Abandoned category descriptions

[+The A-Team]

I've looked through a lot of category descriptions over the last while in an effort to identify ones that I can add local Waymarks to, and there's something I keep seeing: seemingly abandoned category descriptions. Here are a few examples I thought of while I was typing this:

Outside Wooden Display Carvings - See the table of four examples? See the two empty spots? They've been like that at least since I started actively Waymarking in June.

Static Artillery Displays - Has nobody ever noticed that the visit instructions are actually the posting instructions? You don't name Waymarks when you visit them!

Ropes Course - All three of the links in that description are broken or out-of-date.

 

There are lots more that I can't remember off the top of my head right now. A review of any of the three category descriptions above would show that things need to be fixed, so it seems to me that those managers never look there. It also seems that groups rarely add clarification to the descriptions when grey areas, ambiguities, or incomplete descriptions are identified (the naming clause in Firehouses is one of the most glaring examples). Some abandoned descriptions may be due to a completely abandoned category like the ones in the Abandoned Categories discussion, but Outside Wooden Display Carvings is very much active, so that isn't the reason there.

 

Here's a question for you category managers: How often, or do you ever, review the category description?

 

For that matter, who can make changes to the description? Any officer? Just the founder? I've seen some categories with clarifications and modifications (e.g. Artistically Disguised Utility Boxes had a Sept 2013 update), so clearly modifications are possible. It's to your benefit as Waymark reviewers to have clear and unambiguous listing requirements, so I can't understand why there are so many descriptions that are in poor condition. Is there something I'm unaware of that inhibits these kinds of changes, or is it just that managers never think about it?

[+Max and 99]

Unfortunately, many categories give Posting instructions for the Visit Instructions, which can cause confusion for those new to the site. I'm assuming those are all categories created before peer review?

 

You brought up some good points!

[+Rikitan]

Here's a question for you category managers: How often, or do you ever, review the category description?

For that matter, who can make changes to the description? Any officer? Just the founder?

 

Good topic to think about and fix what's broken ... in ideal world there would exist annual notification from website with the list of categories to review. Here we can just notify the leaders, case by case, when we spot something apparently wrong.

 

To your questions - I manage only 1 category with editorial rights, created just few months ago. It looks fine.

I would guess, that majority of category descriptions can be edited just by their leaders. But leader can setup authorization to edit category to lower management levels of his group. It depends on settings of each individual group of officers.

Example:

 

[+MountainWoods]

Yep. I've been actively Waymarking for about a year and a half, and that's one of the first things I noticed, that some of the categories have the posting and visiting instructions intertwined.

 

For example:

• Worldwide Cemeteries - now it makes sense for a visitor to post the approximate number of graves, so that folks can see how "active" the burials are there, as well as a photo. But it doesn't make sense to reiterate the name of the cemetery (they really don't change that often...) nor location (they definitely do not move that often!).
  
• Water Towers - two photos for a posting makes sense. But why must the visitor post two photos? Seems like one should be enough.
  

There are others, but I can't think of 'em just now.

 

There's one category that I regularly post to that the category description page lists a whole slew of Variables; but when you post a new waymark, none of those variables are asked for! I just try to remember to put some of that information into my description. Getting old - I can't even remember which category that is.

 

I think that some of the category creators weren't entirely computer savvy, so they kinda goofed up the posting of new waymarks in that category. An example is Amateur Baseball Fields which has 5 variables: Single, Double, Triple, Home Run, Grand Slam; each of which has a 1 to 5 rating. I'm never sure what to put in those! A yes or no for each might make sense, but even that isn't quite right (what if someone says Single=y, Double=n, Triple=y, Home Run=n, Grand Slam=y?!?). I think what they meant to have is just one variable with 5 different values, and a description as to what those 5 values mean. A ball park is either a Single or a Double or a Triple or whatever. It isn't "kind of" each of those. Too late to change it now, I guess.

Edited February 13, 2014 by MountainWoods

[+silverquill]

Sure, there are lot of categories that leave much to be desired when it comes to descriptions, posting instructions, and logging instructions.

 

I lot of it has to do with the evolution of Waymarking. In the early days we had a kind of minimalist approach. And, yes, some categories were created with a lack of understanding and forethought. I guess my greatest blunder was in creating the Municipal Parks category which has a place for waaay to many, and redundant, variables. I keep them in place because if I delete them, then all previous information entered into them would disappear.

 

Of course categories can be revised, and frequently are. I would say that the majority of my categories have been modified in some way since they were created, and the same is true of ones that I've inherited or adopted. Probably I need to go through them systematically again.

 

Other solutions? Well, in some cases I think a note to the category group leader might help. I know some of the changes I've made have been in response to someone's suggestion. This will not always work, of course, especially when the leaders are inactive or just unresponsive.

 

Periodically the suggestion is made that there be a group formed and given the ability to edit categories, or to get them jump started when they are stalled or abandoned. I don't see that happening. There is, or was, a system for getting inactive categories going again, but with the departure of Checkmark, I don't know what the status of that is.

 

So, for the most part, we just try to do the best we can with the idiosyncrasies of our categories. But, keep trying.

[+Lat34North]

"All three of the links in that description are broken or out-of-date."

 

When I find a broken link, I normally inform the "Leader" so they are aware of the problem.

[+fi67]

"All three of the links in that description are broken or out-of-date."

 

When I find a broken link, I normally inform the "Leader" so they are aware of the problem.

So do I. And over the years I have learned that in one out of twenty cases something happens.

[+silverquill]

Anyone want to volunteer to be a link checker?

[+jhuoni]

Anyone want to volunteer to be a link checker?

 

Does the position include any benefits? (Healthcare, 401k, vacation?)

[+Manville Possum]

I see a few categorys that have stalled out, some two out of three officers have not signed on in over a year. One is the West Virginia Historical markers, I requested to be promoted to an officer but have got no response from the only active member. Is there anyone that can help us that are willing to contribute to the future of Waymarking??

[+BruceS]

I see a few categorys that have stalled out, some two out of three officers have not signed on in over a year. One is the West Virginia Historical markers, I requested to be promoted to an officer but have got no response from the only active member. Is there anyone that can help us that are willing to contribute to the future of Waymarking??

 

If there is still one active officer and you have asked to help not much more can be done. You can suggest to him that he put you up for promotion, he may or may not have the ability to do that, as the leader can restrict other officers from calling that type vote. He does approve waymarks on a timely basis. Usually the day they are submitted. (I know as mine I have submitted recently were approved promptly).

Edited March 9, 2014 by BruceS

[+Manville Possum]

I see a few categorys that have stalled out, some two out of three officers have not signed on in over a year. One is the West Virginia Historical markers, I requested to be promoted to an officer but have got no response from the only active member. Is there anyone that can help us that are willing to contribute to the future of Waymarking??

 

If there is still one active officer and you have asked to help not much more can be done. You can suggest to him that he put you up for promotion, he may or may not have the ability to do that, as the leader can restrict other officers from calling that type vote. He does approve waymarks on a timely basis. Usually the day they are submitted. (I know as mine I have submitted recently were approved promptly).

Hopefully I will get a response, be it a promotion or not.

[+iconions]

I see a few categorys that have stalled out, some two out of three officers have not signed on in over a year. One is the West Virginia Historical markers, I requested to be promoted to an officer but have got no response from the only active member. Is there anyone that can help us that are willing to contribute to the future of Waymarking??

 

If there is still one active officer and you have asked to help not much more can be done. You can suggest to him that he put you up for promotion, he may or may not have the ability to do that, as the leader can restrict other officers from calling that type vote. He does approve waymarks on a timely basis. Usually the day they are submitted. (I know as mine I have submitted recently were approved promptly).

Hopefully I will get a response, be it a promotion or not.

 

You got a response from me...

[+Manville Possum]

I see a few categorys that have stalled out, some two out of three officers have not signed on in over a year. One is the West Virginia Historical markers, I requested to be promoted to an officer but have got no response from the only active member. Is there anyone that can help us that are willing to contribute to the future of Waymarking??

 

If there is still one active officer and you have asked to help not much more can be done. You can suggest to him that he put you up for promotion, he may or may not have the ability to do that, as the leader can restrict other officers from calling that type vote. He does approve waymarks on a timely basis. Usually the day they are submitted. (I know as mine I have submitted recently were approved promptly).

Hopefully I will get a response, be it a promotion or not.

 

You got a response from me...

You approved my new waymark quickly. Was that my response? I was mostly concerned about the West Virginia Historical markers group, only one active officer. Two inactive officers there keeps the group in good standing with TPTB, but keeps other interested members from taking part.

[+jhuoni]

I see a few categorys that have stalled out, some two out of three officers have not signed on in over a year. One is the West Virginia Historical markers, I requested to be promoted to an officer but have got no response from the only active member. Is there anyone that can help us that are willing to contribute to the future of Waymarking??

 

If there is still one active officer and you have asked to help not much more can be done. You can suggest to him that he put you up for promotion, he may or may not have the ability to do that, as the leader can restrict other officers from calling that type vote. He does approve waymarks on a timely basis. Usually the day they are submitted. (I know as mine I have submitted recently were approved promptly).

I was mostly concerned about the West Virginia Historical markers group, only one active officer. Two inactive officers there keeps the group in good standing with TPTB, but keeps other interested members from taking part.

 

The only privileges that Razalas has in West Virginia Markers is to REVIEW and EDIT Waymarks. So no matter how many of us ask to get promoted to this group, it can not happen with out Waymarking/Groundspeak intervention.

 

I see this same issue in a lot of Groups - the leader is the only one who can do anything. The leader West Virginia Markers has not logged into Waymarking since 12/11/2008 (Over FIVE years), It is should be noted that the last time this individual logged into Geocaching was JUNE 25, 2013. The second officer has not logged into Waymarking since 4/20/13, yet was active TODAY on Geocaching.

 

There really should be some sort of measure in place to prevent this from happening. Sometimes these things can't be handled from inside the group.

[+Waywizard]

There are now two new officers in the West Virginia Historical marker category.

[+BruceS]

 

The only privileges that Razalas has in West Virginia Markers is to REVIEW and EDIT Waymarks. So no matter how many of us ask to get promoted to this group, it can not happen with out Waymarking/Groundspeak intervention.

 

I was in error when I said the leader could restrict the vote. He can not restrict that. He can restrict other officers from inviting other officers from inviting new members but once they are regular members any officer could put them to vote. (But if open enrollment is closed and there are no regular members then they would be restricted)

 

In this case Groundspeak intervened via Waywizard.

Edited March 12, 2014 by BruceS

[+jhuoni]

The only privileges that Razalas has in West Virginia Markers is to REVIEW and EDIT Waymarks. So no matter how many of us ask to get promoted to this group, it can not happen with out Waymarking/Groundspeak intervention.

 

I was in error when I said the leader could restrict the vote. He can not restrict that. He can restrict other officers from inviting other officers from inviting new members but once they are regular members any officer could put them to vote. (But if open enrollment is closed and there are no regular members then they would be restricted)

 

In this case Groundspeak intervened via Waywizard.

 

That's good to know.

 

New officers installed - All we can ask for.

 

Thanks

[+Manville Possum]

The only privileges that Razalas has in West Virginia Markers is to REVIEW and EDIT Waymarks. So no matter how many of us ask to get promoted to this group, it can not happen with out Waymarking/Groundspeak intervention.

 

I was in error when I said the leader could restrict the vote. He can not restrict that. He can restrict other officers from inviting other officers from inviting new members but once they are regular members any officer could put them to vote. (But if open enrollment is closed and there are no regular members then they would be restricted)

 

In this case Groundspeak intervened via Waywizard.

 

That's good to know.

 

New officers installed - All we can ask for.

 

Thanks

Yes, thanks for the support.