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INTRO APP users are killing the hobby


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I have had some major problems with the new app so I am starting to archive mine as it is just too much work to have to go check on the DNF's and then get there and the cache is right where its supposed to be. Too many wolf calls.

I thought the problem that people had was them logging finds they didn't find, short logs and other mischief. Actually the main complaint is not having a way to try to correct the issues. However you are complaining about when people post Do Not Finds when they don't find the cache. I am not really getting the problem there maybe some sort of disconnect here. Due to my untreated ADD and my noobishness I post a lot of DNF's. They are not the same as saying its not there and never do I assume that it is gone. Now if they were posting NM all the time I think I might complain about wolf calls. Are you getting a flood of DNFs?

 

DNF's with a needs maintenance because its not there. DNF with area is nothing but weeds should be archived. Logs saying exactly where the cache is located. Third post from corner, etc etc. with a note saying coords are off by 10ft with a needs maintenace log saying coords should be updated. All sorts of nice logs that you can't respond to until you go to the cache site and double check. Needs maintenance because there was no pen in cache so couldn't sign the log. Cache was a micro. Have deleted several logs and have never deleted a log before until now. Don't like doing that but felt it necessary to maybe wake them up. Has taken the "fun" out of having caches placed for me. Won't be putting out any more new ones unless they are premium caches. Hate doing that too as not all cachers need or want the premium membership. Hate to cut their fun out but... feel that's its necessary now.

 

Actually I am going back to this. If you are blaming the Needs Maintenance logs on the intro app you are banging on the wrong drum. The intro app in its current form doesn't let you post Needs Maintenance or Needs Archived logs. They are just newbie cachers and they need to learn the game and what to expect and what is expected. Not everyone comes in a seasoned vet.

Edited by giddeanx
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I have had some major problems with the new app so I am starting to archive mine as it is just too much work to have to go check on the DNF's and then get there and the cache is right where its supposed to be. Too many wolf calls.

I thought the problem that people had was them logging finds they didn't find, short logs and other mischief. Actually the main complaint is not having a way to try to correct the issues. However you are complaining about when people post Do Not Finds when they don't find the cache. I am not really getting the problem there maybe some sort of disconnect here. Due to my untreated ADD and my noobishness I post a lot of DNF's. They are not the same as saying its not there and never do I assume that it is gone. Now if they were posting NM all the time I think I might complain about wolf calls. Are you getting a flood of DNFs?

 

DNF's with a needs maintenance because its not there. DNF with area is nothing but weeds should be archived. Logs saying exactly where the cache is located. Third post from corner, etc etc. with a note saying coords are off by 10ft with a needs maintenace log saying coords should be updated. All sorts of nice logs that you can't respond to until you go to the cache site and double check. Needs maintenance because there was no pen in cache so couldn't sign the log. Cache was a micro. Have deleted several logs and have never deleted a log before until now. Don't like doing that but felt it necessary to maybe wake them up. Has taken the "fun" out of having caches placed for me. Won't be putting out any more new ones unless they are premium caches. Hate doing that too as not all cachers need or want the premium membership. Hate to cut their fun out but... feel that's its necessary now.

 

Actually I am going back to this. If you are blaming the Needs Maintenance logs on the intro app you are banging on the wrong drum. The intro app in its current form doesn't let you post Needs Maintenance or Needs Archived logs. They are just newbie cachers and they need to learn the game and what to expect and what is expected. Not everyone comes in a seasoned vet.

 

Let me tell you, they came in as seasoned vets about 10,000 fold times more before the smartphone, and more recently smartphone intro apps era. Anyone can hate on me all they want for that statement, but that's my statement. :)

 

However, unwarranted needs maintenance logs, spoilers in the logs, and declarations of caches being missing have always been a "newbie thing". Just magnified greatly with the massive influx of new users. And by the way, the number of accounts on Geocaching.com has tripled since 2010, so don't tell me that isn't due mostly to the availibility of smartphone apps. :o

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On another note, has anybody noticed the newsletter this week? It may just be me but it sure seems like GS is realizing a negative impact and now wants us to "brush up on the basics" and then "share our knowledge" with a noob. Maybe this is a regular thing for them that I'm to new to know about. I've never had a problem teaching others anything I know about but this sounds to me a little closer to "let's all be a big happy community and clean up this mess we've made".

-Note: All quotes are very loose interpretations. Please no nasty grams.- :unsure:

Edited by Keystone
removed quote of spam post
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On another note, has anybody noticed the newsletter this week? It may just be me but it sure seems like GS is realizing a negative impact and now wants us to "brush up on the basics" and then "share our knowledge" with a noob. Maybe this is a regular thing for them that I'm to new to know about. I've never had a problem teaching others anything I know about but this sounds to me a little closer to "let's all be a big happy community and clean up this mess we've made".

-Note: All quotes are very loose interpretations. Please no nasty grams.- :unsure:

Refreshers/reminders make their way in the newsletter time-to-time, so I don't believe there's a hidden message anywhere.

Most I talk to say they use it to check events and such, skipping the marketing spiel above anyway.

Many folks we know don't even know what it is.

Went out with others this weekend and one didn't know about the 7 souvi thing.

17 posts ago, you became one of the 1% (or less) of cachers who ever enter the forums.

Go to an event and share what's a hot topic here. Most won't know what you're talking about

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On another note, has anybody noticed the newsletter this week? It may just be me but it sure seems like GS is realizing a negative impact and now wants us to "brush up on the basics" and then "share our knowledge" with a noob. Maybe this is a regular thing for them that I'm to new to know about. I've never had a problem teaching others anything I know about but this sounds to me a little closer to "let's all be a big happy community and clean up this mess we've made". -Note: All quotes are very loose interpretations. Please no nasty grams.- :unsure:
Refreshers/reminders make their way in the newsletter time-to-time, so I don't believe there's a hidden message anywhere.Most I talk to say they use it to check events and such, skipping the marketing spiel above anyway.Many folks we know don't even know what it is.Went out with others this weekend and one didn't know about the 7 souvi thing.17 posts ago, you became one of the 1% (or less) of cachers who ever enter the forums. Go to an event and share what's a hot topic here. Most won't know what you're talking about

both are soooo true...methinks i'll continue trying to help those newbies as best as i can...

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how can we offer to help them, if they don't have validated emails? <_<

Some of my signature items are printed items (lately, plastic cards). The front designed to be something I hope someone would enjoy keeping (and maybe trade up for). The other side's a Geocaching etiquette tip.

That is a great idea! Are you able to share the file with us. I would love to do something like that but with my own front design.

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how can we offer to help them, if they don't have validated emails? <_<

Some of my signature items are printed items (lately, plastic cards). The front designed to be something I hope someone would enjoy keeping (and maybe trade up for). The other side's a Geocaching etiquette tip.

That is a great idea! Are you able to share the file with us. I would love to do something like that but with my own front design.

 

Fantastic idea! Best one I've seen in a long time. I also would like to share in this, if you don't mind.

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The number of bogus logs from noobs has increased a lot, just in the last few weeks. Finds on a 5/5 caches that say "TFTC", logs that just have gibberish characters, or logs that just make no sense. Upon visiting the cache, of course there are no signatures from these folks.

 

And then you can't even email them to tell them you're deleting their logs. Odds are they won't notice anyway...but this does really seem to be on the rise in my little corner of the caching universe. I had 3 bogus noob logs today on different caches. The users have never even visited the site.

 

I've made several of my caches PMO, especially ones closer to town. It seems most Intro users don't seem to fake log the caches out in the boonies...yet.

Edited by dameetro
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The number of bogus logs from noobs has increased a lot, just in the last few weeks. Finds on a 5/5 caches that say "TFTC", logs that just have gibberish characters, or logs that just make no sense. Upon visiting the cache, of course there are no signatures from these folks.

You're speaking of apps in general, correct?

This thread is about the intro (free) app. They can't see your 5/5.

Off-topic, but I agree, the most fake logs we get are those with phone apps and unvalidated accounts.

We get them on my other 2/3rds 1.5/5 hide more than on others.

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And we can't even have a "report this user" link in their profile if they do something totally inappropriate/stupid…

 

Recently, I saw this on a nice cache in the forest which is a bit offways (which you could have seen from reading the listing, even if it was not explicitly written): (loosely translated) "Stupid, that's in the woods, we haven't come here all the way on skates just for this." Of course, no eMail address.

 

I can almost understand why oldtimer geocachers take their listings down :(

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Someone started a similar thread yesterday (Sunday) that was quickly closed. I guess I'll have to be the bad guy, and bump this one, because I do have a recent observation. :P By the way, the OP of that thread was very short and sweet:

 

Is this app hurting or helping the game

 

Well, it's definitely not helping! I'm going to guess an extremely small number of these people go on to become regular Geocachers. I'm talking single digit percentages, if not less than 1%. Their (lame) cache logs are out there like crazy though. I'm going to a small City next week in my State (NY) that was never a big caching hotbed. A handful of regulars at most, and a lot of them currently inactive. It's also a Military town, and of course you have "regulars" who come and go after doing a tour at the local post. I'm familiar with many established NY cachers, and I see their "vacation logs". But I tell you though man, these cache pages (for ones that obviously show in the intro app) are absolutely loaded with "newbie logs". Which almost universally consist of three word or less, I might add. :lol: It's definitely introducing a lot of people to the game.

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When reading posts here like "seperating the wheat from the chaff..." and receiving emails from cache users saying "Hi, I realise that you are are fairly new to geocaching with only 30ish finds but people put a lot of time and effort into their caches some more than others admittedly, so if you could acknowledge this effort with something a bit more than "TFTC" we would appreciate it thanks."

It is elitists like you who are ruining the game . It is supposed to be fun. Players don't have to write anything more that TFTC. There could be any number of reasons why someone writes that. Language restrictions, limited English skills, difficulty reading, time restrictions... a thank you is a thank you. Whatever form it comes in.

I paid for the app. I rarely use it. It sucks to hear people bagging users like me out blaming lost or damaged caches on us.

I appreciate the fact that people go to the trouble of hiding the apps but why are you doing it? For fun so that many can smile when they find your cache, so you can brighten their days, or for gratification? So that all your geocaching friends will thing you are awesome and give you pats on the back?

Maybe the problem is the way you perceive the game.

Im sure some of you are capaple of making a game that would suit your needs better.

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When reading posts here like "seperating the wheat from the chaff..." and receiving emails from cache users saying "Hi, I realise that you are are fairly new to geocaching with only 30ish finds but people put a lot of time and effort into their caches some more than others admittedly, so if you could acknowledge this effort with something a bit more than "TFTC" we would appreciate it thanks."

It is elitists like you who are ruining the game . It is supposed to be fun. Players don't have to write anything more that TFTC. There could be any number of reasons why someone writes that. Language restrictions, limited English skills, difficulty reading, time restrictions... a thank you is a thank you. Whatever form it comes in.

I paid for the app. I rarely use it. It sucks to hear people bagging users like me out blaming lost or damaged caches on us.

I appreciate the fact that people go to the trouble of hiding the apps but why are you doing it? For fun so that many can smile when they find your cache, so you can brighten their days, or for gratification? So that all your geocaching friends will thing you are awesome and give you pats on the back?

Maybe the problem is the way you perceive the game.

Im sure some of you are capaple of making a game that would suit your needs better.

 

Well all I can say is if you paid for the app, you DO NOT have the intro app, which is the topic of this thread. So rant for naught, I guess. :) Am I to understand from the first paragraph that you have received an email or emails from cache owners about short logs?

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When reading posts here like "seperating the wheat from the chaff..." and receiving emails from cache users saying "Hi, I realise that you are are fairly new to geocaching with only 30ish finds but people put a lot of time and effort into their caches some more than others admittedly, so if you could acknowledge this effort with something a bit more than "TFTC" we would appreciate it thanks."

It is elitists like you who are ruining the game . It is supposed to be fun. Players don't have to write anything more that TFTC. There could be any number of reasons why someone writes that. Language restrictions, limited English skills, difficulty reading, time restrictions... a thank you is a thank you. Whatever form it comes in.

I paid for the app. I rarely use it. It sucks to hear people bagging users like me out blaming lost or damaged caches on us.

I appreciate the fact that people go to the trouble of hiding the apps but why are you doing it? For fun so that many can smile when they find your cache, so you can brighten their days, or for gratification? So that all your geocaching friends will thing you are awesome and give you pats on the back?

Maybe the problem is the way you perceive the game.

Im sure some of you are capaple of making a game that would suit your needs better.

Off topic, as this thread is about the free intro app.

You're a validated member, or you couldn't enter the forums with your small rant.

Many issues are with folks who aren't validated members, never logging into the site, knowing little or nothing of this hobby other than, "hey, I downloaded this free app. Let's go try it out...".

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how can we offer to help them, if they don't have validated emails? <_<

Some of my signature items are printed items (lately, plastic cards). The front designed to be something I hope someone would enjoy keeping (and maybe trade up for). The other side's a Geocaching etiquette tip.

That is a great idea! Are you able to share the file with us. I would love to do something like that but with my own front design.

 

Fantastic idea! Best one I've seen in a long time. I also would like to share in this, if you don't mind.

Sorry, I just now noticed these requests. I've posted some card info here.

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I have been having lots of issues with the frappies (free app). Hey names get started somehow!!! Anyway, bad logs, say they find and don't, at least no log signed and unable to communicate with these people is just the tip of the iceberg . I just downloaded the app to check it out. Not impressed at all. It has some videos also kind of lame. Any kid with a smart phone can do this it surly should be limited to adults. Not that all adults act like adults. Also it should last 14 days (or some reasonable time). And then have to purchase the paid app. I may have to make all my caches premium just so they can't be viewed by members and the frappies.

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Recently I've gotten 5 people to start geocaching.

 

Sure, but this application allows people to go geocaching without us being able to contact or report them for potential abuse. This is just a no-go.

 

Previously none of them were interested in buying a GPS, but when they heard about the app, they all started.

 

Newsflash, PocketPC applications for geocaching have been around since before 2006… and they rocked, even back then, already. I’ve *still* not got enough money for a “pro” GPS, but have been running around with a borrowed Sharp Zaurus, with my own 12" laptop (yeah…), and with a cheapo PocketPC from just before Windows Mobile was terminated, and am still happy with the latter.

 

So, you don’t need this application. The others would just use your normal site account, which means you have a contact eMail address. Oh, and they’d allow one to use all cache types and sites.

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Intro App users have been "killing the hobby" for awhile now. How's the hobby doing and what is the solution? The most common thing I hear is make caches PMO. Otherwise, your cache is a training ground for n00bs.

 

People talk about the benefits of complicated search lists with PM. Another benefit is being able to (more easily) find the PMO caches. Yeah, I know some say PMO caches are no better than average, but in my area they absolutely are.

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this application allows people to go geocaching without us being able to contact or report them for potential abuse.

How many Geocachers, (rough estimate, and I mean validated members, of course) have you personally contacted for abuse?

Just thought I'd throw in my $.02. I have personally not had a need to contact any cachers for abuse (spoiler logs, etc.), but it would be very frustrating if I did need to, and they didn't have a registered email. I have contacted cachers who have held my TBs for quite a while (or not logged them properly), and that would also be impossible with no registered email. It seems to me that GS is doing the INTRO APP users a disservice by not forcing them to validate email. If there is an issue with one of their logs, there is no way for the CO to contact them, and when the CO deletes their log, their is no way for GS to notify them.

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PM's with a bahzillion finds are also killing the hobby. They arrive, evidently spooking a herd of wild elephants in the process. If they can't find the cache in five seconds, it will look like a look like a bomb went off in a circle in a thirty foot radius of GZ. Trees bent outward stripped of all their branches, soil removed down to the bedrock. You know, the usual. Months later after a bunch more finds (which are much easier finds after the place is razed), another Geocacher will casually mention the disaster.

Edited by kunarion
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I have personally not had a need to contact any cachers for abuse (spoiler logs, etc.), but it would be very frustrating if I did need to, and they didn't have a registered email. I have contacted cachers who have held my TBs for quite a while (or not logged them properly), and that would also be impossible with no registered email. It seems to me that GS is doing the INTRO APP users a disservice by not forcing them to validate email. If there is an issue with one of their logs, there is no way for the CO to contact them, and when the CO deletes their log, their is no way for GS to notify them.

 

This is not an issue of the intro app. There are even premium members that own a number of active caches that cannot be reached by e-mail (no, I do not mean cachers that got dispended for a while).

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Recently I've gotten 5 people to start geocaching.

 

Sure, but this application allows people to go geocaching without us being able to contact or report them for potential abuse. This is just a no-go.

 

Previously none of them were interested in buying a GPS, but when they heard about the app, they all started.

 

Newsflash, PocketPC applications for geocaching have been around since before 2006… and they rocked, even back then, already. I’ve *still* not got enough money for a “pro” GPS, but have been running around with a borrowed Sharp Zaurus, with my own 12" laptop (yeah…), and with a cheapo PocketPC from just before Windows Mobile was terminated, and am still happy with the latter.

 

So, you don’t need this application. The others would just use your normal site account, which means you have a contact eMail address. Oh, and they’d allow one to use all cache types and sites.

 

I agree that they should verify email addresses, but as for those ancient applications, nobody wants to use those.

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This is not an issue of the intro app. There are even premium members that own a number of active caches that cannot be reached by e-mail

+1

 

Groundspeak could force a "verification" til the cows come home, and anyone can foil that plan by simply not opening (or answering) email.

 

Email verification is solely to make it a little more official to sign up, more of a pain to have multiple accounts. It's an account management thing, not a communication thing. I sign up on various web sites using throw-away email addresses all the time, completely "verified". I do it in that way specifically so that I will not be contacted.

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If there is an issue with one of their logs, there is no way for the CO to contact them, and when the CO deletes their log, their is no way for GS to notify them.

Why can't the App do that? If a log is deleted, that could pop up in the App itself. If the vacuum of communication is what's killing the hobby, program the App for ease of communication. No "email" needed.

 

"User has nor verified the account. Click here to send a PM to their App."

Edited by kunarion
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If there is an issue with one of their logs, there is no way for the CO to contact them, and when the CO deletes their log, their is no way for GS to notify them.

Why can't the App do that? If a log is deleted, that could pop up in the App itself. If the vacuum of communication is what's killing the hobby, program the App for ease of communication. No "email" needed.

 

"User has nor verified the account. Click here to send a PM to their App."

 

If the app or the website were the standard means of communication it would make many things much easier.

 

App users would be contactable even if they had an unvalidated or disposable email address. People could communicate back and forth without having to share email addresses and without the hassle that currently occurs when you get an email from noreply@geocaching.com because someone contacted you but for whatever reason didn't want to share their email address, and then have to jump through hoops to reply to it.

 

If things like logs on caches you own, deletions of your logs etc appeared as messages in the app it would at least provide a means to contact people. You can't force them to read the messages but at least you can deliver the message.

 

Those who argue it's pointless because people can't be forced to read it might as well say we should abandon the Royal Mail because nobody can be forced to read a letter, and to do away with email completely because people can just delete any mail they get.

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Groundspeak could force a "verification" til the cows come home, and anyone can foil that plan by simply not opening (or answering) email.

Technically true, but I find that in practice, if I email a user who has a verified email address and has been active recently, I usually get a reply.

 

If they haven't been active in, say, the past year, a reply is much less likely.

 

If they don't have a verified email address ... well, who knows? Perhaps those same people would have used a throwaway address or stopped reading email immediately, but if verification isn't required, we'll never know.

 

I agree with those who say it does not have to be email in the strict sense, RFC822 and all that. It just has to be a way to contact the person online. However, I'd say it needs to be more permanent than a free intro app which might get deleted tomorrow. We already see lots of problems because people change email addresses, but at least most people tend to keep email addresses for some time.

 

Edward

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Well there seems to be a big problem around here. I was just looking for some trackables to take on a trip next week. I looked online at several caches that had bugs listed. I am seeing a consistante pattern of cachers with 2 or 4 finds (often multiples on the same cache), and immediatly after, missing trackables. It appears that indeed the into app is killing the trackables game.

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Well there seems to be a big problem around here. I was just looking for some trackables to take on a trip next week. I looked online at several caches that had bugs listed. I am seeing a consistante pattern of cachers with 2 or 4 finds (often multiples on the same cache), and immediatly after, missing trackables. It appears that indeed the into app is killing the trackables game.

Another example that supports the ideas from many, many pages back that the Intro App have some "nag" screens that give quick lessons while the "cache information is loading..." Nobody the wiser that it could load quicker, but instead the new cachers get some quick lessons while they wait for the information to display on their screens for that cache they're about to "find"...

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Well there seems to be a big problem around here. I was just looking for some trackables to take on a trip next week. I looked online at several caches that had bugs listed. I am seeing a consistante pattern of cachers with 2 or 4 finds (often multiples on the same cache), and immediatly after, missing trackables. It appears that indeed the into app is killing the trackables game.

Another example that supports the ideas from many, many pages back that the Intro App have some "nag" screens that give quick lessons while the "cache information is loading..." Nobody the wiser that it could load quicker, but instead the new cachers get some quick lessons while they wait for the information to display on their screens for that cache they're about to "find"...

My other 2/3rds is notorious for never reading directions. Every phone she owned had the users manual sealed in its plastic.

I'd think many are the same and if there's any way to skip it, few would read any direction anyway.

The site still calls itself a "Real World Treasure Hunt" and a recent thread showed the media saying there's a prize or information inside.

These kids (mostly, it seems) see a coin or toy with tag and that's their "prize", the "treasure", for finding the cache.

After a couple, they give up - and on to the next free app they loaded.

- You had to walk outside with that last one...

With the weekly threads of missing trackables, if it were me, I'd reuse the code on something else (or just forget it entirely) and never think of spending money for another.

No reason to fix a problem if people are willing to keep buying others to take it's place.

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I just had a new user find one of my caches, but they accidentally used "needs archived" rather than "found it".

 

I went to email them and teach them how to edit their log, and they weren't validated. I deleted their log. I feel kind of bad now, maybe I should have let it be, because they actually wrote more than "tftc". :unsure:

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I just had a new user find one of my caches, but they accidentally used "needs archived" rather than "found it".

 

I went to email them and teach them how to edit their log, and they weren't validated. I deleted their log. I feel kind of bad now, maybe I should have let it be, because they actually wrote more than "tftc". :unsure:

 

Other times they log "Needs Archived" instead of " DNF " :rolleyes:

I usually delete these also.....the log is simply incorrect ( the reviewer will get the log also but will see it is bogus)

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I just had a new user find one of my caches, but they accidentally used "needs archived" rather than "found it".

 

I went to email them and teach them how to edit their log, and they weren't validated. I deleted their log. I feel kind of bad now, maybe I should have let it be, because they actually wrote more than "tftc". :unsure:

 

Other times they log "Needs Archived" instead of " DNF " :rolleyes:

I usually delete these also.....the log is simply incorrect ( the reviewer will get the log also but will see it is bogus)

It does correct the cache page. I wish that I didn't have to get rid of their comment, however.

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I just had a new user find one of my caches, but they accidentally used "needs archived" rather than "found it".

 

I went to email them and teach them how to edit their log, and they weren't validated. I deleted their log. I feel kind of bad now, maybe I should have let it be, because they actually wrote more than "tftc". :unsure:

 

Other times they log "Needs Archived" instead of " DNF " :rolleyes:

I usually delete these also.....the log is simply incorrect ( the reviewer will get the log also but will see it is bogus)

It does correct the cache page. I wish that I didn't have to get rid of their comment, however.

 

A "Needs Archived" log is a bell that can't be unrung by deleting it. The reviewer will still see it.

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I just had a new user find one of my caches, but they accidentally used "needs archived" rather than "found it".

 

I went to email them and teach them how to edit their log, and they weren't validated. I deleted their log. I feel kind of bad now, maybe I should have let it be, because they actually wrote more than "tftc". :unsure:

 

Other times they log "Needs Archived" instead of " DNF " :rolleyes:

I usually delete these also.....the log is simply incorrect ( the reviewer will get the log also but will see it is bogus)

It does correct the cache page. I wish that I didn't have to get rid of their comment, however.

 

A "Needs Archived" log is a bell that can't be unrung by deleting it. The reviewer will still see it.

Sure. But it's obvious that the log is incorrect, since it talks about finding the cache. I didn't delete the needs archived because of the reviewer, but because it was an incorrect log type.

 

Although, that's why I'm feeling a bit guilty now. It doesn't really matter that it was incorrect I guess, because reviewers aren't going to care, and the cacher did post a good comment for a newbie.

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Sure. But it's obvious that the log is incorrect, since it talks about finding the cache. I didn't delete the needs archived because of the reviewer, but because it was an incorrect log type.

 

Although, that's why I'm feeling a bit guilty now. It doesn't really matter that it was incorrect I guess, because reviewers aren't going to care, and the cacher did post a good comment for a newbie.

 

Well, if they ever do validate their account, you could contact them and tell them they can get a reviewer to help restore it, or just email them the text so they can copy it back into a proper found log. Don't feel too guilty.

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Sure. But it's obvious that the log is incorrect, since it talks about finding the cache. I didn't delete the needs archived because of the reviewer, but because it was an incorrect log type.

 

Although, that's why I'm feeling a bit guilty now. It doesn't really matter that it was incorrect I guess, because reviewers aren't going to care, and the cacher did post a good comment for a newbie.

 

Well, if they ever do validate their account, you could contact them and tell them they can get a reviewer to help restore it, or just email them the text so they can copy it back into a proper found log. Don't feel too guilty.

I thought about that. But to make it work, I'd have to monitor their account, which I'm not going to do. ;) Since they're not validated, and so never received a deletion notice, they're unlikely to realize that their log was deleted.

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Sure. But it's obvious that the log is incorrect, since it talks about finding the cache. I didn't delete the needs archived because of the reviewer, but because it was an incorrect log type.

 

Although, that's why I'm feeling a bit guilty now. It doesn't really matter that it was incorrect I guess, because reviewers aren't going to care, and the cacher did post a good comment for a newbie.

 

Well, if they ever do validate their account, you could contact them and tell them they can get a reviewer to help restore it, or just email them the text so they can copy it back into a proper found log. Don't feel too guilty.

I thought about that. But to make it work, I'd have to monitor their account, which I'm not going to do. ;) Since they're not validated, and so never received a deletion notice, they're unlikely to realize that their log was deleted.

 

Well, if you have a pang of guilt in three months, you can go look. :lol:

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Sure. But it's obvious that the log is incorrect, since it talks about finding the cache. I didn't delete the needs archived because of the reviewer, but because it was an incorrect log type.

 

Although, that's why I'm feeling a bit guilty now. It doesn't really matter that it was incorrect I guess, because reviewers aren't going to care, and the cacher did post a good comment for a newbie.

 

Well, if they ever do validate their account, you could contact them and tell them they can get a reviewer to help restore it, or just email them the text so they can copy it back into a proper found log. Don't feel too guilty.

I thought about that. But to make it work, I'd have to monitor their account, which I'm not going to do. ;) Since they're not validated, and so never received a deletion notice, they're unlikely to realize that their log was deleted.

 

Well, if you have a pang of guilt in three months, you can go look. :lol:

 

:laughing:

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So, admittedly I read half of page 1 and half of page 20, but it seems this issue (if it still exists or indeed if it ever really did), could be easily solved on the developer level by simply requiring a standard geocaching account to be established before it can be used. Most other specialised apps refer to this with text such as: "you must log in or create an account in order to use this app."

 

Now, that being established, if the standard account creation protocol does not include email and phone verification, GC needs to enter the 21st century. "Internet anonymity" has been and always will be problematic. Means are easily available to at least make rudimentary verification of a user's identity and the only thing gained by NOT following such procedures is an increase in riff-raff in general. Send a text message or voice message to the new user's PHONE with a number that must be entered in the sign up process and then do the same thing with the new user's email. If either fails, there is simply one less new member... heshe can try again when heshe has useable resources.

 

(I joined in 2003, so I have no idea how the sign-up process is done now)

 

The iphone app is a wonderful tool. The INTRO kinda sucks, but it is cool to use it to see just how well the iphone will work as a gpsr (not real well IMO) before one plops down the WHOPPING $10 or whatever it is (which is nearly impossible to get refunded from the Apple store)

 

The iPAD app, works wonderfully, BTW. :-) It is free and it requires LOG IN.

 

Geocaching is and always has been available for FREE. To deny someone use of the system if they have an account is WRONG by any measure unless and until GC changes this free use philosophy entirely.

 

Simply require the free app users to establish a normal account and let the pieces fall where they may- same as for any other newbie.

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Getting an email account is free. Using that email account to create a geocaching account is free. Validation for that email account is also free.

 

I think that's your point, but I'm just driving it home...

Pretty close. My point is that these things need to be REQUIRED in order to establish an account, log on and use the app. YOUR point, that it will STILL be FREE, is also a good point to appease thos who whine, "but..but..but..geocaching is supposed to be FREE." "Free" means "no money changes hands directly for the service," not "you can be anonymous."

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