Why do cachers put their name in every cache title?

[+fizzymagic]

As I was reading another topic recently, I came upon yet another cacher who, for some reason, feels compelled to prefix the title of every cache he hides with his username.

 

We have one local who does this, and I find it very strange, as well as somewhat rude. But maybe there is something I am missing.

 

Here's why I think it is a bad idea:

• some older caches only have room for 8 characters in a cache name; all your caches look the same to them
  
• It makes you look egocentric (you're basically saying: "my caches all all about ME!")
  
• It adds unnecessary redundant information
  

 

I have seen three or four cachers in other areas that do this as well. In my experience, they have all shared one thing in common: they have all been cachers who consider their hides to be just wonderful, even though in reality their hides are sub-par.

 

But I am actually interested in thoughts about why people would do this. And why, if you insist on having your name in every cache title, couldn't you put it at the end?

[+JCreazy]

There is a local cacher that does this. It seems a lot of people make it a goal to find all of hisi caches. He seems to be well known and well liked.

[+JCreazy]

I don't think that all cachers have a big ego but I know some do.

Edited May 25, 2014 by JCreazy

[+The Jester]

I'd really like to know why also. We've had a couple of cacher's do that around here (one in all cap titles). One uses names like "XXX TREE 1", the other started off numbering them, but has started using more discriptive names. Both put out 30+ caches in a month or two. Odd.

[+The_Incredibles_]

What's wrong with being egocentric? If you're as awesome as I am, it's important to let the world know.

[+tozainamboku]

I was going to put out a challenge to find 50 caches with the cache owner's name in the title, but I guess that wouldn't be a good idea

 

For full disclosure, I do have two caches that has my name in the title. I did the first to copy the form of the title of a cache that inspired that hide. I did the second because it was emphasizing that the reason for this cache was to share a spot I had found several years before and want to the title to reflect this was my secret spot I was sharing.

Edited May 25, 2014 by tozainamboku

[+Roman!]

Juliet:

 

What's in a name? that which we call a pile of dung

By any other name would smell as bad.

 

William Shakespeare

Edited May 25, 2014 by Roman!

[+hydnsek]

What's wrong with being egocentric? If you're as awesome incredible as I am, it's important to let the world know.

Fixed.

[+Chrysalides]

I don't do it, but it doesn't bother me. For anyone with an older device, they're pretty much out of luck whether the CO's name is in the cache title or not. When I was using an eTrex Venture HC, I use the GC# as the cache title. Redundant? Sure. But I don't see any harm, unless you absolutely need all 50 characters in the cache title. Appear egocentric? After much editing, I'm not sure how to address this, so I'll just leave it as : not to me, but others might.

 

Took a quick glance at my GSAK DB, and immediately noticed one name. If that's the person you're referring to, perhaps he can answer you here personally, since he posts here fairly often.

[+Isonzo Karst]

why people would do this

 

Local to me someone does this; they told me they copied a cache hider who was among the first in the state where they started caching. That's all the why I have.

When accompanied by a hide number, it does help track caches hidden.

 

Scrolling through MyFinds in GSAK, I find 8 cachers I my area who tend to this. 6 of them lead every cache title with Username initials plus hide number.

Example, if I were doing this, my next cache would be IK#225 - Giddon Lake (I'm not doing this).

 

One user does it intermittently, on micro traditional caches only, which they don't hide much, one uses part of their username-#.

 

I don't find it especially objectionable.

 

Of those 8 hiders, there are 3 whose hides I will like, and often favorite, two that hide pleasant reliable stuff, two mostly puzzles of a type that I'm not fond of, and one whose hides are in okay and sometimes quite nice locations, with lousy containers, loose coords and no maintenance.

[+cerberus1]

I like it when the CO's name is included in the cache title.

- Since we still can't put a cacher on the ignore list, it helps a bit when I pick n choose what to do the day.

Also helps with the ones we look forward to.

 

My other 2/3rds has her name on the ones originally meant to be a bit simpler.

One batch was a (now archived) series that was a learn-as-you-go kinda thing for beginners.

- We're slowly phasing 'em out for higher D/T hides.

[Mr.Yuck]

I don't do it, but it doesn't bother me. For anyone with an older device, they're pretty much out of luck whether the CO's name is in the cache title or not. When I was using an eTrex Venture HC, I use the GC# as the cache title. Redundant? Sure. But I don't see any harm, unless you absolutely need all 50 characters in the cache title. Appear egocentric? After much editing, I'm not sure how to address this, so I'll just leave it as : not to me, but others might.

 

 

Pretty much what I was going to say, so I'll just quote it, and save the typing.

 

As far as older GPS units only having 8 characters, yeah, that would be a problem. There was a guy in my area who always put about 20 periods before and after his cache names, although he hasn't hidden a cache in a couple years. Example:

 

.................cache name.................

 

They'd all show up in my GPS as .......... Heck, at that point, maybe even some newer GPS units or apps don't give you the whole title.

[+Chief301]

We do have one couple around here who does that...most of their caches are "X & X #32" (with X & X being the initials of their caching handles.....don't want to just call them out, they really are nice folks), but the name of the cache tells me nothing about it.

 

On the other hand, there are a few phrases commonly used in titles around here that tell you pretty much what kind of hide it is...

 

"March Of The Penguins" indicates a micro on an ice machine

 

"Drug Wars" indicates a micro in a pharmacy parking lot

 

"Spirit Wars" indicates a hide in a cemetery.

Edited May 25, 2014 by Chief301

[+Touchstone]

...they have all been cachers who consider their hides to be just wonderful, even though in reality their hides are sub-par.

 

Rule #1: All Brides are beautiful, All Babies are cute, and All caches are wonderful.

 

Just thought I'd share that piece of wisdom here

 

But yeah, I know what you mean. There's this one person named "Challenge" that appears in hundreds of thousands of cache Titles. What's up with that anyway?

[+niraD]

There's this one person named "Challenge" that appears in hundreds of thousands of cache Titles. What's up with that anyway?

That reminds me of last weekend. Mrs niraD and I went to a Gilbert & Sullivan performance, and we met this woman named Patience Staff who was very helpful. The weird thing was when we met another woman named Patience Staff, who was also very helpful. What are the odds of meeting two different women named Patience Staff at a Gilbert & Sullivan performance?

[4wheelin_fool]

I don't know how someone could find it rude, unless they are easily offended.

 

Took a quick glance at my GSAK DB, and immediately noticed one name. If that's the person you're referring to, perhaps he can answer you here personally, since he posts here fairly often.

 

Perhaps that's the real reason.

 

It's just a name though. There are quite a few people who are under the impression that Fizzy Challenges were created by Fizzymagic, when it was actually Kealia. Labels are nothing to get annoyed about.

[+tozainamboku]

There are quite a few people who are under the impression that Fizzy Challenges were created by Fizzymagic, when it was actually Kealia. Labels are nothing to get annoyed about.

But fizzycalc was created by fizzymagic. Though to be fair he originally called it Geocalc, till someone else said they had trademarked that name.

[+Touchstone]

I don't know how someone could find it rude, unless they are easily offended.

 

Took a quick glance at my GSAK DB, and immediately noticed one name. If that's the person you're referring to, perhaps he can answer you here personally, since he posts here fairly often.

 

Perhaps that's the real reason.

 

It's just a name though. There are quite a few people who are under the impression that Fizzy Challenges were created by Fizzymagic, when it was actually Kealia. Labels are nothing to get annoyed about.

 

Just a minor correction. Fizzy created the tool which made the Challenge more easily verified. Kealia came up with the idea to incorporate it into a Challenge like format. Kealia used the "Well Rounded" label initially, but Fizzy's contribution was the one that gave the impulse to change the more common nomenclature seen nowadays.

[+The_Incredibles_]

What's wrong with being egocentric? If you're as awesome incredible as I am, it's important to let the world know.

Fixed.

 

I like you.

[jholly]

What's wrong with being egocentric? If you're as awesome incredible as I am, it's important to let the world know.

Fixed.

 

I like you.

Of course incredible can cut both ways

[+The Rat]

It's an interesting topic, but I can say I've never been bothered by it, primarily because I've never noticed anyone doing that regularly. I do find it annoying when there's a series of caches on the same trail with long names all with the same beginning, whether or not it's a CO name. I'm not sure what my GPSr can handle for a cache name, probably only 8 characters, but GSAK smart names are all 8 characters, and I always load the day's caches in from GSAK, so I get GroveldA, GroveldB, GroveldC, etc. and can't tell them apart from the display on the Garmin. But I consider this my responsibility to rename them after they're loaded in, not a responsibility of the CO when naming. I rarely do it. It's easier to print out full names, hints, notes, log info and everything else I'm interested in having with me on paper. I can do that in a nice big font that I can actually read. It wouldn't make any difference if the cache names were corrected or better in the GPSr since I can't read the screen anyway. Some people have encouraged me to do paperless caching by getting another GPSr, but none of them have a font size big enough to be useful to me. I can tell which direction the red arrow is pointing and that's good enough for me!

[+ngrrfan]

It doesn't have to be a cacher's name. I just finished making a list for tomorrow's caching and I had to edit 11 cache names because they all began with the area's name and then a number, "XXX YYY #1" etc. And my Venture HC can't handle the long name. A simple solution to this group would have been to put the number first and then the rest of the name.

[+popokiiti]

One of ours is called Popoki Iti's Dream. Yep, my name in the title and I am proud of it. My dream came true when I became a Canadian and I wanted to celebrate that fact. Nobody around here is offended by it, or thinks it rude, quite the opposite in fact.

My GPS only shows part of the longer cache titles, I have yet to get it to stay on the GC#. I think the trouble the OP has is that the caches show as the same....I found it recently with some "B.C. Parks - " and the number or name of the series doesn't show on my GPS. The answer is to use the GC# which is unique, and shorter. I am working on it!

[+fizzymagic]

One of ours is called Popoki Iti's Dream.

 

That's one cache. Not every single cache you ever hid. The latter is what I am talking about.

[+WarNinjas]

Cachers that do that just suck!

 

Oh wait I resemble that remark! Don't really know why we do it but have from our first hide. Maybe so when cachers get the alert they know it is from us but we didn't know that our first week when we started hiding caches. It has just became a tradition. We wouldn't do it any other way. Maybe so if cachers see our name they can put it on there ignore list. I really don't know my 11 year old daughter at the time came up with it. She has fun with the game so if she likes it that way we do it to keep it fun for her as she likes to hide caches more then find them. Then we can also come up with challenges like this one...

 

War"Ninjas" Challenge GC4QB2R Have to find 100 caches with the word Ninja in the title. It has made some cachers that only find puzzles go after our traditionals.

 

I actually like it when cachers do something like this so I know it is from them. Especially if they hide caches in a large area. Like some cachers that put YAY or OMG in front of them. I like to find there caches but don't look at all the alerts I get for new caches. If it has that in the title I know to save it for one I want to find.

 

Our latest cache WarNinjas- Tree for HRC333 GC55J9X Published today.

 

I wouldn't look for our caches not to have our name in it. All of our caches with some exceptions will have our name to start it. Sorry for any inconvenience.

 

WarNinjas

[+dprovan]

As I was reading another topic recently, I came upon yet another cacher who, for some reason, feels compelled to prefix the title of every cache he hides with his username.

 

We have one local who does this, and I find it very strange, as well as somewhat rude. But maybe there is something I am missing.

I always assumed it was to make up for the fact that the owner's name isn't sent in the publication notification. I also assume that's why one certain cacher even closer to your home always has cache names that are all caps.

 

I don't really care that it's their name, but I find it a little troublesome when multiple caches have the same first several characters no matter what unifying principle they're trying to present. It makes it much harder to tell one from another. My GPSr maintains more characters, but when I'm in the field, I don't typically look past the first few unless I'm forced to. Several times I've gotten confused about which cache is which because I see the first handful of characters and assume it's the same cache as the one before.

Edited May 26, 2014 by dprovan

[+fizzymagic]

War"Ninjas" Challenge GC4QB2R Have to find 100 caches with the word Ninja in the title. It has made some cachers that only find puzzles go after our traditionals.

 

Ah, not enough ego boost from just the names, so you hid a vanity challenge?

 

Classy.

[+narcissa]

I don't know that it's really necessary to assume that "vanity" is the intention here. I think it's just an organizational thing that some people do. I know a few cachers who follow a owner-number-name format for naming caches, and I don't think they mean any harm by it.

[+Ben0w]

Most probably lack of creativity...

[+The Jester]

As I was reading another topic recently, I came upon yet another cacher who, for some reason, feels compelled to prefix the title of every cache he hides with his username.

 

We have one local who does this, and I find it very strange, as well as somewhat rude. But maybe there is something I am missing.

I always assumed it was to make up for the fact that the owner's name isn't sent in the publication notification. I also assume that's why one certain cacher even closer to your home always has cache names that are all caps.

 

I don't really care that it's their name, but I find it a little troublesome when multiple caches have the same first several characters no matter what unifying principle they're trying to present. It makes it much harder to tell one from another. My GPSr maintains more characters, but when I'm in the field, I don't typically look past the first few unless I'm forced to. Several times I've gotten confused about which cache is which because I see the first handful of characters and assume it's the same cache as the one before.

GSAK does offer a workaround to this. Under Tools=>Options, in the SmartName box is "conversions", which allows you to change portions of titles to shortcuts (i.e.. change "Team LookAtMe" to "TLAM" or "TL") thus allowing more space for the 'real' name.

[+dprovan]

GSAK does offer a workaround to this. Under Tools=>Options, in the SmartName box is "conversions", which allows you to change portions of titles to shortcuts (i.e.. change "Team LookAtMe" to "TLAM" or "TL") thus allowing more space for the 'real' name.

If I used GSAK, and if I was willing to put in an entry for each example, then maybe that would work. But generally I don't even realize I've got this problem until I'm in the field looking for the second cache with the same basic name.

[+bflentje]

War"Ninjas" Challenge GC4QB2R Have to find 100 caches with the word Ninja in the title. It has made some cachers that only find puzzles go after our traditionals.

 

Ah, not enough ego boost from just the names, so you hid a vanity challenge?

 

Classy.

 

Not sure which is worse, the vanity or the judgement. They both smell in my book.

[+Psychoticjesters]

I'm not sure what's so rude about being able to name your cache whatever you want. It is YOUR cache so have every right to name it how you wish. It seems more rude to be creating topics trying to call them out IMO []

 

Isn't this a game that's meant to be fun? If no one is actually doing anything wrong then where's all this uncalled for hate coming from?

[+Chrysalides]

War"Ninjas" Challenge GC4QB2R Have to find 100 caches with the word Ninja in the title. It has made some cachers that only find puzzles go after our traditionals.

 

Ah, not enough ego boost from just the names, so you hid a vanity challenge?

 

Classy.

 

Not sure which is worse, the vanity or the judgement. They both smell in my book.

 

I don't see any vanity here. And I'm not sure about the judgement either. It seems to be some sort of personal vendetta against another cacher, starting with insinuations that the hides are sub-par and that the cache owner has ego issues.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Chrysalides

[+fizzymagic]

War"Ninjas" Challenge GC4QB2R Have to find 100 caches with the word Ninja in the title. It has made some cachers that only find puzzles go after our traditionals.

 

Ah, not enough ego boost from just the names, so you hid a vanity challenge?

 

Classy.

 

Not sure which is worse, the vanity or the judgement. They both smell in my book.

 

Touche. My bad.

[Clan Riffster]

The Tampa area has a hider who does this. I too thought it strange.

Though, I gotta say, they got some great hides.

<Shrugs>

[+briansnat]

I always thought the practice strange. I've seen a few COs who all their caches are username #1 etc...

[4wheelin_fool]

War"Ninjas" Challenge GC4QB2R Have to find 100 caches with the word Ninja in the title. It has made some cachers that only find puzzles go after our traditionals.

 

Ah, not enough ego boost from just the names, so you hid a vanity challenge?

 

Classy.

 

Not sure which is worse, the vanity or the judgement. They both smell in my book.

 

I don't see any vanity here. And I'm not sure about the judgement either. It seems to be some sort of personal vendetta against another cacher, starting with insinuations that the hides are sub-par and that the cache owner has ego issues.

 

+1

[+narcissa]

War"Ninjas" Challenge GC4QB2R Have to find 100 caches with the word Ninja in the title. It has made some cachers that only find puzzles go after our traditionals.

 

Ah, not enough ego boost from just the names, so you hid a vanity challenge?

 

Classy.

 

Not sure which is worse, the vanity or the judgement. They both smell in my book.

 

I don't see any vanity here. And I'm not sure about the judgement either. It seems to be some sort of personal vendetta against another cacher, starting with insinuations that the hides are sub-par and that the cache owner has ego issues.

 

There does seem to be an excessive level of annoyance about something that likely isn't done with any malice.

 

When I was using a more primitive GPS than the one I have now, I relied on GC codes to identify, not names, because GC codes are always unique.

[+mblatch]

I really think this thread needs to end. Quite frankly, I was a bit disappointed to see something like this from the original poster, who is quite well-known and respected in the caching community. Having your name in the cache title just happens to be the way that some people like to play when they hide a new cache. I'm not saying that I understand it, but I can certainly recognize and respect it as a valid point of view. Having the CO's name in the cache title does not impact how I play the game in any way, shape, or form. There are many ways to engage in this sport, and everyone does it in his or her own way. If something this trivial annoys you that much, then simply ignore it. I have my own feelings and pet peeves about the way some things are done in this area, including some by both the original poster and the presumed intended target. However, I keep those opinions to myself ... where they belong. If something bothers me enough, I simply ignore it and don't go find the cache. Airing grievances about something as innocuous as this serves nothing more than to create bad feelings in the community, especially when it is quite clear to local cachers at whom the message was directed.

Edited May 28, 2014 by mblatch

[+Psychoticjesters]

Loving the points people are making on this thread now! Couldn't have worded it better myself.

[+dprovan]

The Tampa area has a hider who does this. I too thought it strange.

Though, I gotta say, they got some great hides.

<Shrugs>

Assurance of quality, like a brand name. I have to admit, that sounds like a good reason. If the quality's high enough, it might even make up for making it harder to tell one cache from another.

[+tozainamboku]

I really think this thread needs to end. Quite frankly, I was a bit disappointed to see something like this from the original poster, who is quite well-known and respected in the caching community.

[+Mudfrog]

I really think this thread needs to end. Quite frankly, I was a bit disappointed to see something like this from the original poster, who is quite well-known and respected in the caching community. Having your name in the cache title just happens to be the way that some people like to play when they hide a new cache. I'm not saying that I understand it, but I can certainly recognize and respect it as a valid point of view. Having the CO's name in the cache title does not impact how I play the game in any way, shape, or form. There are many ways to engage in this sport, and everyone does it in his or her own way. If something this trivial annoys you that much, then simply ignore it. I have my own feelings and pet peeves about the way some things are done in this area, including some by both the original poster and the presumed intended target. However, I keep those opinions to myself ... where they belong. If something bothers me enough, I simply ignore it and don't go find the cache. Airing grievances about something as innocuous as this serves nothing more than to create bad feelings in the community, especially when it is quite clear to local cachers at whom the message was directed.

 

Actually, there could be times when seeing someone's name on a cache might have an impact on how i play. It could go either way, that person might routinely hide good quality caches or he might tend to put out junk. Having knowledge of this would make it easier for me to find or ignore his/her caches.

[+fizzymagic]

I don't see any vanity here. And I'm not sure about the judgement either. It seems to be some sort of personal vendetta against another cacher, starting with insinuations that the hides are sub-par and that the cache owner has ego issues.

 

There is no vendetta here. While there is an individual locally who does this, I was commenting on a broader pattern I have seen in multiple places.

 

I still don't understand why anyone would do this, but it's clear that others don't find it problematic.

[+Chrysalides]

I still don't understand why anyone would do this, but it's clear that others don't find it problematic.

Why do people go out there and hunt for hidden containers with pieces of paper so that they can leave their signature on it? Things people do don't always make sense

 

I wish Groundspeak would provide hider information in the new cache notification. It's not really very useful for me to know which reviewer published the cache. Having the hider's name actually increases the value instead of providing redundant information in this situation.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Chrysalides

[+WarNinjas]

I don't see any vanity here. And I'm not sure about the judgement either. It seems to be some sort of personal vendetta against another cacher, starting with insinuations that the hides are sub-par and that the cache owner has ego issues.

 

There is no vendetta here. While there is an individual locally who does this, I was commenting on a broader pattern I have seen in multiple places.

 

I still don't understand why anyone would do this, but it's clear that others don't find it problematic.

 

OK so nothing personal, It is no big deal, I can understand the question. Glad the OP doesn't have some kind of problem with us as Cachers.

 

All I can do as one who does this is explain the only reason we do it. I like to go fishing. I have taken my daughter fishing from when she was only months old. For some reason when she would go we wouldn't hardly ever have luck. Even with the best of plans. My nephew and I would go be slaying the fish catching one fish after another one day. Great! Take my daughter back the next day to get in on the action and nothing. She got bored of it.

Then when she was 11 or so I found out about geocaching and it seemed like something we would both like and enjoy together. We went out our first day and found a few. She instantly wanted to hide one. We made up a cache (actually I think 4) and went and placed them and she worked on the pages. She made them and wanted to put WarNinjas in the title. I didn't think much of it but that is how she wanted to do it. She said we should name them all that way. We have done it that way ever after. Maybe it is a young girl thing like the Harmony hides. I never really thought about it much and definitely never thought of it as a problem. She is still very active in most of our hides. We actually have out some puzzles that cachers contact me about how to solve and I don't even know as they are made by her and I probably couldn't solve them. I have taken on my own interest in the game with the streak. I enjoy having to find a cache every day to break up my crazy driving all over days. Still want to keep this as our thing so keep the hides the way she likes them. I guess I could ask her why she wanted to do it like that but who knows she is a kid and we have done over 150 hides and can't see us changing it now. That is how the local cachers would probably expect our hides. As far as I know most like them. If they don't then they will know instantly and can decide not to go for them. We just do this for fun. If I could get her interested in fishing it would be all the better but she likes to geocache.

 

Kevin

[+The Rat]

"Vanity challenge" eh? Interesting concept. I don't own any challenge caches, but I did put out a puzzle cache that required the solver to solve several of my previous puzzles to get the final coordinates. That's kind of the same idea. I knew it was a bit egotistical and named it Egomaufry for that reason and put a small apology in the cache description for the self-aggrandizing nature. However, I wouldn't have done that had I not first placed a cache called Gallimaufry (which explains where the name Egomaufry came from) that required the solver to solve a bunch of puzzle caches by other COs that I particularly admired, and that one got a high percentage of favorite points. Once I saw how popular the concept was (this was before challenges) I decided it would be OK to hide one featuring myself. I think most CO's who hide a lot of caches of any type have a fairly high opinion of their caches in order to keep doing it. It's similar to why people keep blogging or writing books or painting. They get enjoyment from seeing other people enjoy the product of their labors, whether that product is particularly noteworthy or not. Why do people keep showing others pictures of their kids? Is there anyone out there who doesn't think his or her own child or grandchild is the most beautiful, smart, or sweetest baby in the world? Same thing with caches. It's the "Look at what I did!" feeling.