History of "TFTC" only logs

[+Cankid]

Stupid question probably but, is there some sort of slow build up to the TFTC only logs, or did they just suddenly appear at some point in time?

[Mr.Yuck]

Stupid question probably but, is there some sort of slow build up to the TFTC only logs, or did they just suddenly appear at some point in time?

 

I'm the bonafide expert on this one. They absolutely appeared out of nowhere in early 2010, shortly after the smartphone apps came out. Some may disagree with me, but I will forever hold my ground. Finding a TFTC only log from 2009 or earlier is about as common as finding a disposable camera in a cache for finders to take their picture with (a once common practice).

 

Some may disagree with this too, but they're all thumbed out on smartphones in the field. I doubt anyone is going home and typing TFTC on a computer. Some may be thumbed out on higher end touch screen GPS units and saved as field notes, but I doubt that too.

[+J Grouchy]

Stupid question probably but, is there some sort of slow build up to the TFTC only logs, or did they just suddenly appear at some point in time?

 

I'm the bonafide expert on this one. They absolutely appeared out of nowhere in early 2010, shortly after the smartphone apps came out. Some may disagree with me, but I will forever hold my ground. Finding a TFTC only log from 2009 or earlier is about as common as finding a disposable camera in a cache for finders to take their picture with (a once common practice).

 

Some may disagree with this too, but they're all thumbed out on smartphones in the field. I doubt anyone is going home and typing TFTC on a computer. Some may be thumbed out on higher end touch screen GPS units and saved as field notes, but I doubt that too.

 

I'm assuming this was Groundspeak's reason for adding the default "That's one more find for me! Thanks so much for hiding this geocache." log...assuming if there was nothing there, people would just type in TFTC every time.

 

That may have backfired on them.

[Mr.Yuck]

Me again. I have proof, too! This wasn't hard to find, as I went to a 10 Years! Event (Events celebrating the 10th anniversary of Geocaching with a unique icon), and had a conversation with another cacher "what's up with all these newbies and TFTC?". So the next day when I was logging my finds on the way to the event, I noticed one of them had 3 or the last 4 logs before me being TFTC's, and I couldn't help but comment

 

First person to write more than an acronym in a month. What the heck* is up with that? Found the correct trail, and then the cache, without any major problems. Nice little area back there. Did not trade, thanks for placing the cache (no acronyms for me on this one).

 

*Changed for the forums, it's actually h-e-double hockey sticks.

 

The actual archived cache page: Cobblestone Gate. The date of my log? May 1st, 2010. Go figure.

[+J Grouchy]

Me again. I have proof, too! This wasn't hard to find, as I went to a 10 Years! Event (Events celebrating the 10th anniversary of Geocaching with a unique icon), and had a conversation with another cacher "what's up with all these newbies and TFTC?". So the next day when I was logging my finds on the way to the event, I noticed one of them had 3 or the last 4 logs before me being TFTC's, and I couldn't help but comment

 

First person to write more than an acronym in a month. What the heck* is up with that? Found the correct trail, and then the cache, without any major problems. Nice little area back there. Did not trade, thanks for placing the cache (no acronyms for me on this one).

 

*Changed for the forums, it's actually h-e-double hockey sticks.

 

The actual archived cache page: Cobblestone Gate. The date of my log? May 1st, 2010. Go figure.

 

Well...if you scroll back almost to when that cache was published, you'll see "TFTC" pop up well into 2008. I'd bet TFTC-only logs date back to even before 2008.

[Mr.Yuck]

 

Well...if you scroll back almost to when that cache was published, you'll see "TFTC" pop up well into 2008. I'd bet TFTC-only logs date back to even before 2008.

 

The iphone app came out in 2009, MAYBE even 2008. And I do remember iphone came out before Android. So it did take a little while before the thumbers from the field started showing themselves in great numbers. Oh absolutely, you can find occasional TFTC's before then. Heck, you could probably even find one from 2001. Not EVERYONE was a wordsmith back then. I remember a prolific cache placer from my area who joined in 2003 or 2004 who was NOT very computer proficient. If you emailed him about one of his caches, he would respond with "call me" and his phone number. Almost all his cache logs were "Good time, thx."

[+Amethyst Moon]

What do you guys put? I admit to using TYFC sometimes, but that is when it is a run of the mill cache in a location that doesn't jazz me and the contents are dry. I'd bet TNLN came with iPhones too. How about FTF?

[+Isonzo Karst]

I recall participating in a lively and funny forum thread on the local Florida board in 2003 as to the "real meaning" of cache logging acronyms.

 

TFTC was part of that conversation. It wasn't common to see it as the entire log back then, but it did happen.

Indeed, local to me was guy who used it 99.9% of the time. I remember being thrilled when he logged, "TFTC NICE HIDE!" on a cache of mine ;-) 9 whole extra characters! he like it, he really liked it

 

Anyway, it's use as the entire log is up steadily over time, with placement of power trails and many caches intended to be quick and easy for the smiley. I'm sure phone logging contributes too.

 

---

DPM was part of that conversation - haven't seen it in years. Considered using it recently, but just griped mildly about bad coords instead. No point in being obscure. (Was gratified to see the next finder make the same gripe.)

[Mr.Yuck]

What do you guys put? I admit to using TYFC sometimes, but that is when it is a run of the mill cache in a location that doesn't jazz me and the contents are dry. I'd bet TNLN came with iPhones too. How about FTF?

 

Personally can't answer that, as I have 600+ caches on my ignore list in my 50 mile notification radius. In other words, I don't do parking lots. But that has come up many times. I'd say the consensus is at least give them a short sentence, not an acronym. Speaking of which I'm sure all the popluar acronyms have been around since shortly after the game was invented in 2000.

 

See, lots of people disagreeing with me already. As stated in the first reply to the thread, I'm standing my ground. TFTC only logs built up over time? I say no. Rare, and stayed constant. Absolutely exploded into the stratosphere with the release of the smartphone apps.

[+terrkan78]

 

Well...if you scroll back almost to when that cache was published, you'll see "TFTC" pop up well into 2008. I'd bet TFTC-only logs date back to even before 2008.

 

The iphone app came out in 2009, MAYBE even 2008. And I do remember iphone came out before Android. So it did take a little while before the thumbers from the field started showing themselves in great numbers. Oh absolutely, you can find occasional TFTC's before then. Heck, you could probably even find one from 2001. Not EVERYONE was a wordsmith back then. I remember a prolific cache placer from my area who joined in 2003 or 2004 who was NOT very computer proficient. If you emailed him about one of his caches, he would respond with "call me" and his phone number. Almost all his cache logs were "Good time, thx."

I started in late 2008 with an iPhone. The person who introduced me to geocaching told me (when I asked him what the heck I was supposed to say in my logs) that "TFTC" was an accepted norm. But I could tell early on that "TFTC" was not the norm in my part of the country - one CO had a blurb on all her cache pages deploring brief logs. I don't know how long those blurbs had been in existence, but it apparently brief logs had been around long enough (and were frequent enough) to irritate someone.

[+J Grouchy]

 

Well...if you scroll back almost to when that cache was published, you'll see "TFTC" pop up well into 2008. I'd bet TFTC-only logs date back to even before 2008.

 

The iphone app came out in 2009, MAYBE even 2008. And I do remember iphone came out before Android. So it did take a little while before the thumbers from the field started showing themselves in great numbers. Oh absolutely, you can find occasional TFTC's before then. Heck, you could probably even find one from 2001. Not EVERYONE was a wordsmith back then. I remember a prolific cache placer from my area who joined in 2003 or 2004 who was NOT very computer proficient. If you emailed him about one of his caches, he would respond with "call me" and his phone number. Almost all his cache logs were "Good time, thx."

I started in late 2008 with an iPhone. The person who introduced me to geocaching told me (when I asked him what the heck I was supposed to say in my logs) that "TFTC" was an accepted norm. But I could tell early on that "TFTC" was not the norm in my part of the country - one CO had a blurb on all her cache pages deploring brief logs. I don't know how long those blurbs had been in existence, but it apparently brief logs had been around long enough (and were frequent enough) to irritate someone.

 

It doesn't take long. All it takes is finding a great cache, spending five to ten minutes writing a thoughtful and informative log and then seeing the next person write "TFTC" to make you swear off ever doing that. There are many folks who never bother to devote any time to writing a log, so those are the ones who see nothing wrong with writing that. This is the only aspect of the "no ALR" rule that bothers me. I wish I could require folks to write at least one sentence...and it can't be the pre-filled smartphone log. On a few of my caches that take folks to interesting areas, I'd happily delete any TFTC-only log...but alas, I cannot.

[+kunarion]

The person who introduced me to geocaching told me (when I asked him what the heck I was supposed to say in my logs) that "TFTC" was an accepted norm. But I could tell early on that "TFTC" was not the norm in my part of the country - one CO had a blurb on all her cache pages deploring brief logs.

When I started Geocaching, I saw "TFTC" everywhere, so that's what I typed. That seemed to be the custom, so who was I to deviate? However, I'm one of the only people who realized that a log can be edited (hey everyone, why not go fix those 'TFTC' logs right now?), so I went to each of my early logs and typed something better.

 

I like the blurb idea. Did it work?

[+Bear and Ragged]

TFTC?

I've used it.

But usually at the end of a wordy log.

 

I suspect it's an app on phone thing too...

Some of the early apps* came with the log part already filled in... TFTC

 

* Not necessarily Groundspeaks own app

[+J Grouchy]

The person who introduced me to geocaching told me (when I asked him what the heck I was supposed to say in my logs) that "TFTC" was an accepted norm. But I could tell early on that "TFTC" was not the norm in my part of the country - one CO had a blurb on all her cache pages deploring brief logs.

When I started Geocaching, I saw "TFTC" everywhere, so that's what I typed. That seemed to be the custom, so who was I to deviate? However, I'm one of the only people who realized that a log can be edited (hey everyone, why not go fix those 'TFTC' logs right now?), so I went to each of my early logs and typed something better.

 

I like the blurb idea. Did it work?

 

I have a similar blurb on several of my cache pages:

 

**NOTE** I can't require it, but I would like to request that your logs not say only "TFTC" or "Found using the free Geocaching Intro App" or other such wording. Make it your own...be original! And so you don't have to say "TFTC"...I'll go ahead and say "YWFTC" (you're welcome for the cache).

 

It doesn't really work since it relies on people actually reading the cache description page.

Edited May 19, 2014 by J Grouchy

[+kunarion]

It doesn't really work since it relies on people actually reading the cache description page.

I've heard of "Liar's Caches". They encourage a log about "the adventure" and "the ordeal", when it may actually be an easy find. Yet I've never found one of those. So I lie anyway.

 

Yeah, people would have to read the cache description to see log requests.

Edited May 19, 2014 by kunarion

[Mr.Yuck]

The person who introduced me to geocaching told me (when I asked him what the heck I was supposed to say in my logs) that "TFTC" was an accepted norm. But I could tell early on that "TFTC" was not the norm in my part of the country - one CO had a blurb on all her cache pages deploring brief logs.

When I started Geocaching, I saw "TFTC" everywhere, so that's what I typed. That seemed to be the custom, so who was I to deviate? However, I'm one of the only people who realized that a log can be edited (hey everyone, why not go fix those 'TFTC' logs right now?), so I went to each of my early logs and typed something better.

 

I like the blurb idea. Did it work?

 

Except you failed to notice that almost all the people doing it had under 100 finds, had never hidden a cache of their own, nor attended a Geocaching event.

 

This blurb is known to have originated from a discussion in the Manitoba Geocaching Association forums. I've seen it as far away as Maryland.

 

Logging Etiquette: Geocache hiders sometimes go through a great deal of planning to place their caches. As a result, they'd like to hear your feedback on whether you liked or disliked any aspect of the hide, or if you feel that some cache maintenance is required. Single word, acronym, or emoticon logs may be easier when you have a lot of caches to log, but it doesn't tell the hider or other finders anything about your adventure (or lack thereof) in finding the cache. Please keep this in mind when entering your log.

[+lamoracke]

Imagine their occurrence skyrocketed when folks found so many caches in a day that all felt the same (or were the same in many cases) that they cannot remember one from another.

[+briansnat]

I just looked at four of my older caches that have a lot of finds. The earliest use of TFTC I could find in any form was 2004, used at the end of a longer log. The earliest TFTC only log I saw was in 2008, though there was a "TNLNSL TFTC" and a "TNLN TFTC" in 2006. There was also close to a TFTC only in 2007 "Its my b-day! TFTC"

Edited May 19, 2014 by briansnat

[Mr.Yuck]

I just looked at four of my older caches that have a lot of finds. The earliest use of TFTC I could find in any form was 2004, used at the end of a longer log. The earliest TFTC only log I saw was in 2008, though there was a "TNLNSL TFTC" and a "TNLN TFTC" in 2006. There was also close to a TFTC only in 2007 "Its my b-day! TFTC"

 

Finally someone who agrees with me (sort of). I'll still stick with they exploded in 2010, a year and a half or so after the first smartphone apps came out, and they came into wide use. Figuring out when the Android app joined the iphone app might be of note too. Greatest topic ever, for me. This has been my pet peeve ever since the TFTC explosion. Of course a lot of the regulars probably know that, and are sick of me talking about it.

[+bflentje]

Interesting theories by all. Not agreeing or disagreeing. For fun I took a look at my first cache hide ever.

 

My first cache GCNFWH published 04-20-2005.

237 finds, 31 DNFs, and 9 Notes.

140 total uses of the term TFTC.

1st log contained TFTC, 04-20-2005.

1st solo TFTC log on 05-08-2005.

While several came close, next solo TFTC was on 07-17-2008.

Logs becoming noticably shorter, third solo TFTC was on 01-11-2009, then 4th on 05-31-2010.

Following 2010, a handful more TFTC logs but an unbeliable number of 2, 3 and 4 word logs, followed by TFTC.

[Mr.Yuck]

Interesting theories by all. Not agreeing or disagreeing. For fun I took a look at my first cache hide ever.

 

My first cache GCNFWH published 04-20-2005.

237 finds, 31 DNFs, and 9 Notes.

140 total uses of the term TFTC.

1st log contained TFTC, 04-20-2005.

1st solo TFTC log on 05-08-2005.

While several came close, next solo TFTC was on 07-17-2008.

Logs becoming noticably shorter, third solo TFTC was on 01-11-2009, then 4th on 05-31-2010.

Following 2010, a handful more TFTC logs but an unbeliable number of 2, 3 and 4 word logs, followed by TFTC.

 

Fun excercise! My oldest active (and only over 10 years old). Not to toot my own horn, but it is a Large with 27 favorite points. Plus it's about an .8 mile round trip, in a suburban area where most caches are much shorter. I did find some interesting stuff though:

 

1st use ever of the acronym TFTC: 9/12/2004 (However, there were over 10 uses of TNLN before that).

First lame acronym only log: TFTH 11/27/2005

First ever TFTC only log: 11/27/2010

Total number of TFTC only logs: 2!! Woohoo!!

I also have a totally blank log on 11/27/2010 and a "tfc" on 6/30/2010.

[+JBnW]

The oldest cache I own was adopted, GCP7HQ; a rest stop cache along I-70..but a nice one.

 

Placed June 7, 2005. 504 finds, 12 DNFs, and a few maintenance trips.

First use of TFTC July 3, 2005 by 11th finder. Log has 3 sentences.

First TFTC-Only log June 3, 2008.

TFTC-Only logs since then, 16, including "TFTH", "T4T$", etc.

[+Ambrosia]

 

Well...if you scroll back almost to when that cache was published, you'll see "TFTC" pop up well into 2008. I'd bet TFTC-only logs date back to even before 2008.

 

The iphone app came out in 2009, MAYBE even 2008. And I do remember iphone came out before Android.

<snip>

I started in late 2008 with an iPhone.

<snip>

Our first iphone find was in November of 2008. I remember that the app had been around for a while (not sure how long).

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I just looked at four of my older caches that have a lot of finds. The earliest use of TFTC I could find in any form was 2004, used at the end of a longer log. The earliest TFTC only log I saw was in 2008, though there was a "TNLNSL TFTC" and a "TNLN TFTC" in 2006. There was also close to a TFTC only in 2007 "Its my b-day! TFTC"

 

Finally someone who agrees with me (sort of). I'll still stick with they exploded in 2010, a year and a half or so after the first smartphone apps came out, and they came into wide use. Figuring out when the Android app joined the iphone app might be of note too. Greatest topic ever, for me. This has been my pet peeve ever since the TFTC explosion. Of course a lot of the regulars probably know that, and are sick of me talking about it.

 

Before the iPhone or Android geocaching app, someone with a smartphone could still access the main site and log a cache from the field, even if they found the cache using a handheld GPS. Unless someone could get a complete list of logs, and count how many only contained a TFTC log (for the purposes of this thread, appending TFTC to the end of a complete sentence is, IMHO, a *lot* different than a TFTC, or even a TNLNSL. TFTC log) we might be able get some idea regarding the growth of TFTC logs over time and draw some sort of correlation between that and the proliferation of smart phones and the introduction of the official apps.

[+Ambrosia]

I decided to look up my oldest (will be 12 this year), but I guess since it's a long multi up in the mountains, it's probably the only one of mine that's totally immune to acronym logs. Most of the logs are pretty long.

 

I do have an adopted one that is 13 years old. There is a log in March 2005 that says, "tnlnsl thanks for the cache". Then one in April 2005: "Found during the WCM. TNLNSL TFTH!" Next one isn't until September 2007: "Found it!!! TNLN SL TFTH!!". The first and only all tftc is in July of 2012. There are a few with just a couple words and TFTC/H interspersed in there.

[+JBnW]

I just looked at four of my older caches that have a lot of finds. The earliest use of TFTC I could find in any form was 2004, used at the end of a longer log. The earliest TFTC only log I saw was in 2008, though there was a "TNLNSL TFTC" and a "TNLN TFTC" in 2006. There was also close to a TFTC only in 2007 "Its my b-day! TFTC"

 

Finally someone who agrees with me (sort of). I'll still stick with they exploded in 2010, a year and a half or so after the first smartphone apps came out, and they came into wide use. Figuring out when the Android app joined the iphone app might be of note too. Greatest topic ever, for me. This has been my pet peeve ever since the TFTC explosion. Of course a lot of the regulars probably know that, and are sick of me talking about it.

 

Before the iPhone or Android geocaching app, someone with a smartphone could still access the main site and log a cache from the field, even if they found the cache using a handheld GPS. Unless someone could get a complete list of logs, and count how many only contained a TFTC log (for the purposes of this thread, appending TFTC to the end of a complete sentence is, IMHO, a *lot* different than a TFTC, or even a TNLNSL. TFTC log) we might be able get some idea regarding the growth of TFTC logs over time and draw some sort of correlation between that and the proliferation of smart phones and the introduction of the official apps.

Something else, or additional, to consider is logging via the old WAP site. Although I don't believe it was widely used, it could also be a milestone in the proliferation of cheap-n-easy logs.

[team tisri]

What do you guys put? I admit to using TYFC sometimes, but that is when it is a run of the mill cache in a location that doesn't jazz me and the contents are dry. I'd bet TNLN came with iPhones too. How about FTF?

 

TNLN was fairly common for ages - if anything it's less likely to be used these days because when so many caches are film pots and smaller there is nothing to take and no room to leave anything. It used to be that TNLN was added to the end of a log, almost as an afterthought to say "I didn't trade any items", and often TFTC was added just as a generic closing "comment".

 

There's quite a difference between a log that provides some information about the cache, the trip to the cache and the hunt for the cache, that then ends with "TNLN, TFTC", and a log that just says "TFTC". The precise form of words or letters is immaterial, a copy-and-paste log basically means the finder couldn't be bothered to write anything. Whether it's "TFTC" or a standardised "that's one more find for me, thanks so much for hiding this" that's prefilled in the form doesn't change the sentiment of "I can't be bothered to write anything".

[+Semper Questio]

Just for giggles, I looked up my oldest cache - Packrat Stash - which was placed on 12/20/2001 and I adopted on 10/15/2008. It has 649 finds to date.

 

The first TNLN appeared on 3/29/2002

The first TFTC appeared on 4/29/2004

The first TFTH appeared on 1/31/2005

The first TFTF appeared on 2/17/2005

 

The first completely solo TFTC appeared on 3/28/2009. (There were a few logs not long before this that had TFTC accompanied by a another word or two or a pic.)

[Mr.Yuck]

I just looked at four of my older caches that have a lot of finds. The earliest use of TFTC I could find in any form was 2004, used at the end of a longer log. The earliest TFTC only log I saw was in 2008, though there was a "TNLNSL TFTC" and a "TNLN TFTC" in 2006. There was also close to a TFTC only in 2007 "Its my b-day! TFTC"

 

Finally someone who agrees with me (sort of). I'll still stick with they exploded in 2010, a year and a half or so after the first smartphone apps came out, and they came into wide use. Figuring out when the Android app joined the iphone app might be of note too. Greatest topic ever, for me. This has been my pet peeve ever since the TFTC explosion. Of course a lot of the regulars probably know that, and are sick of me talking about it.

 

Before the iPhone or Android geocaching app, someone with a smartphone could still access the main site and log a cache from the field, even if they found the cache using a handheld GPS. Unless someone could get a complete list of logs, and count how many only contained a TFTC log (for the purposes of this thread, appending TFTC to the end of a complete sentence is, IMHO, a *lot* different than a TFTC, or even a TNLNSL. TFTC log) we might be able get some idea regarding the growth of TFTC logs over time and draw some sort of correlation between that and the proliferation of smart phones and the introduction of the official apps.

 

Well yeah, with a 28.8K Modem built into their phone. Because I've been there, done that. When I started in 2003, I had a Kyocera 6035. It was a phone with a built in Palm PDA. It had a 28.8K Modem, but usually connected to the interwebs at 19.2K. As a matter of fact, I cached with semi-frequent poster to these forums NikCap in New Jersey in 2004, and he was amazed I could call up a Geocaching.com cache page live (for a hint). By the way, the thought of logging a cache with TFTC with it never crossed my mind.

 

 

Good point though, it's very possible some early lame logs were entered with a phone that could go on the internet. I mentioned finding a 2005 TFTH log on one of my caches. And wasn't the Trimble Geocache Navigator the first smartphone app, predating the official ones? P.S. I had it from about 2002-2005. You know what Sprint charged me for the "data plan"? 5 bucks a month for the entire 3 year duration.

Edited May 19, 2014 by Mr.Yuck

[+wimseyguy]

I recall participating in a lively and funny forum thread on the local Florida board in 2003 as to the "real meaning" of cache logging acronyms.

 

TFTC was part of that conversation. It wasn't common to see it as the entire log back then, but it did happen.

Indeed, local to me was guy who used it 99.9% of the time. I remember being thrilled when he logged, "TFTC NICE HIDE!" on a cache of mine ;-) 9 whole extra characters! he like it, he really liked it

 

Anyway, it's use as the entire log is up steadily over time, with placement of power trails and many caches intended to be quick and easy for the smiley. I'm sure phone logging contributes too.

 

---

DPM was part of that conversation - haven't seen it in years. Considered using it recently, but just griped mildly about bad coords instead. No point in being obscure. (Was gratified to see the next finder make the same gripe.)

 

I just looked at four of my older caches that have a lot of finds. The earliest use of TFTC I could find in any form was 2004, used at the end of a longer log. The earliest TFTC only log I saw was in 2008, though there was a "TNLNSL TFTC" and a "TNLN TFTC" in 2006. There was also close to a TFTC only in 2007 "Its my b-day! TFTC"

 

I decided to look up my oldest (will be 12 this year), but I guess since it's a long multi up in the mountains, it's probably the only one of mine that's totally immune to acronym logs. Most of the logs are pretty long.

 

I do have an adopted one that is 13 years old. There is a log in March 2005 that says, "tnlnsl thanks for the cache". Then one in April 2005: "Found during the WCM. TNLNSL TFTH!" Next one isn't until September 2007: "Found it!!! TNLN SL TFTH!!". The first and only all tftc is in July of 2012. There are a few with just a couple words and TFTC/H interspersed in there.

 

Just for giggles, I looked up my oldest cache - Packrat Stash - which was placed on 12/20/2001 and I adopted on 10/15/2008. It has 649 finds to date.

 

The first TNLN appeared on 3/29/2002

The first TFTC appeared on 4/29/2004

The first TFTH appeared on 1/31/2005

The first TFTF appeared on 2/17/2005

 

The first completely solo TFTC appeared on 3/28/2009. (There were a few logs not long before this that had TFTC accompanied by a another word or two or a pic.)

 

This jives with my memory of the development of the game and logging practices too. I'd even wager 3000 quatloos that there is a parallel arc with the growth of TFTC only logs online and the dearth of real logs on paper replaced with signatures and dates only.

 

I looked at my oldest traditional hide placed in Dec '02 that has over 2000 visits and over 1200 finds (it's a TB hotel so there are frequent repeat visitors). The first time TFTC appears in any logs is in 2005, and at the end of a longer post. The first use of a TFTC only log is from June 2006. But it took two more years for it to happen again.

[Moun10Bike]

I just looked at four of my older caches that have a lot of finds. The earliest use of TFTC I could find in any form was 2004, used at the end of a longer log. The earliest TFTC only log I saw was in 2008, though there was a "TNLNSL TFTC" and a "TNLN TFTC" in 2006. There was also close to a TFTC only in 2007 "Its my b-day! TFTC"

 

Finally someone who agrees with me (sort of). I'll still stick with they exploded in 2010, a year and a half or so after the first smartphone apps came out, and they came into wide use. Figuring out when the Android app joined the iphone app might be of note too. Greatest topic ever, for me. This has been my pet peeve ever since the TFTC explosion. Of course a lot of the regulars probably know that, and are sick of me talking about it.

 

I'll officially disagree. I decided to go to the database to get some hard numbers. I only checked on logs that consisted of only "TFTC", but below are the numbers. The first instance of such a log was in 2003 and the practice seems to have grown at a steady rate for the first few years, but now seems to actually be starting to slow down.

 

YEAR    TFTC LOGS    ALL LOGS        %
----    ---------    --------    -----
2003           93     1681449    0.01%
2004          374     3242951    0.01%
2005         2094     5750490    0.04%
2006        14782     9450372    0.16%
2007        37071    14045910    0.26%
2008        82690    21303733    0.39%
2009       206069    32669939    0.63%
2010       455871    43384750    1.05%
2011       911225    63152865    1.44%
2012      1325575    77976934    1.70%
2013      1472011    83417451    1.76%

[+Ambrosia]

Oh, you scared me. I completely read that wrong and thought it said that 76% of logs were TFTC only.

[Moun10Bike]

Here are the numbers slightly adjusted to only look at log types that award a smiley (which has a more significant effect on the "total logs" value):

 

YEAR    TFTC LOGS    ALL LOGS        %
2003           93     1455000    0.01%
2004          373     2754392    0.01%
2005         2090     4828856    0.04%
2006        14772     7903758    0.19%
2007        37036    11926880    0.31%
2008        82654    18385124    0.45%
2009       205941    28759895    0.72%
2010       455532    38465823    1.18%
2011       909851    57028766    1.60%
2012      1323458    70748578    1.87%
2013      1467852    75461503    1.95%

[Mr.Yuck]

I just looked at four of my older caches that have a lot of finds. The earliest use of TFTC I could find in any form was 2004, used at the end of a longer log. The earliest TFTC only log I saw was in 2008, though there was a "TNLNSL TFTC" and a "TNLN TFTC" in 2006. There was also close to a TFTC only in 2007 "Its my b-day! TFTC"

 

Finally someone who agrees with me (sort of). I'll still stick with they exploded in 2010, a year and a half or so after the first smartphone apps came out, and they came into wide use. Figuring out when the Android app joined the iphone app might be of note too. Greatest topic ever, for me. This has been my pet peeve ever since the TFTC explosion. Of course a lot of the regulars probably know that, and are sick of me talking about it.

 

I'll officially disagree. I decided to go to the database to get some hard numbers. I only checked on logs that consisted of only "TFTC", but below are the numbers. The first instance of such a log was in 2003 and the practice seems to have grown at a steady rate for the first few years, but now seems to actually be starting to slow down.

 

YEAR    TFTC LOGS    ALL LOGS        %
----    ---------    --------    -----
2003           93     1681449    0.01%
2004          374     3242951    0.01%
2005         2094     5750490    0.04%
2006        14782     9450372    0.16%
2007        37071    14045910    0.26%
2008        82690    21303733    0.39%
2009       206069    32669939    0.63%
2010       455871    43384750    1.05%
2011       911225    63152865    1.44%
2012      1325575    77976934    1.70%
2013      1472011    83417451    1.76%

 

But they doubled from 2010 to 2011! And this doesn't take into account the overall trend towards lame logs (which I'd define as two words or less) such as "Found it"; "Nice one"; "Signed log", etc... Is there any way to look them up by number of characters? For example, I'd consider anything under 20 characters, including spaces, to be a lame log. Those have absolutely skyrocketed.

 

TFTC (usually Tftc because smartphones capitalize the first letter) are the poster child for lame logs. But they are far from the only lame logs out there.

[+SwineFlew]

 

Well...if you scroll back almost to when that cache was published, you'll see "TFTC" pop up well into 2008. I'd bet TFTC-only logs date back to even before 2008.

 

The iphone app came out in 2009, MAYBE even 2008. And I do remember iphone came out before Android. So it did take a little while before the thumbers from the field started showing themselves in great numbers. Oh absolutely, you can find occasional TFTC's before then. Heck, you could probably even find one from 2001. Not EVERYONE was a wordsmith back then. I remember a prolific cache placer from my area who joined in 2003 or 2004 who was NOT very computer proficient. If you emailed him about one of his caches, he would respond with "call me" and his phone number. Almost all his cache logs were "Good time, thx."

I started in late 2008 with an iPhone. The person who introduced me to geocaching told me (when I asked him what the heck I was supposed to say in my logs) that "TFTC" was an accepted norm. But I could tell early on that "TFTC" was not the norm in my part of the country - one CO had a blurb on all her cache pages deploring brief logs. I don't know how long those blurbs had been in existence, but it apparently brief logs had been around long enough (and were frequent enough) to irritate someone.

 

Oh that CO!

[+kunarion]

 

YEAR    TFTC LOGS    ALL LOGS        %
----    ---------    --------    -----
2003           93     1681449    0.01%
2004          374     3242951    0.01%
2005         2094     5750490    0.04%
2006        14782     9450372    0.16%
2007        37071    14045910    0.26%
2008        82690    21303733    0.39%
2009       206069    32669939    0.63%
2010       455871    43384750    1.05%
2011       911225    63152865    1.44%
2012      1325575    77976934    1.70%
2013      1472011    83417451    1.76%

 

I may have messed up the statistics. Sorry. In 2009, I typed twelve TFTC-only logs, and a few weeks later when I discovered the error of my ways, changed the logs' text to something about the cache find.

[knowschad]

YEAR TFTC LOGS ALL LOGS %

---- --------- -------- -----

2003 93 1681449 0.01%

...

2013 1472011 83417451 1.76%

 

Surely you are not minimizing the differences between those two percentages! That is HUGE!

Edited May 20, 2014 by knowschad

[+captnemo]

Checked one of my older caches, most likely the easist to find among the old ones.

 

Cache placed 2-10-2003

First TFTC 4-23-2005

First TNLNSL 5-10-2003

 

Most of the early TFTC logs were part of a longer log.

[+briansnat]

But they are far from the only lame logs out there.

 

Here are a few more I've seen...

 

""

 

"Found it!"

 

"TNLNSL"

 

"."

 

"x of x today"

 

And my least favorite of all...

 

"That's one more find for me. Thanks so much for placing this cache"

Edited May 20, 2014 by briansnat

[4wheelin_fool]

It looks like TFTC has new competition from other generic log types. It was once an add-on to a longer log, then was used singlularly as an exclamation of a cache which was perceived as lame. Next, it was used out of laziness, and now it is being replaced.

 

I havent seen TNLNSL in a few years since trading has waned.

[Moun10Bike]

YEAR TFTC LOGS ALL LOGS %

---- --------- -------- -----

2003 93 1681449 0.01%

...

2013 1472011 83417451 1.76%

 

Surely you are not minimizing the differences between those two percentages! That is HUGE!

 

Nope, I'm simply arguing that I don't see a spike that started in 2010 as a result of the prevalence of smartphones. Rather, I see a gradual increase over time.

[+briansnat]

Here are the numbers slightly adjusted to only look at log types that award a smiley (which has a more significant effect on the "total logs" value):

 

YEAR    TFTC LOGS    ALL LOGS        %
2003           93     1455000    0.01%
2004          373     2754392    0.01%
2005         2090     4828856    0.04%
2006        14772     7903758    0.19%
2007        37036    11926880    0.31%
2008        82654    18385124    0.45%
2009       205941    28759895    0.72%
2010       455532    38465823    1.18%
2011       909851    57028766    1.60%
2012      1323458    70748578    1.87%
2013      1467852    75461503    1.95%

 

So who is the father (or mother) of TFTC?

[team tisri]

YEAR TFTC LOGS ALL LOGS %

---- --------- -------- -----

2003 93 1681449 0.01%

...

2013 1472011 83417451 1.76%

 

Surely you are not minimizing the differences between those two percentages! That is HUGE!

 

Nope, I'm simply arguing that I don't see a spike that started in 2010 as a result of the prevalence of smartphones. Rather, I see a gradual increase over time.

 

With the stats you produced were you looking for logs that contained literally nothing more than "TFTC"? It could hammer the database quite badly, but it would be interesting to see what proportion of logs were identical to more than one or two other logs. If someone is writing "nice easy find while passing through" on every single log they find then although it isn't strictly a "TFTC" log it's certainly an identikit copy-and-paste log.

[Moun10Bike]

So who is the father (or mother) of TFTC?

 

Mother, as it turns out - DustySneakers has the first instance of TFTC in the database with this log. The first person to ever use "TFTC" as the sole content of a log is Nash79, on an archived log on an archived virtual cache (GC3D8B). After that one instance, there is a string of "tftc" logs from seabiskit on cache finds posted in 2003 but backdated to 2002 and early 2003.

[Mr.Yuck]

YEAR TFTC LOGS ALL LOGS %

---- --------- -------- -----

2003 93 1681449 0.01%

...

2013 1472011 83417451 1.76%

 

Surely you are not minimizing the differences between those two percentages! That is HUGE!

 

Nope, I'm simply arguing that I don't see a spike that started in 2010 as a result of the prevalence of smartphones. Rather, I see a gradual increase over time.

 

If the argument is there was a major spike in 2010 alone due to smartphone apps, then I will concede defeat on that particular statement. HOWEVER, in the smartphone era, we say them triple from '08-'09, Double from '09-'10, and Double again '10-'11. And if any of those could be considered a "spike", it would be '10-'11 from 455,000 to almost a Million. Egads! Slowing down, eh? Glad to hear it. There could be many factors though, the word is finally getting out, even to n00bs, or who knows, new sign up's and the total amount of cache logs could have spiked in the last couple of years.

 

But they are far from the only lame logs out there.

 

Here are a few more I've seen...

 

""

 

"Found it!"

 

"TNLNSL"

 

"."

 

"x of x today"

 

And my least favorite of all...

 

"That's one more find for me. Thanks so much for placing this cache"

 

I'm not actually bothered that much by the intro app log. My least favorite of all are where the lame logger doesn't even thank the CO. Such as emoticon, punctuation, or "Found it" logs. Or like the two real life examples in my area who log every single cache with "<3" or "I did it!" respectively.

[+mrreet]

I will confess that I started that habit (tftc & tnlnsl) when saving field notes on my Garmin. It was a real pain to type out anything of length on the Dakota 20.

Edited May 20, 2014 by mrreet

[+MKFmly]

Although there is a trend showing I am curious that there are a several other important variables at play

 

How many of the early TFTC logs were accompanied with a nice note in the physical log?

 

How do the TFTC logs correlate to published container size?

[Mr.Yuck]

So who is the father (or mother) of TFTC?

 

Mother, as it turns out - DustySneakers has the first instance of TFTC in the database with this log. The first person to ever use "TFTC" as the sole content of a log is Nash79, on an archived log on an archived virtual cache (GC3D8B). After that one instance, there is a string of "tftc" logs from seabiskit on cache finds posted in 2003 but backdated to 2002 and early 2003.

 

Corrupt database. The log for that virtual by Nash79 is actually a rather long log, and his 100th find. Which was a big deal back then. I looked at all Nash's 2003 finds of archived virtuals, and all of them are at least 2 sentences. If Nash79 did in fact drop the first ever TFTC on some other cache, perhaps it was due to bad blood between him and the owner? Back in the olden days, at least in my area, "Found it" was the ultimate insult to a cache owner the finder didn't get along with. Not me, of course in any cases. Ironically enough, "Found it" is a rather common lame log today.

[+briansnat]

YEAR TFTC LOGS ALL LOGS %

---- --------- -------- -----

2003 93 1681449 0.01%

...

2013 1472011 83417451 1.76%

 

Surely you are not minimizing the differences between those two percentages! That is HUGE!

 

Nope, I'm simply arguing that I don't see a spike that started in 2010 as a result of the prevalence of smartphones. Rather, I see a gradual increase over time.

 

If the argument is there was a major spike in 2010 alone due to smartphone apps, then I will concede defeat on that particular statement. HOWEVER, in the smartphone era, we say them triple from '08-'09, Double from '09-'10, and Double again '10-'11. And if any of those could be considered a "spike", it would be '10-'11 from 455,000 to almost a Million. Egads! Slowing down, eh? Glad to hear it. There could be many factors though, the word is finally getting out, even to n00bs, or who knows, new sign up's and the total amount of cache logs could have spiked in the last couple of years.

 

But they are far from the only lame logs out there.

 

Here are a few more I've seen...

 

""

 

"Found it!"

 

"TNLNSL"

 

"."

 

"x of x today"

 

And my least favorite of all...

 

"That's one more find for me. Thanks so much for placing this cache"

 

I'm not actually bothered that much by the intro app log. My least favorite of all are where the lame logger doesn't even thank the CO. Such as emoticon, punctuation, or "Found it" logs. Or like the two real life examples in my area who log every single cache with "<3" or "I did it!" respectively.

 

Saw a new one today. A check mark. Yep, just a check mark.

[+Cankid]

Thanks all for the great responses! From the info from Moun10Bike, the earliest "TFTC" only log I could find was this one by seabiskit.