " and purchase other new things to leave. plus I leave them all in little ziplocs so they won't get dirty . I realize most of the swag I've seen so far is what w

most would consider to be junk- but I will still leave behind good stuff. and usually at least 1 more than i take. AND write a decent Found log. some are rather wordy.

we're not all bad. at least I'm not. ;-)

I know i'm old fshioned and not with the times but,,,

I would not have a smartphone if my budget was tight. First you have the initial phone and setup cost, then the ongoing service charges. Heck, the cost for two months of these would be enough to get you a decent gpsr that would never incurr monthly a fee. Well, you would have to replace the batteries every once in a while.

June 12, 2012

true, true. however we don't have a home phone, and we are on a family plan. personally,I'd rather live in a cabin in the woods with NO amenities, , but that wouldn't fly with the hubby, lol.

June 12, 2012

You know what? I'm going to sit this one out. I will, however, summarize my feelings by posting the pic that is in my profile right now. It's caption is "Not exactly a fan of lame smartphone logs".

Well I guess with a smartphone a cache owner atleast gets:

"TFTC

This cache was logged from cacher's smart phone on **/**/****

using the caching app"

geez. I'll try to not take a personal offense to all this smartphone bashing, but ...MAN. you guys are rough!

I have a smartphone, and I always write something.

i plan on using a smartphone for a while, unless someone wants to shell out the $$ for a GPSr for me. our family of 4 lives on a tight budget.

I have only found 127 " with my smartphone" so far, I know... not 200, not 1000.... but I have ALWAYS traded up. ( yes, up.) I continue to make personal swag as well as assemble "geo emergency kits " and purchase other new things to leave. plus I leave them all in little ziplocs so they won't get dirty . I realize most of the swag I've seen so far is what w

most would consider to be junk- but I will still leave behind good stuff. and usually at least 1 more than i take. AND write a decent Found log. some are rather wordy.

we're not all bad. at least I'm not. ;-)

I know i'm old fshioned and not with the times but,,,

I would not have a smartphone if my budget was tight. First you have the initial phone and setup cost, then the ongoing service charges. Heck, the cost for two months of these would be enough to get you a decent gpsr that would never incurr monthly a fee. Well, you would have to replace the batteries every once in a while.

I'm on a tight budget as well, but I managed to get a smart phone because it doesn't cost anymore than a regular phone. Straight Talk, for example, is $45/month unlimited data/text/web regardless if you have a smart phone or not. Cheaper than most contracts, really.

Back on topic: I try and say more about the caches we find, but sometimes it's hard when I get home after doing 10 or so caches. The smart phone has helped me write better logs because now I can log from the field. I will admit that sometimes we are in a hurry and do just post a TFTC. I will start making more of an effort to do so. We have only hidden one cache, and it is nice to see logs with more information. It just gets hard sometimes when I have 3 little ones who get impatient! lol I will start asking them what we should say in our logs to get them more involved as well.

This is my first post here by the way, so HI EVERYONE!

1.8k · June 13, 2012

I would not have a smartphone if my budget was tight. First you have the initial phone and setup cost, then the ongoing service charges. Heck, the cost for two months of these would be enough to get you a decent gpsr that would never incurr monthly a fee. Well, you would have to replace the batteries every once in a while.

Definitely the iPhone is pricy. No lie!! But I also don't have a home phone and I need a phone for my work/call requirements. I'd stop eating out at fancy restaurants or stop buying wine before giving up my iPhone! And anyone who knows me knows that aint gonna happen!

This is my first post here by the way, so HI EVERYONE!

Hi!

June 15, 2012

Many cachers who hide caches for others to find spend much time and thought about the caches that they hide., to give maximum enjoyment to those who seek and find them.

It is disappointing when the finder justs posts a simple TFTC when the cache is found. No mention of whether or not it was an easy find, or any other observation they may have about the cache in question.

I personally spend time, and money, manufacturing and camouflaging my caches. I sometimes wonder if it is worth it when my cache receives a log that just says

"TFTC". Surely our efforts are worth a bit more than that.

I think the problem is it seems to me at least most cachers do NOT spend time or thought into placing caches, they find a spot that has no cache and throw down a lame container with a lame log book...if there is swag its common dollar store swag...I have went on several long hikes expecting because of the hike I was going to be rewarded with a cool cache...NOPE just a piece of tupperware in camo duct tape....People who do that should be lucky to get a TFTC.

I think most caches deserve tftc or ... or something equal to "meh"....I think if people want more they should put more effort and work into their hides....Dont put out an average cache expecting more then an average log...Now that being said when I do come across a really neat hide I will log accordingly and often times email the owner and thank them for it, I find doing this encourages C/O's to continue with the same quality and one actually extended their series due to my email which was awesome.

On the issue of using smart phones, I use mine more often then my gps, simply because I always have my phone with me and in most cases works fantastic and its much easier keeping up with logging finds and writing logs, the above poster who claimed he never gets comments from smart phone users probably has lame hides, I could write a book on my smart phone if I wanted too 75% of my logs were wrote using it....That being said a dedicated gps on deep woods trails or bad weather days is a MUST and I recommend local pawn shops or ebay.

June 15, 2012

You know what? I'm going to sit this one out. I will, however, summarize my feelings by posting the pic that is in my profile right now. It's caption is "Not exactly a fan of lame smartphone logs".

Smartphone logs are probably the best most accurate logs you can get because often people are doing them just moments after finding the cache, so they are giving their accurate feelings on it...If you get meh, tftc, or .... Maybe thats a sign you need to work on your hides a bit better, as previously mentioned I use my smart phone a majority of the time and I can and do write paragraph or email the cache owner if their hide deserves it. The times I use my gps I sometimes forgot which cache was which, or time passed and I couldn't recall the cache properly so I put a generic term or phrase down.

Also the "batman" log you found...It could have meant awesome or the best, I know a few fanboys of the comic that do say its Batman, meaning its the best..For people that read comics its a pretty common term....Thats not saying this was the intent of the cachers meaning but it could have been.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Dan2099

2.6k · June 15, 2012

I cache with a smartphone and I very rarely log in the field. If I'm out caching I'm ready to head off to the next cache, not sit there writing out a log. But I suppose the reason I prefer to do my logs when I get home is because I DON'T like just leaving a TFTC... I tend to write fairly wordy logs, at least a sentence or two, often more, so it's easier to do it sitting at a keyboard.

Even lame caches get a little something about whether there were muggles about or "I was here shopping so I decided to grab this cache" or "Boy it's hot today" or something.

If the cache sucked just because it was lame I won't write much...however, if the cache sucked because the coordinates were awful or the hider has ignored numerous NM logs and is obviously not interested in maintaining their cache, then I'll go into a little more detail...hopefully to prompt the owner to do something about it, or at least as a warning to other cachers.

(BTW, I wrote this whole post on my iPhone so I really don't buy that smartphones are the cause of lame logs...lazy cachers are....)

Edited June 15, 2012 by Chief301

1.8k · June 15, 2012

Smartphone logs are probably the best most accurate logs you can get because often people are doing them just moments after finding the cache, so they are giving their accurate feelings on it...If you get meh, tftc, or .... Maybe thats a sign you need to work on your hides a bit better, as previously mentioned I use my smart phone a majority of the time and I can and do write paragraph or email the cache owner if their hide deserves it. The times I use my gps I sometimes forgot which cache was which, or time passed and I couldn't recall the cache properly so I put a generic term or phrase down.

So true, so true. I'm logging my find while your ammo can is open and I'm at GZ. My thoughts are fresh and my logs should be directly related to your hide. Not just a tftc and not just a "found it with so-and-so on my generic cut n paste log"

And if I posted a "tftc" then the cache deserved it.

(BTW, I wrote this whole post on my iPhone so I really don't buy that smartphones are the cause of lame logs...lazy cachers are....)

Me too. In fact, ALL of my posts to this forum are done via my iPhone. And most of my logs are done that way too. I only get 'online' when I upload more than one picture.

I can use Siri to type out my posts/logs honestly it's faster and easier for me to just type it out myself

June 15, 2012

I use my smartphone to Geocache, and I try to put a decent comment when I log visits. I don't think I've ever made just a "tftc" post, but I'll certainly feel free to blather on in the future. I like reading others' comments too, which can also be useful as clues in locating a well-hidden cache. :grin:

June 15, 2012

To me leaving a note on the log is sorta like tipping at a restaurant, a tip is earned and shouldn't be an expectation of the waiter...I have given a $5 buck tip on a 15 dollar meal and a dollar on a $50...

June 15, 2012

If anybody posts a TFTC on my caches, do you know what I think?

I am glad they thanked me for my cache, and went to find it.

1.8k · June 16, 2012

. I enter my finds on the site using my iPad or PC at home just because, despite what a couple of others have said in this thread, typing a long message is so much easier with an actual keyboard. And I am not lazy because I prefer to do so

Umm... Please re-read the thread. Nobody, I repeat, NOBODY said using a keyboard to write logs was lazy. <_<

7.5k · June 16, 2012

I juggle at least 3 scavenger hunts when I'm out for the day (geocaching, letterboxing, munzee). It's all starting to blend together and gets difficult to keep track of, so now I'm relying on my iPhone to write my online logs at ground zero (either as a field note or a direct log). That way it's all fresh. If I wait until I get home after finding say 20 munzees, 5 geocaches and a letterbox I may forget the individual experiences. Lucky for me, I'm a lone cacher and can usually spend as much time as I need to write up.

I love the logging experience, it's so important to me as a finder and as a CO. It's such a big factor wrt the community feel of the game. When I'm walking to a cache I'm thinking about what I'm going to write in the log.

I started in 2002. I'm really glad I didn't start in the last few years when micro logsheets became the norm even in regular size containers - discouraging people from writing on paper. I think this set the trend to TFTC-only online logs. Then the numbers trend started, especially when power trails were introduced. No time to write, no time to waste in the smiley race. Cell phones became a problem when Groundspeak allowed empty log entries via cell phones. Suddenly empty logs or acronym logs became a popular option. People complained that cell phone keyboards were difficult to use for anything longer then TFTC. It isn't easy, using the keyboard takes some practice but it's worth it. There's lots you can say in a sentence or two.

Anyway, I'm fortunate that in my area that about 2/3 of the finders leave some type of online log that speaks to their experience finding my individual caches. If it were less then 50% (i.e. more then 50% were empty, or cut&paste, or acronym-only logs) I'd stop hiding caches and pull the ones that are out there. What's the point if people don't find them inspiring enough to write a couple of sentences about their experience?

Edited June 16, 2012 by L0ne R

June 16, 2012

We think it is definitely important to leave something more than TFTC, but we don't usually put too much more than that for fear of leaving spoilers.

June 16, 2012

Am I the only one who thinks a worthy note on a log has to be earned? I think people should be honest about what they find, hyping up a boring find to spare the feelings of the C/O, will just disappoint the next cacher, and the co will never be aware his/her hides are lame.

June 16, 2012

I'll drop a TFTC on 'hides' that are unremarkable. If the CO has dozens or hundreds of low quality hides they'll get a TFTC.

If it's at least somewhat decent I will certainly leave a more detailed log.

June 17, 2012

On the issue of using smart phones, I use mine more often then my gps, simply because I always have my phone with me and in most cases works fantastic and its much easier keeping up with logging finds and writing logs, the above poster who claimed he never gets comments from smart phone users probably has lame hides, I could write a book on my smart phone if I wanted too 75% of my logs were wrote using it....That being said a dedicated gps on deep woods trails or bad weather days is a MUST and I recommend local pawn shops or ebay.

Am I the only one who thinks a worthy note on a log has to be earned? I think people should be honest about what they find, hyping up a boring find to spare the feelings of the C/O, will just disappoint the next cacher, and the co will never be aware his/her hides are lame.

Your standards of "lame" aren't necessarily shared by everyone. Why are you so insistent that COs know that you think their hides are lame? And as for the first quote, that's pretty harsh, I think, assuming that because someone doesn't get smartphone comments his hides are lame. What's up with this? :unsure:

I like logging as a way to remember what happened when we looked for that particular cache. Was that the day that Thorling ended up soaked from jumping in puddles, or when LokiBit tasted his first mulberry? Who found the cache? (Yes, we are Three Musketeers cachers; with a teenager and a small child, that's the only way to keep them interested, though I might try the other version sometime.) What did the kids trade for? (I definitely have room for improvement on that particular aspect of logs.) Who was with us? What was the weather like? The bugs, the ground, the cache condition? I could write a lot in the log, though sometimes I'm too tired to really do as much as I feel. Still, always at least a couple sentences, and I insist that the teenager, LokiBit, write at least two sentences in his logs.

June 17, 2012

On the issue of using smart phones, I use mine more often then my gps, simply because I always have my phone with me and in most cases works fantastic and its much easier keeping up with logging finds and writing logs, the above poster who claimed he never gets comments from smart phone users probably has lame hides, I could write a book on my smart phone if I wanted too 75% of my logs were wrote using it....That being said a dedicated gps on deep woods trails or bad weather days is a MUST and I recommend local pawn shops or ebay.

Am I the only one who thinks a worthy note on a log has to be earned? I think people should be honest about what they find, hyping up a boring find to spare the feelings of the C/O, will just disappoint the next cacher, and the co will never be aware his/her hides are lame.

Your standards of "lame" aren't necessarily shared by everyone. Why are you so insistent that COs know that you think their hides are lame? And as for the first quote, that's pretty harsh, I think, assuming that because someone doesn't get smartphone comments his hides are lame. What's up with this?

I like logging as a way to remember what happened when we looked for that particular cache. Was that the day that Thorling ended up soaked from jumping in puddles, or when LokiBit tasted his first mulberry? Who found the cache? (Yes, we are Three Musketeers cachers; with a teenager and a small child, that's the only way to keep them interested, though I might try the other version sometime.) What did the kids trade for? (I definitely have room for improvement on that particular aspect of logs.) Who was with us? What was the weather like? The bugs, the ground, the cache condition? I could write a lot in the log, though sometimes I'm too tired to really do as much as I feel. Still, always at least a couple sentences, and I insist that the teenager, LokiBit, write at least two sentences in his logs.

I think if a cache is getting consistently tftc or acronyms of any kind its most likely an unremarkable cache... I think if I had several caches (hopefully I will soon) I would want some type of feedback good or bad, I would take getting nothing but tftc would mean my hides are too common... Lame might have been too harsh a word, I should have said that their caches are too common,plain, ordinary.

June 17, 2012

We have read some great, funny, clever logs about some of our caches, even the rather simple ones. I think the quality of the log depends more on the person writing it than the quality of the cache. Some people are more articulate than others, and enjoy writing interesting logs.

Don't take it personally if you get some short TFTC logs - it's not usually meant as a criticism. Just consider that the finder may not be comfortable expressing himself or herself verbally. If you like to read long logs, write them for the caches you find and maybe you'll be an encouragement to the cacher who finds that one next!

10.1k · June 18, 2012

Ha! Don't let me post after too many glasses of wine... I'll tell you what I really think...

Now... I thought I left some fairly nice logs. Nice area. &c. Even left a favorite (sice removed.) But I will tell you what I think. That's just me. Sorry if you don't like me telling you what I think. Some very nice areas. But the caches were mostly cheap micos that are suffering after ten or thirty finds. Your perogative. If you like short-lived caches. Don't harass me for telling you that it would be nice to find decent containers. Off in the woods.

Well, I got harassed for that. So I changed all my logs to TFTC. Deleted my favorite. And reported five of them for using cup hooks in live trees. Yeah. I should have reported them when I found them. I give some leeway. But not if you harass me. If you hide terrible containers, don't be surprised if I mention that in my log.

June 18, 2012

*snip*

I think if a cache is getting consistently tftc or acronyms of any kind its most likely an unremarkable cache... I think if I had several caches (hopefully I will soon) I would want some type of feedback good or bad, I would take getting nothing but tftc would mean my hides are too common... Lame might have been too harsh a word, I should have said that their caches are too common,plain, ordinary.

I really have to agree with the VanDucks; the logs are more a reflection of the cacher than the cache, as far as I can tell. (Yes, I spend my free time when I can't cache reading logs. Seriously.) Some people don't like to write a lot. Some people are responding to the local traditions (I can't think of the right word, but that's close). Some people don't know any better, and some people don't care/are lazy. I've seen TFTC and long logs on the same cache.

I admit, if I had a cache out that got a lot of acronyms as the whole log, I'd be disappointed. But I'd probably check the users' other logs before I assume there's something wrong with the cache.

TFTC

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