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Premiums that don't award favorite points


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I can't speak for all folks who do not, but some of the people who never award premium points just hate the idea of being asked to favorite caches or having to pick between friends. They figure its not worth the hassle of having friends disappointed that they did not favorite their cache, so to remove that possibility, they give not a single favorite point.

 

Just wanted to add one more thing to my earlier response to this. I know if a caching buddy of mine got annoyed and gave me a hard time about not giving his cache a favorite vote, then he really wasn't much of a friend to begin with. Grow up and stop being a chicken IMO. How many caches have you actually found where you actually know the owner? It's probably a low percentage. But because you're scared of your caching buddy's wrath, you choose not to award favorite votes and penalize other cachers? Somebody mentioned something about being weak earlier? :laughing: Grow a spine and award those votes to deserving caches! :)

 

**this is not directed at you specifically, lamoracke. Just speaking in general**

 

I figured not as I do give favorite points but do have some friends / acquaintances who do not. Fixed your spelling of my username. :)

Edited by lamoracke
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I was going to stay out of this one, but already I've been mentioned twice in this thread: once by name and once without my name being used. So I might as well respond

 

I'm confused by the hostility as well, and I think that it is a worthy topic. The favorite points really haven't caught on around here and I only know of one other local cacher besides myself that has told me that they went over past caches and awarded them. That cacher is also the only one that I know of that is a regular forum participant, so maybe that has something to do with it. At least most of the points that are getting rewarded around here are because of exceptional caches and not because of a FTF on an LPC, or Cacher A is friends with Cacher B and feels that they have to put points on all of their caches, or other such things. I think that most of the cachers around here that are regularly awarding points are cachers that started after the favorite point system started. Cachers that had been around for a number of years before the favorites were introduced don't seem to have an interest in them.

 

I don't see a problem with trying to explore why some people use their favorite points and others don't, while even others simply refuse to do so. I was hoping that you had started an interesting discussion. It's too bad that some can't simply answer a question at face value.

I agree with Don that it should be worth while exploring why the favorite system is so under used.

 

It maybe that a lot of cachers don't find it particularly useful

 

Because it's not a requirement? Cachers can do almost whatever they wish. The only thing required here is that if you wish to log a find on-line, you are required to sign the log book. (Yes. That's what I said, Toz.)

I won't pretend that I can convince a puritan of anything different. The truth is that plenty of people will leave on online find log when they find a cache regardless of whether they signed the physical log - and plenty of cache owners will accept this as a perfectly legitimate log.

 

What is interesting is that there is no requirement to log a find online - except if you want to leave a favorite point. The only thing that is required here is that if you wish to give a Favorite point to a cache, you are required to log it found online.

 

I can't speak for all folks who do not, but some of the people who never award premium points just hate the idea of being asked to favorite caches or having to pick between friends. They figure its not worth the hassle of having friends disappointed that they did not favorite their cache, so to remove that possibility, they give not a single favorite point.

 

Wow, that actually makes a lot of sense. Good reply. Thank you. :)

I suspect that some people don't like the idea that favorite points come across as a reward for cache owners. While may enjoy every cache they find, they probably have some finds the enjoyed more and would normally give a favorite to. But the don't want to imply that the other caches were insufficient. They favorites were supposed to allow you to reward extraordinary caches while not criticizing poor caches. No negative version of favorites was ever implemented. Yet, some people may infer that the absence of any favorite vote makes a cache deficient.

 

Or if people don't want to award favorite votes, perhaps they could opt out of the system so their finds don't affect a cache's favorite vote percentage.

The OP has lost me here. I've argued (mostly unsuccessfully) that percentage of premium finds that award a favorite point does not make a good estimate of cache quality. Trying to adjust this percentage by not counting premium members who don't use their favorite points is, IMO, a wasted effort.

 

Cache quality is subjective and each cacher who gives out a favorite point is providing their subjective view of the cache. Some caches will select for people who like that particular type of cache - for example a difficult puzzle will be solved (and favorited) by someone who likes difficult puzzles. A long hiking cache will appeal to those people who like long hikes. These caches are likely to have fewer finds but a higher ratio of favorites to finds. There may be some information gained for cache types that have a broad appeal and many finders, but few caches actually fall into this category - and I contend that a relatively small number of finders can skew the result for these caches.

 

Since the percentage of favorites is, IMO, useless, it doesn't matter that a certain percentage of premium members never gives out votes. If the cache has a few favorite votes, it means that a few cachers liked it. I might look to see who these cachers are and what other caches they liked. I can get a quick idea if someone has similar taste to mine pretty quickly and use that information to select caches to look for. I doubt that simply selecting cache because it has a certain number of favorite points or because it has a certain percentage of favorite points would be anywhere near as useful.

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It doesn't require Sherlock Holmes to find a cacher's favorite list. Click on a person's profile. That's one click. Click on the list tab. That's two clicks. His or her favorite vote list then pop ups. I sometimes look at these lists. If I see a cache favorited by a certain fellow, I'll know it's a definite winner. I find these lists to actually be quite helpful in deciding what caches to go for, as I'm a guy with limited time when it comes to caching.

 

I didn't know about that - thanks for pointing that out! One can learn new things, at least sometimes. As you may have noticed, I'm a charter member, but don't make it a habit to keep up with every little change that happens to the website, as long as I can make it work for logging caches. A lot has changed over the years!

 

I'm not mad or raging over this. I just thought it was a topic worthy of discussion. I apologize if some don't see it that way. **shrugs**

 

An issue that you may not be aware of is that before there were favorite points, there was years of discussions here about how to adopt some kind of rating system for caches. And also there were/are quite a few offsite rating pages. The current favorite point system is a compromise, and I expect that quite a few people who had different ideas about how to implement it might not be participating in using it the way it turned out.

 

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We have awarded 58 favourite points and have 8 still to be used.

 

The way we award them is not going to be of any real use to anyone else because, while they do get awarded to caches we feel are extraordinary, we just as often award them for an extraordinary experience. Is it helpful to you that we award a favourite point to each of our cache milestones? (Though we generally choose memorable caches for those numbers.) We will also *not* give a FP to a cache that already has dozens if we only have a few points left to give and want to save them for a while.

 

I awarded a point to a random cache in the middle of a 40-cache series, as opposed to the first or last cache, just to be different. I've awarded points to caches on the recommendation of my 9-year-old son. Should there be a "Kid's Favourite" rating for caches?

 

One thing I have noticed is that different communities (not just individual cachers) have different styles of favourite caches. In my neighbourhood, I can tell if a cache is going to be "good" if certain cachers have given it a point or written a favourable log. Head over to the next town and hit the caches in the park with a half-dozen or more favourite points and elated logs and I'm standing there shaking my head: It's a box in a tree. What's so fantastic about that? :P

 

Favourite Points are a nice start to filter by, but can't ever be taken at face value.

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Since I am one of the PM cachers that has NEVER awarded a FP (and never will) I'll tell you why.

 

I want to honestly rate EVERY CACHE I FIND, on a scale of 1 to 10 (or .5 to 5 if you like).

 

I want to point out the crappy caches at the same time as I point out the excellent caches.

 

When the FP system was in development and the pre-release announcement came out that a 'rating system' was going to be added, I was ecstatic! Finally, a way to filter out the 'less than stellar' caches, while keeping the average or better ones. Perhaps even setting my own 'acceptable quality' level based on community ratings.

 

NO SUCH LUCK...either a cache is (allegedly) awesome, or nothing.

 

But, why not allow the option to point out a cache was sub-standard? Groundspeak was and is (probably rightly so) afraid that a cacher that hid crappy caches that got crappy ratings probably wouldn't renew their membership(s). Not a viable option, eh?

 

On top of that, people were soliciting FP 'votes' at the beginning (since anyone can see whether I gave a FP or not)...if I am to vote, I will do it anonymously. The logic is that I will know if a cache is worth going for by knowing who favorited it, but if I'm away from my local territory, how would I know (or care) what kind of caches 'Cacher X' likes?

 

In conclusion:

 

I wanted a system that allows me to filter out the dregs, but leaves me with the average or better caches (with my choice of where the average line is drawn). Sure, a cache with 40 or 50 FP is probably pretty good, but there are plenty of decent caches with no FP, and even some skirtlifters with a FP or two.

 

Given that I can't even create a PQ based on FP, it's a useless feature unless you want to take the time to make a bookmark list of the most favorited caches in an area and then make a PQ from that.

 

Why should I participate in a system that provides me NO BENEFIT WHATSOEVER?

 

Rant over. :)

 

Good points, although I suspect you are just saving those 1000+ fav points for a really nice powertrail. :D

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When about 90% of the caches nowadays are micros it's pretty hard to pick out which one is a favorite. In fact anymore I consider myself a casual cacher, I think I've been out a couple of times in the past two months. I have a bag full of trade items just sitting around. The day of the ammo can is pretty much gone. Bring back virtuals and I might go more and also use some of my FPs.

Edited by DonB
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Personally, I've never been able to dish out more than half of my allotted favorite points, because I've yet to find caches worth assigning them to. When I see outstanding caches, I give points... if I remember to utilize that feature while logging. Problem is, there just ain't that many outstanding caches. I think they would have been closer to reality if they'd allow 1 favorite point per 50 finds. The system is far too diluted with the current ratio.

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When about 90% of the caches nowadays are micros it's pretty hard to pick out which one is a favorite. In fact anymore I consider myself a casual cacher, I think I've been out a couple of times in the past two months. I have a bag full of trade items just sitting around. The day of the ammo can is pretty much gone. Bring back virtuals and I might go more and also use some of my FPs.

 

Actually having that many micros makes awarding favorites easier since it would be extremely unusual for me to even consider giving a micro a favorite point. I might if it was part of a series like the GeoArt I did recently but generally not.

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I get tired of seeing the same topics discussed on here all the time. You know... crappy swag, lame TFTC logs, LPC hate. So I figured I'd try a different topic.

Yes! This is more of a Wednesday topic. It's refreshing to see it on a Sunday.

 

 

OK, how bout we talk about how micros suck and are ruining the game? :grin:

+1 yes

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>Why should I participate in a system that provides me NO BENEFIT WHATSOEVER?

 

why should you log anything online and share with the world ?

other options exist, write down in own private book or system, and share with only you.

 

a text log could be a much better indicator if a cache is worth a visit,

but text is not easy to value by search engines,

A FP is a DIGITAL VALUE, and is easy to measure, cound and search for.

 

I love to GIVE FP, and I love to get them.

the system really works, I can search and select caches in an area for FP too,

and if you try this, you find the caches to be alot better in avarage, over randon caches in same area with no FP.

 

We try this often, and call our special trips, HI FP trip, those are VERY high in our memory

as super good trips.

 

yes people do award FP for alot of different reasons,

how ever over time,

the caches with most FP, are also the ones most people liked a bit more over the other 10 caches they also found..

this means if one cache is just a bit better, over the other 10 I just found, I give it my FP

and simply keep it that simple.

if I find 20 caches in a row, just avarage, I search a bit deeper in my mind and try to be more positive about the game,

and award 1-2 of them, if you look deep enough you will find fun or good, in even the most avarage cache,

the trip or the location or the box or what ever you happen to like..

 

Just try to like stuff a bit more folks.. you see it helps you too..

Edited by OZ2CPU
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Interesting discussion.

 

I have no data to confirm, but around here I believe most members give out at least some favourite points. Once cache I found recently has 19 points and 100% FP by percentage for example.

 

It's not a perfect system but I think it is useful. Certainly in a case where there is a large number and high percentage of FPs, it indicates there is something special about the cache.

 

It isn't designed for, and so is not good at, weeding out "bad" caches. A cache could be perfectly good (good location, quality box, good coordinates) but not have any/many FPs, as there is nothing "special" or "outstanding" about it. And a cache which many would consider poor could end up with a FP or two because maybe a friend of the owner was feeling generous; or it happened to be a milestone for some finder... or something good happened to a finder unrelated to the cache (e.g. they found a $100 bill near the cache).

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When about 90% of the caches nowadays are micros it's pretty hard to pick out which one is a favorite. In fact anymore I consider myself a casual cacher, I think I've been out a couple of times in the past two months. I have a bag full of trade items just sitting around. The day of the ammo can is pretty much gone. Bring back virtuals and I might go more and also use some of my FPs.

 

I'd have to agree.

The 7 caches I've given favorite points to were all found early in my caching career, either good hikes or a WOW cache

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>Use them when you think a cache deserves them, not just because you have them.

 

you get one per ten caches you find..

use them at same pace,

if you find only bad caches not worth a FP,

you either value the FP to high,

or dont filter the caches after your taste well enough,

either way you should change a bit, in taste or behavior.

 

also a good cache gets really nice logs,

original log :

http://coord.info/GLAXBMX8

 

and translated : uha wierd translation

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=da&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=da&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fcoord.info%2FGLAXBMX8

Edited by OZ2CPU
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I'd have to agree.

The 7 caches I've given favorite points to were all found early in my caching career, either good hikes or a WOW cache

 

Same here. My favorite finds were long ago, before favorite points were started. Many of them have been archived.

Didn't want to go back through my old finds to give points, just to use them up.

Every once in a while I get a notice on an old cache find and might browse some other old finds. I might award points if

they brought back good memories.

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...if you find only bad caches not worth a FP,

you either value the FP to high,

or dont filter the caches after your taste well enough

 

I agree. Some people have extremely high standards for their FP or they find a lot of crappy caches.

 

Good caches deserve a FP now and then too. If you have the FPs to encourage and reward good caches/cache owners, why not do it?

 

I think most cachers want to find decent caches as well as the super creative kinds. We'll know the difference between good decent caches and uber cream-of-the-crop by the number of FPs. A cache with a smattering of FPs and a lower percentage is likely a decent experience. A cache with a high percentage of FPs (above 50%) is a cream-of-the-crop. Why not use your FPs instead of wasting them? Reward people who invest in the game and provide a nice experience by hiding well-maintained, quality, water tight containers in pleasant/interesting locations.

Edited by L0ne R
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I've awarded some, but honestly I just don't really see the value. Folks get up in arms when the topic of "liking" a found it log comes up, but favorite points essentially amount to "liking" a cache. Some of the best caches I've found have only a few points, so I don't even look at the number when I'm searching. There are a few LPCs out there with lots of favorite points...so that right there is reason enough to doubt their value.

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When we received our initial batch of FPs, we went back to caches we've found in the past and awarded them. Many are archived today, yet still retain our points. They were our favorites.

We noticed few did that and older, good caches that had great logs don't have the FPs they deserve.

Many, due to distance or terrain, aren't as popular with cachers today.

 

With Favorites open to an individuals interpretation of what makes a great cache, I'm not seeing where a favorite from me would mean anything to another.

One in our area is all pill bottles and magnet key holder numbers run along a guard rail, on a winding road, with no safe parking.

- Over 50%, making that one "cream-of-the-crop", as another said.

 

A few days ago, I gave two new caches Favorites, due to a good hike on varied terrain, with awesome views at the end.

To get there, I drove by well over thirty roadside pulloff C&Ds and parking lot LPCs that were favorited.

On the way after parking, I passed a favorited cache on the trail and stopped on the way back.

After pouring all the water out of the container, I emailed the CO about maintenance.

 

I give a favorite if I liked it. That's all.

I don't expect anyone elses idea on a favorite to be similar.

- That way I'm not disappointed if I happen to stop there.

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There are a few LPCs out there with lots of favorite points...so that right there is reason enough to doubt their value.

 

I've have seen LPCs with one favorite point by the person of was FTF. But I can't think of an example of an LPC with more. If an LPC has lots of favorite points, there's got to be something interesting about it. I found an LPC with lots of FPs - there was a mini pirate theme set under the skirt. Cute and deserving. If it weren't for the FPs I would have missed it because I filter out micros and ignore parking lot LPCs even if listed as small.

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you get one per ten caches you find..

use them at same pace,

 

Funny, I tend to use them at the same pace with which I find great caches.

 

I also use them only on caches that really are "FAVORITES", not just, hey that one was fun. Most of the caches I find are fun, not that many are favorites.

 

To use them at the same rate I get them would mean giving favorites to caches that were fun, but really not much more than the rest of the caches I found in a day.

 

While it seems to me, more than a few posters to this thread want people to award more favorites, if it were up to me cachers would award fewer, but with more thought. ( I have found LPC's with a favorite or too.)

 

Also, I base my favorite points on all the caches I have found, not just the ones I found in a particular day. Some days I will go out and find a few micros, LPC, and P&G. While I have fun finding them, don't even ask me to add a "favorite" to one of them. <_< I am far more likely to award a favorite on those days when I head out to the mountains, or where ever, and find my FAVORITE kind of cache.

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When we received our initial batch of FPs, we went back to caches we've found in the past and awarded them. Many are archived today, yet still retain our points. They were our favorites.

We noticed few did that and older, good caches that had great logs don't have the FPs they deserve.

Many, due to distance or terrain, aren't as popular with cachers today.

 

 

Its true, many of the old caches, out there before the favorite system, will never get the percentage as high as the current ones. Many of the folks who found the caches no longer cache to give them a favorite, or folks forget which of their past finds were great (its hard when you have found so many) and many folks just give favorites going forward. And if its archived? Won't even go into that discussion but that is a whole different ball of wax.

 

It was almost a day's challenge for me to try and go back and give favorites to the older ones. Once in a while I would see a cache I found in the past have favorite points and I would email a friend/recent finder/owner and have them remind me of the cache and then I would go, oh yeah, I forgot! Then I might give a favorite.

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I participate to a limited extent. We've accumulated 518 favorite points so far. I've awarded just over 200. I don't just view it as a top 10% thing, even though that's how the points are given to me to spend. I want to make sure that the really good ones get it. Not just really old ones, not just virtual caches at really neat places, but caches that I feel are in a set apart from the everyday. And that's the method behind how often and to what caches I award them -- and I use the phrase award because I think that's what they should be.

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When we received our initial batch of FPs, we went back to caches we've found in the past and awarded them. Many are archived today, yet still retain our points. They were our favorites.

We noticed few did that and older, good caches that had great logs don't have the FPs they deserve.

Many, due to distance or terrain, aren't as popular with cachers today.

 

 

Its true, many of the old caches, out there before the favorite system, will never get the percentage as high as the current ones. Many of the folks who found the caches no longer cache to give them a favorite, or folks forget which of their past finds were great (its hard when you have found so many) and many folks just give favorites going forward. And if its archived? Won't even go into that discussion but that is a whole different ball of wax.

 

It was almost a day's challenge for me to try and go back and give favorites to the older ones. Once in a while I would see a cache I found in the past have favorite points and I would email a friend/recent finder/owner and have them remind me of the cache and then I would go, oh yeah, I forgot! Then I might give a favorite.

 

I'm one of those that goes forward.

 

Because:

 

 

It doesn't make sense to recommend an archived cache - it doesn't exist anymore. People can't find the listing either when doing a regular search for caches. Personally, I add those to a shared public bookmark list - Favorite caches that have been archived. The CO gets acknowledged for a good cache hide and people can view the list if they're looking for inspiration. I keep the FP for current good caches that I would recommend to people looking for existing caches ("that the overall quality of the cache is likely to be above average").

 

When the FP system was implemented, I didn't go back further then about a year for caches I had found. I couldn't know if the still active cache that I found 4 years ago was still a good cache experience. Often old caches that were still out there weren't the same anymore - either they weren't being maintained, or CO changed it enough that it wasn't much like the original experience anymore.

 

It might be a helpful if the FP count was sorted into 2 date ranges - Current 1 year FP count: xx; Greater than 1 year FP count: xx

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We've given favorite points for a wide variety of reasons, and we're sure many others do too. Certainly for those caches that are interesting or clever but also because they delighted us in some way that may be unique to our own experience. For instance, we gave a favorite point to the very first LPC we found (the only FP that cache has gotten) when we were first starting out. We had never seen one like that before and the idea that a cache could be hidden that way was amazing. It seemed to open a whole new world of possibilities to us. Looking back now on that particular cache, we realize that wasn't really anything innovative or special about it, it was just an LPC. But to this day, we can't look at that cache and not smile at the memory of that discovery. It has more to do with our personal experience and that cache will always deserve the favorite point we gave it.

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I agree. Some people have extremely high standards for their FP or they find a lot of crappy caches.

 

I disagree, it seems like some people have low standards and will give their FP's to anything, just to use them.

 

However we argue the favorites, people have different views on what a favorite should be. Give them, or not, with whatever standards you like.

 

I just went through my finds list, and it does seem the more favorites a cache has the better I liked it when I found it. However there are six or seven caches with 10 or more favorite points, that I thought were just OK. And one or two, I really wouldn't have missed if I skipped them.

 

There are a lot of caches with 2 or more favorites, that IMHO are not any better, (and maybe not as fun as) several caches within a few mile circle.

 

Like most every other part of this game, use them or not, however it floats your boat. The only time you are making a mistake is when you come on the forums and say that anyone who does it different than you is wrong. B)

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We've given favorite points for a wide variety of reasons, and we're sure many others do too. Certainly for those caches that are interesting or clever but also because they delighted us in some way that may be unique to our own experience. For instance, we gave a favorite point to the very first LPC we found (the only FP that cache has gotten) when we were first starting out. We had never seen one like that before and the idea that a cache could be hidden that way was amazing. It seemed to open a whole new world of possibilities to us. Looking back now on that particular cache, we realize that wasn't really anything innovative or special about it, it was just an LPC. But to this day, we can't look at that cache and not smile at the memory of that discovery. It has more to do with our personal experience and that cache will always deserve the favorite point we gave it.

 

But would you recommend the LPC to others as a cache that is above average in quality?

 

The Groundspeak definition of the intent of a Favorite point is:

 

The one thing you can say for certain is that the overall quality of the cache is likely to be above average....the point of Favorites is to recommend great caching experiences to others.
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I agree. Some people have extremely high standards for their FP or they find a lot of crappy caches.

 

I disagree, it seems like some people have low standards and will give their FP's to anything, just to use them.

 

However we argue the favorites, people have different views on what a favorite should be. Give them, or not, with whatever standards you like.

 

I just went through my finds list, and it does seem the more favorites a cache has the better I liked it when I found it. However there are six or seven caches with 10 or more favorite points, that I thought were just OK. And one or two, I really wouldn't have missed if I skipped them.

 

There are a lot of caches with 2 or more favorites, that IMHO are not any better, (and maybe not as fun as) several caches within a few mile circle.

 

Like most every other part of this game, use them or not, however it floats your boat. The only time you are making a mistake is when you come on the forums and say that anyone who does it different than you is wrong. B)

 

The more people use the Favorite points, and use them as intended, the more the FP system works.

 

If people object to using FPs, so be it. No one should be forced to use them. But I think it's a service to the community to encourage the use of FPs as they are defined by Groundspeak.

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Like most every other part of this game, use them or not, however it floats your boat. The only time you are making a mistake is when you come on the forums and say that anyone who does it different than you is wrong. B)

 

We have a winner!

 

It is a mistake and a disservice to the community if you use FPs as they were not intended. Personal experiences like FTFs can be recorded in a personal bookmark list. Recommending a cache because you were the first to find does not make it an above average cache experience for the next finder.

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>Use them when you think a cache deserves them, not just because you have them.

 

you get one per ten caches you find..

use them at same pace,

if you find only bad caches not worth a FP,

you either value the FP to high,

or dont filter the caches after your taste well enough,

either way you should change a bit, in taste or behavior.

 

 

We should award a point to a substandard cache based on it being the least substandard out of ten caches?

 

Nope, don't think so.

 

As for changing behavior, yeah, I'll get right on that.

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[but would you recommend the LPC to others as a cache that is above average in quality?

 

 

For the time period in our caching experience that we found it, we certainly considered it above average, but then, as I said, we had never seen anything like it before. Now, many finds later, I doubt we would have been as impressed. The awarding of favorite points will always be a subjective measure.

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I think that in general, FPs are useful. It doesn't mean that every cache with FPs is amazing, but it does help me when I'm looking for an area or park to drive to--all of the caches have some FPs? Heck, yes I'll go, and it's likely to be a fun experience, whether or not those particular caches are ones that I would also favorite.

 

In Illinois, the cache with the most FPs is simply the oldest (Beverly, GC28, with 458). Though I haven't visited yet, AFAIK it's an ammo can in the woods. "Outstanding?" Probably not. Worth a 2 hour drive? Yes.

 

Regardless, it certainly helps me when I'm going to be in a distant area for a limited amount of time. I'll read the cache pages of those with the most points and pick a few, and I'm almost guaranteed not to find a key hide container stuck to a garbage can, for example.

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If you really enjoyed the cache, is it really that hard to click that little favorite vote box? How bout you try letting other folks know that you enjoyed the cache,

 

You asked later "why the hostility" in some of the responses. I think it's because you didn't just ask a question... you clearly made a value judgment about people who don't use the FP's. To me, it's pretty obvious that people who don't use them for whatever reason are going to bristle at your tone.

 

My own use of FP's has changed somewhat over time. I will give one to any new cacher who hides something that is not a micro and is at least 10 feet off the pavement. Any ammo can. Any parking lot film can that was placed because "My Grammy really liked this store." NO! WAIT! That last was a joke. Although I have seen these caches get favorite points...

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I do use favorite points. However, I try to save them for top teir caches. 10% is too many. I think I have awarded maybe 6 or 7%. And as for groups of caches as previously mentioned, I only award one point to one of them. Which ever seems to be the "main' cache in the group.

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Whether 10% seems like too much, or if instead you are always running out of favourite points depends on several things. Including your own criteria of what is good enough to deserve one, and how you cache.

 

For me - while I try and avoid bad caches (and generally do) - some days (like last Sunday) I will spend most of a day just doing a couple of special long multi stage caches... while other days I might do a series of 30 caches in the same amount of time. Those series tend to have good caches but no one special cache. So they give me some points to use. On the other hand, a friend of mine almost exclusively seeks out only "special" caches - ones with a high number of favourite points and/or by personal recommendation and reading the logs. Because of that I have more fav points to give out.. while if you get one from my friend your cache is one of the best of the best (in my friend's opinion).

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I've noticed there are a significant number of premium cachers out there that don't ever award favorite points/votes. It can be the best cache in the world and yet they still won't do it. Is there some reason for this? If you really enjoyed the cache, is it really that hard to click that little favorite vote box? How bout you try letting other folks know that you enjoyed the cache, so they will want to give it a shot too? Most people other than the CO won't ever read your log, but they'll see that nice lil blue box with a number in it. Now, if you're ultra picky, and rarely award favorite votes that is fine. I'm specifically referring to the folks that don't reward any at all.

 

Have a good day :)

 

I award favourite points very rarely, not least because for me most of the time it's just another feature that I never asked for, care little for, and don't particularly stop to think "was this a favourite". Every once in a while I find a cache that I really enjoy and when I write the log it prompts me to think how good it was. Sometimes even then I don't happen to think of favourite points.

 

It doesn't seem like a huge leap of imagination to see people who think they are pointless and therefore just don't bother with them. I never bothered with the Challenges (that I thought were pointless but others obviously enjoyed) so shouldn't be too surprised if others don't bother with favourites.

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Not long after I started caching, and long before they added the Favorite points feature, I started a "Favorite Finds" bookmark list. It was fun to occasionally stroll down Memory Lane and revisit those cache finds. I made the list shared and public to let the owners of those caches know how much I'd enjoyed their caches.

 

When Groundspeak introduced Favorite points, I spent an afternoon using my bookmark list as the basis for retroactively awarding "official" Favorite points.

 

My only basis for awarding a Favorite point is the outstanding nature of the cache I've found. If that means only 1% of the caches I find get that point, that's fine. If 10% or more of the caches I visit get that point, that's even better.

 

I currently have a balance of 289 Favorite points available. I'm looking forward to finding the caches that I feel deserve them.

 

--Larry

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I haven't given out a favorite point since yesterday. The cache I gave the point to was an extremely well done puzzle cache with a long hike to GZ. Everything about the cache was top notch and all finders have awarded it a well deserved favorite point.

 

YMMV

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Can nobody read? The OP was asking about premium members who award ZERO favorite points, not about people who are stingy with their favorite points.

I believe we all can read and for me to point out that I am a premium member who does award favorite points, and why, is germane to the discussion.

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Can nobody read? The OP was asking about premium members who award ZERO favorite points, not about people who are stingy with their favorite points.

 

You've been in these forums for some time and think people actually stick to the initial subject. I am surprised this hasn't moved totally to a different subject. Something like premium members getting to many FTFs on weekdays and not letting non premium get them.

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We, sp and I, haven't read all the posts nor will we. However, this discussion has moved us to make a decision. Every day we go out caching, we are going to award a favorite point for our favorite cache of the day. If that is determined to be so wrong that we are banned for life, well...I'll just join as a new user and sp and I will go on as before. :o

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We, sp and I, haven't read all the posts nor will we. However, this discussion has moved us to make a decision. Every day we go out caching, we are going to award a favorite point for our favorite cache of the day. If that is determined to be so wrong that we are banned for life, well...I'll just join as a new user and sp and I will go on as before. :o

Wrong? There is no wrong. If we averaged 10 caches a day, that is probably what we would do. On the rare occasion that Shark and I get 10 in a day, I'm sure we would talk about the best cache that day and maybe look at some previous that we did not favorite. Have fun. Telling the rest of us which cache is your best of 10 for a day is good feedback. It all averages out.

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We, sp and I, haven't read all the posts nor will we. However, this discussion has moved us to make a decision. Every day we go out caching, we are going to award a favorite point for our favorite cache of the day. If that is determined to be so wrong that we are banned for life, well...I'll just join as a new user and sp and I will go on as before. :o

 

By all means, award away!

 

When deciding which cache was the best of the day turns into deciding which cache was the least lousy...perhaps you will change your tune.

 

In any case that stupid graphic compels people to award a point to SOME CACHE, even if it may not actually be deserved.

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P.S. I have a Geocoin to mark those really special caches.

It don't get around much.

 

AZ,

 

I am really offended now. In checking on your special Geocoin for marking special caches, I see you didn't use it for the only cache of mine you've found. <_<

 

:lol::D

 

Maybe sometime I will meet your standard. :rolleyes::D

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I have a lot of unused Favourite points' but have awarded quite a few. Those points went to caches that are MY favourites, because they made me laugh; were original; had great camouflage; took me to a wonderful spot or taught me something. My most recent fave was a cache where you have to be in a spot where you could "hear" the coordinates, and the cache itself had a great view.

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It is 3:50 am, I can't sleep due to not feeling well , thank goodness this topic is here , read it and fall back to sleep. really?

Same here. My mind tends to ponder topics where the collective average content quality is above some internally set threshold. I just couldn't quite hit that REM stage until about 3:52. Weird.

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