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Release Notes - July 29, 2014

ThePaigeTurner
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ThePaigeTurner

+ThePaigeTurner

Posted
Posted

The latest release of Geocaching.com is all about building a strong foundation for future improvements. In addition to these behind-the-scenes infrastructure improvements, we also:

 


  •  
  • And, of course, no release would be complete without the usual round of text changes and maintenance.

stebu

stebu

Posted
Posted

The latest release of Geocaching.com is all about building a strong foundation for future improvements. In addition to these behind-the-scenes infrastructure improvements, we also:

*Made it easier than ever to set your home location and email preferences.

I have high hopes, but if it's only tick boxes for notifications and "tip & tricks", I feel let down :(

Avernar

+Avernar

Posted
Posted

I think someone forgot to feed the hamsters. Site is a bit sluggish and I'm getting the occasional "Server Error in '/' Application."

The A-Team

+The A-Team

Posted
Posted

Made it easier than ever to set your home location...

This page seems much more logical and stable than before, so kudos for that. It might be good to mention on that page that the location saves automatically when you move the pin. I didn't realize that, so I inadvertently permanently changed my home coordinates while trying it out. Luckily I have access to my original coordinates in my GSAK installation, so I could restore them.

 

I'm confused. Burying these options one level deeper than they were before, with no other changes, is somehow making it easier? I'm seeing the exact opposite of "easier".

 

I think someone forgot to feed the hamsters. Site is a bit sluggish and I'm getting the occasional "Server Error in '/' Application."

A few minutes ago it was really dragging for me too, but it seems better now.

ThePaigeTurner

+ThePaigeTurner

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The latest release of Geocaching.com is all about building a strong foundation for future improvements. In addition to these behind-the-scenes infrastructure improvements, we also:

*Made it easier than ever to set your home location and email preferences.

I have high hopes, but if it's only tick boxes for notifications and "tip & tricks", I feel let down :(

 

Well that's not good. We don't want hungry hamsters. I'm not able to repro this. What pages were you trying to access? If it happens again can you post a screenshot? Thanks!

dadoskawina

+dadoskawina

Posted
Posted
Hmm, the option for "HTML" or "Plain Text" email format seems to be missing.....
Agreed. An option for HTML email or plain text email would fit very nicely on the Email Notifications tab.

Agree too. Please, give us the opportunity to receive e-mails in plain text format.

HighlanderPL

+HighlanderPL

Posted
Posted
Hmm, the option for "HTML" or "Plain Text" email format seems to be missing.....
Agreed. An option for HTML email or plain text email would fit very nicely on the Email Notifications tab.

Agree too. Please, give us the opportunity to receive e-mails in plain text format.

Also awaiting HTML / Plain switch.

ThePaigeTurner

+ThePaigeTurner

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Hmm, the option for "HTML" or "Plain Text" email format seems to be missing.....
Agreed. An option for HTML email or plain text email would fit very nicely on the Email Notifications tab.

Agree too. Please, give us the opportunity to receive e-mails in plain text format.

Also awaiting HTML / Plain switch.

 

I hear you and appreciate the feedback. We don't have plans to provide a plain text option at this time, but I will be sure to bubble up your concerns.

cheech gang

+cheech gang

Posted
Posted
Hmm, the option for "HTML" or "Plain Text" email format seems to be missing.....
Agreed. An option for HTML email or plain text email would fit very nicely on the Email Notifications tab.

Agree too. Please, give us the opportunity to receive e-mails in plain text format.

Also awaiting HTML / Plain switch.

 

I hear you and appreciate the feedback. We don't have plans to provide a plain text option at this time, but I will be sure to bubble up your concerns.

 

Well, alrighty then. Move along.

java.lang

+java.lang

Posted
Posted

I'm confused. Burying these options one level deeper than they were before, with no other changes, is somehow making it easier? I'm seeing the exact opposite of "easier".

 

This isn't exactly new though - GS seems to like to claim/advertise exactly the opposite of what it's paying customers think.

 

The last release also promised super easy and useful new email notifications and we all saw where it has gotten us...

 

I can also remember a while back, when they wanted to sell us the new improved search functionality as a big step foreward, which regrettably can only search for prefixes of cache names anymore...

jholly

jholly

Posted
Posted

I hear you and appreciate the feedback. We don't have plans to provide a plain text option at this time, but I will be sure to bubble up your concerns.

 

Some how I don't quite believe you really appreciate the feedback since you have no plans to provide a form of communication that is useable and readable. Really, pastel text on a pastel background, are you serious? And I'm sure once our concerns bubble up the bubble will break.

Nylimb

Nylimb

Posted
Posted

I hear you and appreciate the feedback. We don't have plans to provide a plain text option at this time, but I will be sure to bubble up your concerns.

Why don't you plan to bring back plain text emails? Many people have requested it in the previous Release Notes thread, explaining what problems the switch to HTML email is causing. So far, I haven't seen any explanation of what the advantages are that prompted the design team to make this change. Can you provide one?

The A-Team

+The A-Team

Posted
Posted

Also awaiting HTML / Plain switch.

I hear you and appreciate the feedback.

While you, personally, may appreciate the feedback, it's very apparent that Groundspeak as an entity does not. There are countless discussions on these forums (and elsewhere) expressing displeasure with the forced-HTML emails, with numerous explanations of why HTML is detrimental for various reasons, and yet Groundspeak is still holding firm and not even considering a plain text option. This indicates to me that Groundspeak is one or more of the below:

a. Delusional - "Everybody likes the HTML emails"

b. Ignorant - "What? There are problems with forcing everyone to use HTML?"

c. Apathetic - "You don't like the new emails? Meh."

d. Arrogant - "We're giving you what we want, and you're going to like it"

 

Like someone else posted in one of the many discussions on this matter, Groundspeak's actions have been very analogous to just giving everyone the middle finger. If you're actually trying to run a business, I doubt any experts would recommend that action as being good for the bottom line.

 

I'd very much like to hear a statement from Jeremy on the matter of the emails. Does he support forcing HTML emails on everyone? Was he part of the planning discussions when this was decided? Is he aware of the significant backlash that has resulted? Most importantly, does he care? Someone's running his company into the ground, and I'd love to know if it's his underlings doing it or if it's Jeremy himself.

 

Note to Paige: Please understand that none of this is directed at you personally. You're just the messenger, so I won't shoot you. :anibad:

Schreibaccount

Schreibaccount

Posted
Posted

I hear you and appreciate the feedback. We don't have plans to provide a plain text option at this time, but I will be sure to bubble up your concerns.

Very disappointing! I can't believe that you (Groundspeak) appreciate the feedback - I rather think you don't care and you won't provide a plain text option ever...

And still I haven't seen any reasonable explanations for those unwanted changes. It's not a matter of taste or inflexible behavior of your customers that makes us complaining - there are good reasons for everyone here to refuse that html-stuff. But that falls on deaf ears :(

Dr.MORO

+Dr.MORO

Posted
Posted

We don't have plans to provide a plain text option at this time, but I will be sure to bubble up your concerns.

 

Oh, dear...

What a disappointment...

Just put back what you took way.

Much easier than trying to fix something that wasn't broken, then trying to fix even more what you've broke.

 

Plain text email, or bust.

RetallickRamblers

+RetallickRamblers

Posted
Posted

To be honest though, I've altered my scripts so that the incoming emails are trimmed to just the info they had before, including distance and direction, with no useless crap.

Shouldn't really be necessary, but I've worked around it.

Viajero Perdido

+Viajero Perdido

Posted
Posted
New Traditional Cache: Boring Micro (GC000ZZ), 29.3mi SE (47.2km SE)

Why does the email title - where space is at a premium - contain a distance in two measurement systems? You already know my preferences.

 

(And why is my favourite unit of measurement - the most popular one in the world in fact - the one in parentheses?)

DragonsWest

+DragonsWest

Posted
Posted
Hmm, the option for "HTML" or "Plain Text" email format seems to be missing.....
Agreed. An option for HTML email or plain text email would fit very nicely on the Email Notifications tab.

Agree too. Please, give us the opportunity to receive e-mails in plain text format.

Also awaiting HTML / Plain switch.

 

I hear you and appreciate the feedback. We don't have plans to provide a plain text option at this time, but I will be sure to bubble up your concerns.

 

Add me to the growing queue of people who think this should be an immediate plan. The email change was a fiasco and continues to be a nuisance. Every "improvement" pales in the light of this.

The_Incredibles_

+The_Incredibles_

Posted
Posted

Also awaiting HTML / Plain switch.

I hear you and appreciate the feedback.

While you, personally, may appreciate the feedback, it's very apparent that Groundspeak as an entity does not. There are countless discussions on these forums (and elsewhere) expressing displeasure with the forced-HTML emails, with numerous explanations of why HTML is detrimental for various reasons, and yet Groundspeak is still holding firm and not even considering a plain text option. This indicates to me that Groundspeak is one or more of the below:

 

You could have saved yourself a lot of typing. The simple reason for their behavior is that they have a monopoly. Add more (real) competition into the mix and you'll get better customer service.

paleolith

+paleolith

Posted
Posted
I hear you and appreciate the feedback. We don't have plans to provide a plain text option at this time, but I will be sure to bubble up your concerns.

 

I'm glad you appreciate our feedback. Unfortunately we at the other end see precious little evidence that GS as a whole appreciates it. The changes in email notifications were not even posted to the User Insights forum that GS set up just a few months ago for exactly this purpose.

 

Does no one at GS understand how heavily the notification emails are used? Surely you know how many are sent.

 

As I posted at great length yesterday in the thread on last week's release, for most of us HTML isn't really the issue. "HTML" has become a label for multiple problems with the new emails: wretched formatting, excessive size, and missing information. (Originally "HTML" was also a label for the mangled subject lines, but that got fixed.) If GS won't offer an option for plain text emails, what solution does GS propose for the problems which have been discussed here at such length? Does GS really not care hard difficult it is for us to read the emails?

 

Edward

Keystone

Keystone

Posted
Posted

I've hidden a few posts that were unnecessarily harsh in their language and/or in their personal criticism of the Lackey who announced this week's routine code release.

 

There are ways of voicing an objection very strongly, without crossing the line. The remaining posts in the thread provide examples.

 

Thank you to all for keeping our Forum Guidelines in mind when posting. Doing so makes it more likely that Lackeys and Moderators will provide feedback and engage in dialogue.

Yellow ants

+Yellow ants

Posted
Posted

Frankly, at this point I don't care whether Groundspeak staff provides feedback and engages in dialogue, since it is plainly apparent that you don't care one whit what your customers think.

famerlor_dragon

+famerlor_dragon

Posted
Posted

.ExternalClass {

width: 100%;

}

 

.ExternalClass, .ExternalClass p, .ExternalClass span, .ExternalClass font,

.ExternalClass td, .ExternalClass div {

line-height: 100%;

}

 

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-webkit-text-size-adjust: none;

-ms-text-size-adjust: none;

}

 

body {

margin: 0;

padding: 0;

}

 

table td {

border-collapse: collapse;

}

 

p {

margin: 0;

padding: 0;

margin-bottom: 0;

}

 

h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {

color: black;

line-height: 100%;

}

 

a, a:link {

color: #4a742c;

text-decoration: underline;

}

 

body, #body_style {

background: #ffffff;

color: #000000;

font-family: Helvetica, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;

font-size: 13px;

}

 

span.yshortcuts {

color: #000;

background-color: none;

border: none;

}

 

span.yshortcuts:hover,

span.yshortcuts:active,

span.yshortcuts:focus {

color: #000;

background-color: none;

border: none;

}

 

a:visited {

color: #4a742c;

text-decoration: none;

}

 

a:focus {

color: #4a742c;

text-decoration: underline;

}

 

a:hover {

color: #4a742c;

text-decoration: underline;

}

 

@media only screen and (max-width: 650px) {

body[yahoo] #body_style table {

width: 100%;

}

body[yahoo] #text-links1 a,

body[yahoo] #text-links2 a{

display:block;

}

body[yahoo] #hide1,

body[yahoo] #hide2{

display:none;

}

}

@media only screen and (max-width: 350px) {

body[yahoo] #social-links{

width:60px;

}

body[yahoo] #social-links span{

display:block;

}

}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought I make this better readable for you guys at Groundspeak:

 

Please make a plaintext option a priority.

 

I do not fancy reading e-mails like this.

 

Danke

 

 

 

 

 

 

Questions:

Help

Contact Us

 

 

|

 

 

Get the App:

iTunes

Google Play

 

 

|

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© 2000-2014 Geocaching, a Groundspeak, Inc. Project.

All Rights Reserved.

Yellow ants

+Yellow ants

Posted
Posted

.ExternalClass {

width: 100%;

}

 

.ExternalClass, .ExternalClass p, .ExternalClass span, .ExternalClass font,

.ExternalClass td, .ExternalClass div {

line-height: 100%;

}

 

body {

-webkit-text-size-adjust: none;

-ms-text-size-adjust: none;

}

 

body {

margin: 0;

padding: 0;

}

 

table td {

border-collapse: collapse;

}

 

p {

margin: 0;

padding: 0;

margin-bottom: 0;

}

 

h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {

color: black;

line-height: 100%;

}

 

a, a:link {

color: #4a742c;

text-decoration: underline;

}

 

body, #body_style {

background: #ffffff;

color: #000000;

font-family: Helvetica, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;

font-size: 13px;

}

 

span.yshortcuts {

color: #000;

background-color: none;

border: none;

}

 

span.yshortcuts:hover,

span.yshortcuts:active,

span.yshortcuts:focus {

color: #000;

background-color: none;

border: none;

}

 

a:visited {

color: #4a742c;

text-decoration: none;

}

 

a:focus {

color: #4a742c;

text-decoration: underline;

}

 

a:hover {

color: #4a742c;

text-decoration: underline;

}

 

@media only screen and (max-width: 650px) {

body[yahoo] #body_style table {

width: 100%;

}

body[yahoo] #text-links1 a,

body[yahoo] #text-links2 a{

display:block;

}

body[yahoo] #hide1,

body[yahoo] #hide2{

display:none;

}

}

@media only screen and (max-width: 350px) {

body[yahoo] #social-links{

width:60px;

}

body[yahoo] #social-links span{

display:block;

}

}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought I make this better readable for you guys at Groundspeak:

 

Please make a plaintext option a priority.

 

I do not fancy reading e-mails like this.

 

Danke

 

 

 

 

 

 

Questions:

Help

Contact Us

 

 

|

 

 

Get the App:

iTunes

Google Play

 

 

|

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© 2000-2014 Geocaching, a Groundspeak, Inc. Project.

All Rights Reserved.

 

.ExternalClass {

width: 100%;

}

 

.ExternalClass, .ExternalClass p, .ExternalClass span, .ExternalClass font,

.ExternalClass td, .ExternalClass div {

line-height: 100%;

}

 

body {

-webkit-text-size-adjust: none;

-ms-text-size-adjust: none;

}

 

body {

margin: 0;

padding: 0;

}

 

table td {

border-collapse: collapse;

}

 

p {

margin: 0;

padding: 0;

margin-bottom: 0;

}

 

h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {

color: black;

line-height: 100%;

}

 

a, a:link {

color: #4a742c;

text-decoration: underline;

}

 

body, #body_style {

background: #ffffff;

color: #000000;

font-family: Helvetica, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;

font-size: 13px;

}

 

span.yshortcuts {

color: #000;

background-color: none;

border: none;

}

 

span.yshortcuts:hover,

span.yshortcuts:active,

span.yshortcuts:focus {

color: #000;

background-color: none;

border: none;

}

 

a:visited {

color: #4a742c;

text-decoration: none;

}

 

a:focus {

color: #4a742c;

text-decoration: underline;

}

 

a:hover {

color: #4a742c;

text-decoration: underline;

}

 

@media only screen and (max-width: 650px) {

body[yahoo] #body_style table {

width: 100%;

}

body[yahoo] #text-links1 a,

body[yahoo] #text-links2 a{

display:block;

}

body[yahoo] #hide1,

body[yahoo] #hide2{

display:none;

}

}

@media only screen and (max-width: 350px) {

body[yahoo] #social-links{

width:60px;

}

body[yahoo] #social-links span{

display:block;

}

}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I completely agree with your point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Questions:

Help

Contact Us

 

 

|

 

 

Get the App:

iTunes

Google Play

 

 

|

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© 2000-2014 Geocaching, a Groundspeak, Inc. Project.

All Rights Reserved.

MartyBartfast

+MartyBartfast

Posted
Posted

Doing so makes it more likely that Lackeys and Moderators will provide feedback and engage in dialogue.

But there never is any feedback or dialogue, of all the threads where the issue of HTML mail has been raised the only "feedback" I've seen is one saying basically "we know you don't like it, but tough - we're not going to do anything about it". That sort of attitude from Groundspeak just leads to frustration which no doubt prompted the replies you had to remove.

 

Give us some proper feedback and dialog and we wouldn't be battering our head against a brick wall.

NinjaCacher!

+NinjaCacher!

Posted
Posted

I've hidden a few posts that were unnecessarily harsh in their language and/or in their personal criticism of the Lackey who announced this week's routine code release.

 

There are ways of voicing an objection very strongly, without crossing the line. The remaining posts in the thread provide examples.

 

Thank you to all for keeping our Forum Guidelines in mind when posting. Doing so makes it more likely that Lackeys and Moderators will provide feedback and engage in dialogue.

 

Sorry if my (removed) post was unnecessarily harsh. It was not meant to be personal criticism of the Lackey who posted, but criticism of Groundspeak's way of handling their paying customers' feedback. It seems pretty obvious here that LOTS of people are very unhappy about the notification mail changes and would prefer to have the old style as an option, and yet the only response seems to be "we appreciate your feedback but actually we don't care". It doesn't feel like Groundspeak actually appreciates our feedback or is willing to do anything about it.

 

So again, as a paying customer I ask Groundspeak to undo these changes to the notification mails. They broke a product I paid for. I'm thinking about asking for a refund of my Premium Membership - not because I don't like Geocaching anymore or don't want the other premium features anymore, but because it feels like this might be the only way that people "up there" actually start listening to their customers' opinion.

 

At least if several of us start doing that....

 

:ph34r:

 

Doing so makes it more likely that Lackeys and Moderators will provide feedback and engage in dialogue.

But there never is any feedback or dialogue, of all the threads where the issue of HTML mail has been raised the only "feedback" I've seen is one saying basically "we know you don't like it, but tough - we're not going to do anything about it". That sort of attitude from Groundspeak just leads to frustration which no doubt prompted the replies you had to remove.

 

Give us some proper feedback and dialog and we wouldn't be battering our head against a brick wall.

+1, agree 100%

CocoKiwi

+CocoKiwi

Posted
Posted

Don`t know if it had been mentioned before, but I think plain text emails would be a great step into an even brighter future for all of us!

K13

+K13

Posted
Posted

Don`t know if it had been mentioned before, but I think plain text emails would be a great step into an even brighter future for all of us!

 

Now that's an upgrade I could support! :D

 

+2

 

Isn't "bubble up" what a baby does on your shoulder after it has finished its bottle?

EngPhil

+EngPhil

Posted
Posted (edited)

Isn't "bubble up" what a baby does on your shoulder after it has finished its bottle?

Thus resulting in rancid spew. Kinda sums up the HTML email nicely, though previously I'd associated it more with the other end of the baby....

Edited by EngPhil
DragonsWest

+DragonsWest

Posted
Posted

Don`t know if it had been mentioned before, but I think plain text emails would be a great step into an even brighter future for all of us!

 

Now that's an upgrade I could support! :D

 

+2

 

Isn't "bubble up" what a baby does on your shoulder after it has finished its bottle?

 

Alas, such improvements aren't apparently meant for us...

 

(c-3po)

We seem to be made to suffer. It's our lot in life.

(/c-3po)

cezanne

cezanne

Posted
Posted

We don't have plans to provide a plain text option at this time, but I will be sure to bubble up your concerns.

 

Could you perhaps explain why despite the many issues that have brought forward there are no plans whatsoever to provide a plain

text option for user-sent e-mails? How does this statement fit to your other statement that feedback is appreciated?

 

I can understand to some extent if Groundspeak wishes to send their own e-mails in a format they regard as fancy, but that's a different story than

forcing every user to send out mails via gc.com (which cannot be avoided for example in case of virtual caches, Earthcaches etc) in a way that

is annoying to a considerable portion of the geocaching community. I regard it as very inpolite to send out a mail with the current colour scheme to

someone with bad eye vision, colour blindness etc. The old text format which existed for so many years does not cause such problems.

Why can't you let the users choose in which format they wish to send/receive user-sent e-mails?

 

Cezanne

cachbefound

+cachbefound

Posted
Posted
Hmm, the option for "HTML" or "Plain Text" email format seems to be missing.....
Agreed. An option for HTML email or plain text email would fit very nicely on the Email Notifications tab.

Agree too. Please, give us the opportunity to receive e-mails in plain text format.

Also awaiting HTML / Plain switch.

 

I hear you and appreciate the feedback. We don't have plans to provide a plain text option at this time, but I will be sure to bubble up your concerns.

 

I'd like to hear a reason as to why you don't have plans to provide a plain text option at this time. There are many users who want plain text. Why can't this be made an option? And don't even get me started as to why the notifications no longer include distances.

puczmeloun

+puczmeloun

Posted
Posted

Something is still not working as it should. Please make it work:

 

post-3549-0-11518000-1407161625.jpg

 

We don't have plans to provide a plain text option at this time, but I will be sure to bubble up your concerns.

 

Really nice to see, that one week since I were not online, nothing has changed in Groundspeak HQ. I'm kind of sad and disappointed about that, especially, when it can't be so hard to make an option, to have simple plain text email. But why to listen paying customers...:tired:

DragonsWest

+DragonsWest

Posted
Posted

Really nice to see, that one week since I were not online, nothing has changed in Groundspeak HQ. I'm kind of sad and disappointed about that, especially, when it can't be so hard to make an option, to have simple plain text email. But why to listen paying customers...:tired:

 

Listening to actual customers appears to be a very steep mountain to climb. Apparently it's much easier to do the trendy thing and then toss out trendy phrases, like "Oh, Snap" or "Bubble it up."

 

I feel like there's a PHB there, working on that realizing maximum potential thing.

y2kcompliant

+y2kcompliant

Posted
Posted

I think we are missing the obvious. The staff at Groundspeak no longer use their own product. If they did they would take heed to the numerous requests to revert to plain text e-mails. If they actually relied on their degraded product they would understand what they have done to their paying customers. But since they don't maintain 10+ hides or more each, and don't actually hike in the woods anymore, they can't possibly understand the damage. They are now completely out of touch with the hobby the company was originally based upon.

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