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Universal "new cache email"


cachman9

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I think everyone should be able to get an e-mail for new caches that are placed. Currently, only premium members have this option. I don't think that the joy of a FTF should be restricted to only those that pay. The other premium feature can be kept, but this one bugs me. I'm sure other members agree. If we don't have to pay to find a geocache, why DO we have to pay?

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Yes, we are premium and charter members for a myriad of reasons. In many cases, the notifications perk is one of the big ones. If you want to play the FTF game, you still can without the notifications. If you want to play it in an easier fashion, pony up for premium membership instead of trying to degrade the value of premium memberships for those of us that already have.

Edited by Semper Questio
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If we don't have to pay to find a geocache, why DO we have to pay?

You still don't have to pay to find a geocache. Heck, you don't even have to pay to be FTF. You can sit there and reload the "nearest cache" list all day long until a new cache shows up. But if you want the perks of Premium Membership, you have to pay for that. You're then paying for the perks, not paying to geocache.

 

Also, the geocaching.com website is not cheap to run. Groundspeak is a business and they need to somehow make money to run the website. One way is to incentivise you to pay for Premium Membership.

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I think everyone should be able to get an e-mail for new caches that are placed. Currently, only premium members have this option. I don't think that the joy of a FTF should be restricted to only those that pay. The other premium feature can be kept, but this one bugs me. I'm sure other members agree. If we don't have to pay to find a geocache, why DO we have to pay?

 

Let's see here. I pay my $30 a year for PM. Groundspeak want's to give the people who pay stuff in return-the notification is one of those things. If they come available to non PM's then I want a discount.

 

You don't HAVE to pay. I know a cacher who has about 2000 finds, several FTF's, several hides, and is very active in the geocaching community. He is not a PM. On the other hand I have about 300 finds, a couple FTF's, and nowhere near as active, yet I'm a PM.

 

I honestly think that you're being a bit of a crybaby here. $30 really isn't that much, and $30 a year is nothing. I can play paintball and spend $60 in paint for half a day. I am into RC-Nitro fuel will cost me $30 a gallon. Batteries can cost $50 or more-and only last for 5-10 minutes before they need to be recharged. I bought a new camera. $400-and the lens was another $400. I could go and spend $1000 on the camera, and $2000 on a lens, and still not be in the ultra high end of things yet. I can't even get a bus pass for $30 a month.

 

You have 17 finds in three years-whats the whole story....

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Geez, yu guys are harsh.

 

Posting the truth and reality is not being harsh. What you want is to have a PM perk without paying for the PM. Well, that's not fair to people who pay for PM, is it?

 

There's a reason why people pay for Premium Membership, not just here but on numerous other sites, and that's to get the perks. If the perks are important enough for you, you will be willing to pay for the PM. It works out to $0.08 a day. You can't get a coffee that cheap.

 

Let's hear from some basic members and moderators.

 

We've been PM and we've been Basic. We managed to find caches while Basic just as well as we are able to find them with the PM.

 

I'm not sure why you need a moderator to chime in to tell you what you already know and has already been explained to you.

 

If you really want to be FTF, you need to work a bit harder for it, but it's completely possible. Just being able to get notified isn't enough. You would still need to be ready to run at the drop of a hat to beat the other FTF'ers in the area.

 

If you want to know about new caches when they're published, go to your profile page and scroll down to where it says "List newest in XXX". Keep refreshing that page as much as you want.

 

We have one FTF, and that's how we did it. No notifications needed.

 

 

B.

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Geez, yu guys are harsh.

I'm afraid I don't understand what's harsh about pointing out why this is a valuable feature and providing good reasons it shouldn't be given to you for free.

 

I honestly think that you're being a bit of a crybaby here.

OK, that was harsh, but you kinda deserve it once you acted like the answers you got weren't being reasonable. That makes me feeling like piling on, too.

 

Let's hear from some basic members and moderators.

I'm not sure I see why any other basic member would bother to respond, since supporting you would be self-serving, and disagreeing with you obviously isn't going to accomplish anything.

 

And I don't really understand why you are thinking of moderators as a separate group in this context. That's an act that's disturbingly like someone wanting something they can't afford and hoping to convince the government to get it for them. (Not that the moderators function in a capacity anything like the government...)

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OK guys, enough. I've heard too many insults. Obviously, you just think this topic is stupid. So just hush. I wasn't expecting so many rude responses.

 

There weren't any really rude responses, and only one comment that could be considered insulting.

 

This has been one of the more polite, civilized threads on this forum.

 

 

B.

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OK guys, enough. I've heard too many insults. Obviously, you just think this topic is stupid. So just hush. I wasn't expecting so many rude responses

 

Did you not see this:

 

 

If you want to know about new caches when they're published, go to your profile page and scroll down to where it says "List newest in XXX". Keep refreshing that page as much as you want.

 

We have one FTF, and that's how we did it. No notifications needed.

 

 

B.

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OK, just for grins... let us talk about FTF's....

 

We are not into FTF hunting anymore, and I cannot tell you how many we have (but it is a fairly good number). I dare say that of our FTF finds that we have, probably about 90% of them were before becoming a Premium Member.

 

If being FTF is your issue, then it is up to you to figure out how to do it. It does not come on a silver platter, Premium Member or not.

It is something YOU must work for, not us or the 'site making such available to you.

 

Each plays the game to their liking. There are methods available for you to use -- being a PM is only one method. If you want to be FTF, then work at being FTF. Sitting back and waiting, waiting, waiting is not the way to get 'er done. It takes perseverance and yes, a little bit-o-work.

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OK guys, enough. I've heard too many insults. Obviously, you just think this topic is stupid. So just hush. I wasn't expecting so many rude responses.

 

There weren't any really rude responses, and only one comment that could be considered insulting.

 

This has been one of the more polite, civilized threads on this forum.

 

 

B.

 

Actually I meant to be rude-just to get the OP to pay attention to what he was saying. Didsn't mean to insult...

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I don't think that the joy of a FTF should be restricted to only those that pay.
Then it's a good thing that the joy of a FTF is not restricted only to premium members.

 

I've never used instant notifications, and I didn't use premium member features to get any of my FTFs. It is perfectly possible for basic members to get FTFs now.

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OK guys, enough. I've heard too many insults. Obviously, you just think this topic is stupid. So just hush. I wasn't expecting so many rude responses.

 

I read through this entire thread and did not see one insult. I admit that before I was a PM that I felt left out. I also didn't really know my way around the site all that well. Basic members may not have the perk of instant notifications, but that doesn't exclude them from ftfs. Hell, it doesn't even exclude them from logging PMO caches.

 

It's just like any other service or game. Like when you run out of coins or something in some internet based game and have to wait twenty minutes to play again or pay a small fee to support the upkeep of the game. It's your choice whether or not you want to pay, however those that do choose to pay the small fee are rewarded with extra features. It's the way the internet world works nowadays.

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OK, Puppy :laughing:

 

Boogie-Boogie :anibad:

 

Those are probably the most insulting comments in the whole thread.

 

Well now you know how I feel.

 

Until your posts there were no insulting posts. There were posts pointing out instant notification is a premium feature. This is not insulting, This is how the site is structured. There some posts pointing out you can play the FTF game without instant notification. Even as a premium member that was how I played the game. I did notice some posts whining how some are entitled to premium features without paying for them, I consider those to be insulting. I guess unless the posters agree with you anything they say is insulting. Welcome to the internet.

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Let's hear from some basic members and moderators.

1. As a long time observer of, and volunteer for, Geocaching.com, I would peg the odds of Groundspeak converting a valued premium feature to a basic member feature as about the same as the odds of BrianSnat and Clan Riffster teaming up for a leapfrogging tour down the ET Highway Powertrail.

 

2. Many techniques were developed for gaining an FTF advantage in the years prior to the introduction of instant notifications. I scored a few dozen before cutting way back after becoming a reviewer. I've scored a few FTF's on caches after I became a reviewer, without an insta-notify message, and which I didn't publish or otherwise know about prior to publication by someone else. It's doable, and as another poster has mentioned, even more satisfying than responding to an instant notification message like it was a siren summoning the volunteer firefighters. It would be good to hear from other veterans about their tips for getting an FTF without relying on instant notifications.

 

3. Other than the above, I see no need for moderator involvement in this thread. Yet. :ph34r:

Edited by Keystone
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Our first 80 or so FTFs were when we were basic members.

On the PC, newest in, refresh, refresh...

We were beating a long-time PM, who claimed himself (and others bought it) to be the FTF master, more than half the time.

- He hated our guts. :laughing:

 

Unlike many, we didn't become premium members for PQs/search functions.

My other 2/3rds, who became a FTF monster wanted notifications (anyone else used blackberry and trimble?).

 

Though we've both slowed down a lot, we'll use it (PM) for routes when on vacation and stuff. Thirty bucks for an entire year isn't too bad really...

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I think everyone should be able to get an e-mail for new caches that are placed. Currently, only premium members have this option. I don't think that the joy of a FTF should be restricted to only those that pay. The other premium feature can be kept, but this one bugs me. I'm sure other members agree. If we don't have to pay to find a geocache, why DO we have to pay?

 

FTF race isn't a Groundspeak thing, it is something that developed in some areas over time, therefore it isn't their problem that you want it to be easier to get there first. I have yet to get a FTF.

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I don't have a smartphone, and the only notification I get is when I log onto my email. Most of my 200+ FTF's have been as a result of the land-line calls I receive from Keystone just prior to publication. It is great being in his reviewing area (and knowing his Paypal address).

Sounds like a dangling participle carrot!

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FTF race isn't a Groundspeak thing (snip)...

Really?

Odd then how they explain notifications here...

"Get alerts for new cache placements.

- Is going out in the middle of the night to be the first to find a new cache crazy? Sure it is. Yet it can make geocaching even more fun and exhilarating! Geocaching Premium Members can sign up to receive Instant Notifications about new caches in an area, giving them an advantage when it comes to being first to find (FTF). "

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I don't have a smartphone, and the only notification I get is when I log onto my email. Most of my 200+ FTF's have been as a result of the land-line calls I receive from Keystone just prior to publication. It is great being in his reviewing area (and knowing his Paypal address).

We've had a thread on reviewers abusing the system and hogging all the FTF's, sounds like we now need a thread on reviewers abusing the system and profiting from FTF's. :)

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FTF race isn't a Groundspeak thing (snip)...

Really?

Odd then how they explain notifications here...

"Get alerts for new cache placements.

- Is going out in the middle of the night to be the first to find a new cache crazy? Sure it is. Yet it can make geocaching even more fun and exhilarating! Geocaching Premium Members can sign up to receive Instant Notifications about new caches in an area, giving them an advantage when it comes to being first to find (FTF). "

 

They have always acknowledged that FTFs exist as a n element of the game and they are clearly using it for marketing premium memberships. However, they have never recognized it as an "official" aspect of the game nor have they ever gotten involved in FTF issues such as deciding exactly what constitutes an FTF or deciding FTF disputes. And I hope they never do. This gmae has gotten too rule-bound, cumbersome, and competitive already.

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I don't have a smartphone, and the only notification I get is when I log onto my email. Most of my 200+ FTF's have been as a result of the land-line calls I receive from Keystone just prior to publication. It is great being in his reviewing area (and knowing his Paypal address).

 

Alright Keystone, now you are involved. :anitongue::ph34r: Why are you calling people about new caches?!? Why don't we all get calls? Isn't that a little unfair? :blink:

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I don't have a smartphone, and the only notification I get is when I log onto my email. Most of my 200+ FTF's have been as a result of the land-line calls I receive from Keystone just prior to publication. It is great being in his reviewing area (and knowing his Paypal address).

 

Alright Keystone, now you are involved. :anitongue::ph34r: Why are you calling people about new caches?!? Why don't we all get calls? Isn't that a little unfair? :blink:

 

That was only supposed to be known by super double-secret Platinum members. :mad:

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Well now it has been slipped. :laughing: Now we need a explanation. :drama:
You can't handle the explanation! Son, we live in a world that has geocaches, and those geocaches have to be guarded by men with premium memberships. Who's gonna do it? You? You, cachman9? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for instant notifications, and you curse the premium members. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That instant notifications, by being available only to premium members, probably saved geocaches. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves geocaches. You don't want the explanation because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me finding geocaches, you need me finding geocaches. We use words like FTF, FTL, FTFAP. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very premium membership that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a geocache, and sign a log. Either way, I don't give a dadgum what you think you are entitled to.

 

How's that for :drama: ?

 

[with apologies to Jack Nicholson]

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Well now it has been slipped. :laughing: Now we need a explanation. :drama:
You can't handle the explanation! Son, we live in a world that has geocaches, and those geocaches have to be guarded by men with premium memberships. Who's gonna do it? You? You, cachman9? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for instant notifications, and you curse the premium members. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That instant notifications, by being available only to premium members, probably saved geocaches. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves geocaches. You don't want the explanation because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me finding geocaches, you need me finding geocaches. We use words like FTF, FTL, FTFAP. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very premium membership that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a geocache, and sign a log. Either way, I don't give a dadgum what you think you are entitled to.

 

How's that for :drama: ?

 

[with apologies to Jack Nicholson]

 

BRAVO! Nice adaptation! :grin:

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