forum addiction should be rewarded

3.7k · July 12, 2014

In order to encourage more people to post to the forum, I propose that anybody who posts at least 10 coherent sentences/week gets a credit towards their next renewal/purchase of a premium membership.

After all, our contributions are critical to the survival and growth of the sport. Without us, geocaching might wither and die.

Discuss.

15.3k · July 12, 2014

One of the things I respect about Groundspeak is that they avoid encouraging people to post in the forums before they're ready, or to post for any reason other than the desire to own and maintain a posting for the long term.

4.1k · July 12, 2014

I think a forum surcharge would cut down on power posts.

July 12, 2014

One of the things I respect about Groundspeak is that they avoid encouraging people to post in the forums before they're ready, or to post for any reason other than the desire to own and maintain a posting for the long term.

This is so obviously untrue that it should not count towards your credit.

I think a forum surcharge would cut down on power posts.

I just did a pretty grueling multi-post. I had to abandon it partway in because of work, but I came back and finished it off with only one allusion to a swear word. The final was a magnetic key holder on a guardrail at a curve at the bottom of a hill. One of the magnets was missing, it was raining, and a truck was coming down the hill right when I made the find.

2.6k · July 12, 2014

I think before you are allowed to post to the forum you should be a CO. Its something that completes you as a geocacher. Without CO's there is no game.

There are some ( I RARELY check profiles ) " power posters " on the forum who are often critical of cache size, location, type, etc. who have never hidden a cache.....its like continually going to a pot luck supper but never bringing a dish and on top of that having negative things to say about the food that others brought.

I recently lost a good friend and caching buddy....he was crippled in an auto accident many years ago. At times I would assist him with his hides and on other occasions he would use his wheelchair or scooter to hide caches so there is really no excuse, if you can find caches you can hide caches even if they are Tuna Casserole.

7.7k · July 12, 2014

It is obvious that Groundspeak cares not for the long term maintenance of posts, as editing is disabled after 24 hours. Such callous attitudes by TPTB will spell the end of forum posting as we know it.

3.7k · July 12, 2014

It is obvious that Groundspeak cares not for the long term maintenance of posts, as editing is disabled after 24 hours. Such callous attitudes by TPTB will spell the end of forum posting as we know it.

Your callousness just lost you a credit.

Edited July 12, 2014 by The_Incredibles_

3.7k · July 12, 2014

There are some ( I RARELY check profiles ) " power posters " on the forum who are often critical of cache size, location, type, etc. who have never hidden a cache.....its like continually going to a pot luck supper but never bringing a dish and on top of that having negative things to say about the food that others brought.

Not that I stalk people's profiles either but I have noticed this same phenomenon. It's funny and sad at the same time and even more so when you point it out to them and they get all indignant. Not that we encourage that sort of thing on here. We are a community, after all. :anibad:

1.6k · July 12, 2014

I've been on a lot of forums over the years and have seen what forum popularity does....... and its not pretty.

The more popular and the busier a forum gets, the more negativity shows up. More people that have different opinions, different experiences, different attitudes.....and they all disagree.

All too often - the 'good' aspect of the forum (people), stop visiting.

It's A LOT harder to moderate/control a popular/busy forum also. You need much more volunteers to moderate it. More SPAM, etc.

6.8k · July 12, 2014

I think before you are allowed to post to the forum you should be a CO. Its something that completes you as a geocacher. Without CO's there is no game.

I did my first caches quite early from a perspectice of 2014. However I'm strictly against your suggestion if it not a joke. I find it difficult to find out you is joking in this thread.

This forum is also used for asking questions and it would be a very idea to keep someone who has not yet hidden a cache from answering questions that might have a positive aspect to their future caches. Moreover, I would not want to encounter caches that are hidden only to allow someone to post in the forum.

By the way, I do think that nowadays there are barriers for certain types of cachers to start becoming a cache owner that have not existed earlier. When I started there were very few caches available and favourite points, gc-vote and similar systems of evaluation did not exist. Now the ambitious ones among those who do not yet own a cache would like to hide a cache as their first cache that is special and gets a considerable number of favourite points. Otherwise, they are not satisfied with themselves. In many areas it is not easy to come up with such a cache if you are not a talented craftsman and can impress others with the container. It is not hard to hide a decent cache, but it is not easy to hide something special. I have discussed about this issue with a lot of cachers and in particular cachers who have not yet hidden a cache and told me about their concerns. I tried to convince them that not every cache needs to be special and that I often prefer the normal caches to the special ones, but I was not that convincing as apparently among those hardly anyone has meanwhile hidden a cache. Some among them are however helpful when it comes to helping out with maintenance and they are definitely very different from the people in your potluck comparison.

Edited July 12, 2014 by cezanne

6.1k · July 12, 2014

In order to encourage more people to post to the forum, I propose that anybody who posts at least 10 coherent sentences/week gets a credit towards their next renewal/purchase of a premium membership.

After all, our contributions are critical to the survival and growth of the sport. Without us, geocaching might wither and die.

Discuss.

Forum posting can be dangerous, as I nearly got into an accident while replying to a post last week. Now I have a cellphone mount for my motorcycle and try not to post anything over 60 mph while in the woods.

2.6k · July 12, 2014

I've been on a lot of forums over the years and have seen what forum popularity does....... and its not pretty.

The more popular and the busier a forum gets, the more negativity shows up. More people that have different opinions, different experiences, different attitudes.....and they all disagree.

All too often - the 'good' aspect of the forum (people), stop visiting.

It's A LOT harder to moderate/control a popular/busy forum also. You need much more volunteers to moderate it. More SPAM, etc.

I don't even read other forums much less post ( I did post twice to a lawnmower forum )because of the hostility and bad language. I think there is a lot of anger in lots of folks and they use forums to vent as most forums are faceless and nameless. Other than trolls the majority of us have REAL accounts, galleries,etc. and you feel like you talking to friends. Also the moderators on our forum do a good job keeping things civil. Nothing wrong in asking pointed questions or expressing an opinion that may not be popular as long as its done in the right spirit.

1.2k · July 12, 2014

In order to encourage more people to post to the forum, I propose that anybody who posts at least 10 coherent sentences/week gets a credit towards their next renewal/purchase of a premium membership.

That restrictive criterion puts me out of the game

5.7k · July 12, 2014

In order to encourage more people to post to the forum, I propose that anybody who posts at least 10 coherent sentences/week gets a credit towards their next renewal/purchase of a premium membership.

That restrictive criterion puts me out of the game

Yeah, same here. Thanks for posting that's one more post for me and my forums addiction. Now, back to thinking about geocaching.

3.1k · July 12, 2014

In order to encourage more people to post to the forum, I propose that anybody who posts at least 10 coherent sentences/week gets a credit towards their next renewal/purchase of a premium membership.

That restrictive criterion puts me out of the game

That restrictive criterion also would require moderators to exercise their judgments, much like the Wow! factor did with virtual posts. So the moderators obviously would rebel.

I'd go into much more detail about the history of virtual posts and their consequences, but there are some Puritans walking past my door whom I must go berate.

8.4k · July 12, 2014

I think a forum surcharge would cut down on power posts.

What exactly are you talking about? How does posting give one power?

That term makes me think of a few people that post or posted a lot and then felt like they wielded some sort of power over other users. I had one actually ask me if I felt intimidated by him via pm because I dared to disagree in a conversation he thought he was in control of. That was a knee slapper. Still makes me smile at the delusion.

There are people on this forum with real power (to banish or edit) with 20k+ to 30k+ posts that are mostly helpful and polite and I don't think of them as power posters.

Same thing happens with find counts and some personality types more often. I avoid folks that think think their find count makes them somebody. because hey, I'm a billionaire many times over at Monopoly and mass murderer with over a quarter million confirmed kills on Call of Duty, but I can't cash that in for a yacht or a Congressional Medal of Honor.

I guess I just don't get it?

13.7k · July 12, 2014

I think forum users would feel rewarded if those asking for help and receiving it would actually come back in to say so once in a while...

10.2k · July 12, 2014

In order to encourage more people to post to the forum, I propose that anybody who posts at least 10 coherent sentences/week gets a credit towards their next renewal/purchase of a premium membership.

After all, our contributions are critical to the survival and growth of the sport. Without us, geocaching might wither and die.

Discuss.

Psst. Mrs. I. They don't even like their own forums. As many websites don't. Probably not to the point where they'll take them down, and replace them with 4 barely coherent pinned posts that can't be responded to chastising the former participants like Garmin did.

I've been on a lot of forums over the years and have seen what forum popularity does....... and its not pretty.

The more popular and the busier a forum gets, the more negativity shows up. More people that have different opinions, different experiences, different attitudes.....and they all disagree.

All too often - the 'good' aspect of the forum (people), stop visiting.

It's A LOT harder to moderate/control a popular/busy forum also. You need much more volunteers to moderate it. More SPAM, etc.

Yes, longtime user of many forums here too. I always get a chuckle when people say this highly moderated one is nasty. You want nasty? Try any Pro or College Sports forum, be it for a team or a league. But popular and busy? This one ain't what it used to be. Posts are WAY down. And the regional forums have been dead for years. It wasn't always that way, for about the first 2 years, I only hung out at the then Northeast forum, and rarely looked here. Classic php forums like this one are dying a slow death all over the internet. Yes, they say it's Facebook. I don't know, I don't even have an account.

And many forum owners DO give up due to spam. At the not very active one I run, 44% of the account verification emails in the last two weeks were sent to Spambots. And 35 out of the 44% were to China. That is DESPITE attempting to block the whole Country via the .htaccess file, and with dozens of Chines IP blocks entered into iptables. They still get through like crazy. They're relentless, and cause many a forum owner to throw in the towel, unless you have the time to fight spam daily.

3.7k · July 12, 2014

I think this forum's run pretty well. I used to frequent another one where they just delete whole threads whenever the mood strikes. Another one I used to frequent was so busy it was crazy. Like a dozen replies in 5 minutes. It was like a full time job just to follow 1 thread.

1.6k · July 12, 2014

I don't even read other forums much less post ( I did post twice to a lawnmower forum )because of the hostility and bad language. I think there is a lot of anger in lots of folks and they use forums to vent as most forums are faceless and nameless. Other than trolls the majority of us have REAL accounts, galleries,etc. and you feel like you talking to friends. Also the moderators on our forum do a good job keeping things civil. Nothing wrong in asking pointed questions or expressing an opinion that may not be popular as long as its done in the right spirit.

Forums are great when they stay manageable. The Moderators on this forum do a great job! This forum is a good size.

It's when the forums get over-populated, is when the SPAM, the venting, trolls, the negativity....gets much worse. You need more Moderators to keep things in-check. With more moderators and people, comes more strict rules and people get bent-out-of-shape.

This forum is a good size the way it is.

1.5k · July 12, 2014

There are some ( I RARELY check profiles ) " power posters " on the forum who are often critical of cache size, location, type, etc. who have never hidden a cache.....its like continually going to a pot luck supper but never bringing a dish and on top of that having negative things to say about the food that others brought.

Not that I stalk people's profiles either but I have noticed this same phenomenon. It's funny and sad at the same time and even more so when you point it out to them and they get all indignant. Not that we encourage that sort of thing on here. We are a community, after all.

Not to get off subject, but I'm guessing that pot luck suppers in CO and WA can have a whole new meaning now

July 12, 2014

I've been on a lot of forums over the years and have seen what forum popularity does....... and its not pretty.

The more popular and the busier a forum gets, the more negativity shows up. More people that have different opinions, different experiences, different attitudes.....and they all disagree.

All too often - the 'good' aspect of the forum (people), stop visiting.

It's A LOT harder to moderate/control a popular/busy forum also. You need much more volunteers to moderate it. More SPAM, etc.

What? People can be negative on the forums? :anitongue:

Edited July 12, 2014 by worstcaster

5.7k · July 12, 2014

I always get a chuckle when people say this highly moderated one is nasty.

Need I remind you of the circumstances behind your fourth signature line? :anibad:

7.3k · July 13, 2014

I was rewarded for my forum addiction by being turned into a mod.

:unsure: :huh: :blink:

14k · July 13, 2014

In order to encourage more people to post to the forum, I propose that anybody who posts at least 10 coherent sentences/week gets a credit towards their next renewal/purchase of a premium membership.

After all, our contributions are critical to the survival and growth of the sport. Without us, geocaching might wither and die.

Discuss.

Psst. Mrs. I. They don't even like their own forums. As many websites don't. Probably not to the point where they'll take them down, and replace them with 4 barely coherent pinned posts that can't be responded to chastising the former participants like Garmin did.

I've been on a lot of forums over the years and have seen what forum popularity does....... and its not pretty.

The more popular and the busier a forum gets, the more negativity shows up. More people that have different opinions, different experiences, different attitudes.....and they all disagree.

All too often - the 'good' aspect of the forum (people), stop visiting.

It's A LOT harder to moderate/control a popular/busy forum also. You need much more volunteers to moderate it. More SPAM, etc.

Yes, longtime user of many forums here too. I always get a chuckle when people say this highly moderated one is nasty. You want nasty? Try any Pro or College Sports forum, be it for a team or a league. But popular and busy?

Or almost any usenet group in the 1990's. Only the really brave should attempt an "alt.*" group.

And many forum owners DO give up due to spam. At the not very active one I run, 44% of the account verification emails in the last two weeks were sent to Spambots. And 35 out of the 44% were to China. That is DESPITE attempting to block the whole Country via the .htaccess file, and with dozens of Chines IP blocks entered into iptables. They still get through like crazy. They're relentless, and cause many a forum owner to throw in the towel, unless you have the time to fight spam daily.

I have a pretty fair amount of legitimate correspondence with people in China so can't really block the whole country.

10.2k · July 13, 2014

I have a pretty fair amount of legitimate correspondence with people in China so can't really block the whole country.

I'd consider this still on topic. Many people do have legitimate correspondence with China. And I was surprised once when I mentioned in the stopforumsspam.com forums that I block it, that there was plenty of opposition to blocking all of China. Despite the fact that website shows 57.6% of all forum spam came from China in the past year.

I'd never block Japan, despite 5% of my spam accounts coming from there in the last 2 weeks. I'd consider my forum regional, and no one in China has any reason ever to create an account. American Service Men and Women in Japan South Korea? Small chance, but maybe, so I'd never block them.

And I'm sure Groundspeak would NEVER want to block any Countries, ever.

10.2k · July 13, 2014

I always get a chuckle when people say this highly moderated one is nasty.

Need I remind you of the circumstances behind your fourth signature line?

Ooops, you're right. Man, that group has been very quiet lately. They must have finally got a PR department, or something.

3.3k · July 13, 2014

I think before you are allowed to post to the forum you should be a CO. Its something that completes you as a geocacher. Without CO's there is no game.

There are some ( I RARELY check profiles ) " power posters " on the forum who are often critical of cache size, location, type, etc. who have never hidden a cache.....its like continually going to a pot luck supper but never bringing a dish and on top of that having negative things to say about the food that others brought.

It's better that people don't hide caches, than hide lame caches they can't or won't maintain.

I wonder how many of the abandoned caches left with broken containers until the rain turns the contents mouldy pending archival by a reviewer for non-maintenance, were hidden because someone thought they needed to hide a cache or two.

2.6k · July 13, 2014

I think before you are allowed to post to the forum you should be a CO. Its something that completes you as a geocacher. Without CO's there is no game.

There are some ( I RARELY check profiles ) " power posters " on the forum who are often critical of cache size, location, type, etc. who have never hidden a cache.....its like continually going to a pot luck supper but never bringing a dish and on top of that having negative things to say about the food that others brought.

It's better that people don't hide caches, than hide lame caches they can't or won't maintain.

Then don't hide lame caches , hide good ones and maintain them.

3.3k · July 14, 2014

I think before you are allowed to post to the forum you should be a CO. Its something that completes you as a geocacher. Without CO's there is no game.

There are some ( I RARELY check profiles ) " power posters " on the forum who are often critical of cache size, location, type, etc. who have never hidden a cache.....its like continually going to a pot luck supper but never bringing a dish and on top of that having negative things to say about the food that others brought.

It's better that people don't hide caches, than hide lame caches they can't or won't maintain.

Then don't hide lame caches , hide good ones and maintain them.

Sure, but hiding a good cache requires a good location that hasn't already been taken (and isn't affected by a splattering of film pots nearby), where permission can be gained, and where muggle activity won't be a problem. It also requires the time and inclination to look after it having placed it.

If any of those are missing I'd say it's preferable to hide no cache, than just chuck a film pot at the base of a tree and abandon it.

2.6k · July 15, 2014

There are some ( I RARELY check profiles ) " power posters " on the forum who are often critical of cache size, location, type, etc. who have never hidden a cache.....its like continually going to a pot luck supper but never bringing a dish and on top of that having negative things to say about the food that others brought.

Not that I stalk people's profiles either but I have noticed this same phenomenon. It's funny and sad at the same time and even more so when you point it out to them and they get all indignant. Not that we encourage that sort of thing on here. We are a community, after all.

You have become not only a poster but a prophet.

July 28, 2014

That would be great

2k · July 28, 2014

I think a forum surcharge would cut down on power posts.

They have much more effective ways of curbing power posts.

1.8k · July 28, 2014

Sorry folks. I am still stuck on the first post, and trying to decide if any geocacher I've come across would be considered coherent.

forum addiction should be rewarded

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