GSAK price

[+GrayHawk613]

Do you have to pay for GSAK?

[+tozainamboku]

From GSAK home page

GSAK is FREE to download and use, but after 21 days of unrestricted use you get a nag screen. You can keep using GSAK after the 21 days, but if you want to remove the nag screen you will need to register the program

 

Registration is $30 US. It includes minor updates, but every couple of years Clyde release a major update. You have to re-resgister the update but there is a prorated price depending on when you registered the previous version.

[+hzoi]

From the gsak.net home page:

 

GSAK is FREE to download and use, but after 21 days of unrestricted use you get a nag screen. You can keep using GSAK after the 21 days, but if you want to remove the nag screen you will need to register the program.

[+Bear and Ragged]

GSAK does work with the nag screen (fully functioning) but takes longer to 'go away' as it gets older...

[+kd0bik]

GSAK is worth the price.

 

Jerry

[+gpsblake]

GSAK not a bad program and as others have said, after 21 days (although you can work around this), it will start giving a nag screen that gets longer and longer...

 

Personally, I don't feel the need for GSAK anymore, I use Watcher to edit my pocket queries, or EasyGPS, and the very excellent project-gc and mygeocachingprofile for stats. People have even written macros for project-gc to work with some challenge caches.

[+Sagefox]

GSAK is worth the price.

 

Yep. And the owner of that program is dedicated, full time, to maintaining and updating it. It's a fair price and well worth it.

[+GrayHawk613]

GSAK not a bad program and as others have said, after 21 days (although you can work around this), it will start giving a nag screen that gets longer and longer...

 

Personally, I don't feel the need for GSAK anymore, I use Watcher to edit my pocket queries, or EasyGPS, and the very excellent project-gc and mygeocachingprofile for stats. People have even written macros for project-gc to work with some challenge caches.

But couldn't you just delete the program and reinstall it?

[+baloo&bd]

But couldn't you just delete the program and reinstall it?

 

In the time it takes you to uninstall and reinstall,,which you would have to repeat occasionally you could have registered it and never have to worry about it again.

[+Viajero Perdido]

But couldn't you just delete the program and reinstall it?

Just PAY for it if you use it!

[+MartyBartfast]

 

But couldn't you just delete the program and reinstall it?

 

Probably not (at least not easily). I used to use it years ago, then stopped & uninstalled it, then some time much later I installed a newer version to see how it had come along in the intervening years and when I did so it knew there had been a previous installation and went straight into the nag screen, I decided it didn't do anything I couldn't live without and removed it again. So it's probably doing something clever either in the registry, or a hidden file, or some other black art, so if you could figure out how it records its prescence you could maybe hack it to avoid the nag screen but that would be 1) dishonest, and 2) a lot of effort every month just to save a couple of $$$; and don't forget that $$$ goes to a guy who makes his living out of this and has given a lot to this community - it's not going to some mega-corp like Apple/Google etc. If it's something you need then it's worth the $$$.

[+kunarion]

 

But couldn't you just delete the program and reinstall it?

 

Probably not (at least not easily). I used to use it years ago, then stopped & uninstalled it, then some time much later I installed a newer version to see how it had come along in the intervening years and when I did so it knew there had been a previous installation and went straight into the nag screen, I decided it didn't do anything I couldn't live without and removed it again. So it's probably doing something clever either in the registry, or a hidden file, or some other black art, so if you could figure out how it records its prescence you could maybe hack it to avoid the nag screen but that would be 1) dishonest, and 2) a lot of effort every month just to save a couple of $$$; and don't forget that $$$ goes to a guy who makes his living out of this and has given a lot to this community - it's not going to some mega-corp like Apple/Google etc. If it's something you need then it's worth the $$$.

Yes, there would be some hacker-style work to do with files that are risky to mess with. I just leave GSAK sitting there. Currently it's at 1980 days and takes over 16 minutes to start (twice that, usually, since when I run it, there's an update). Uninstall/wipe/reinstall is not a suitable option for everybody. I had to do some very tedious manual things to set up GSAK's main screen the way I like, so uninstalling would be especially bad for me. And if I got a new PC, I'd have to do everything all over again.

 

When I go to a cache Event and see someone show cool GSAK features, I run it again and immediately get stuck again (it's just plain not for me). And I have tons of questions, but had a bad experience by asking questions in GSAK's forum. Really bad. (Did I mention it's not for me? I don't know anybody else who has any issue at all. Enjoy!)

Edited December 26, 2014 by kunarion

[+tozainamboku]

don't forget that $$$ goes to a guy who makes his living out of this and has given a lot to this community - it's not going to some mega-corp like Apple/Google etc. If it's something you need then it's worth the $$$.

I happen to own Google and Apple stock. Not so much that it matters, but when you add up all the people who own stock in these mega-corps, it's not like it's wrong that they charge money and make a profit. Certainly Clyde does a great job with GSAK as a one man shop. He too is entitled to get paid for the work he does.

 

To be fair, I'm not sure anyone "needs" GSAK. As its name implies it is a Swiss Army knife with a bunch of geocaching tools. Many of these tools have counterparts that are free (or may ask for a donation but without the nag screen). With GSAK you basically pay for the convenience of everything in one place and for the support of an active community over on the GSAK forums to answer questions (although like kunarion, I too have had a bad experience on those forums) and to provide an array of macros to preform many additional functions. It is interesting to see that project-gc.com has user contributed macros as well.

[+Ma & Pa]

We are not techies but have had very little problem with GSAK and when we did, Clyde replied within an hour. We have some savvy friends who use GSAK and they have given us tips that help us.

 

The cost is one time, not yearly, and the registration code can be used to add it to more than one computer without charge. We have it on 3 laptops

 

We have used GSAK for so long that I am not sure I know how to load a pocket query without GSAK.

 

Here are some of the things we do with GSAK

 

Garmins usually show the cache name or GC code on the geocaching compass screen. We use codes that provides us diffrent info. We get the last part of the GC code, the cache size and part of the cache name. This info tends to be useful when looking for a cache, without having to go to the geocache screen.

 

We have a number of databases in GSAK and we update them regularly. Before loading caches into the gps, we review the caches that seem to be in trouble and delete from the list if necessary. Before leaving on a long road trip we prepare a number of databases using routes. We update and review the databases as we move along before loading them.

 

Most of our caching is in Maritime Canada. We keep an up to date database of all our unfound caches (currently over 26000). If we decide to go caching for a few days in an area, we go to the GSAK map and draw a polygon around the area that we want to attack, and GSAK will provide us with a filtered list of all the caches in that area, which we then review and load on our gps.

 

We do a lot of cache series during our trips and GSAK is great for publishing the logs. We prepare a template for all the caches with code to thank the owner by name and to show the number of that particular find. We then add specific info on certain caches and we end up publishing within a very short time.

 

 

.

Edited December 26, 2014 by Ma & Pa

[+SwineFlew]

Just pay that 30 bucks. Its worth it all the way!

 

I love GSAK so much that I cant live without it!! Its so powerful in so many ways. There is no geocaching program that can come close to GSAK!

[+hzoi]

It's made by cachers for cachers. Clyde and the macro authors, such as lignumaqua, have sunk far more time and energy into making this product, or even hosting gsak.net and answering questions on the forums there, than a dozen of your registration fees could ever repay. Reward their effort by showing them you are a good human being and throwing some token compensation their way, not by figuring out ways to freeload off their efforts.

 

edit to add: since they are geocachers and have access to these forums, I wonder what they could do to your copy of GSAK to mess with you...

Edited December 27, 2014 by hzoi

[+hzoi]

And if I got a new PC, I'd have to do everything all over again.

 

If you back up your GSAK settings, you can move the backup file to the new system and use the "restore" function to duplicate your settings. It's in the help file for GSAK. Worked splendidly when I got this laptop.

[+kunarion]

And if I got a new PC, I'd have to do everything all over again.

 

If you back up your GSAK settings, you can move the backup file to the new system and use the "restore" function to duplicate your settings. It's in the help file for GSAK. Worked splendidly when I got this laptop.

Good to know.

 

While researching info for my replies on this Topic, I discovered (after 32 minutes of being nagged, plus 10 more minutes of testing on another machine) that this part was fixed in some previous update:

 

 

The dot-matrix cache numbers with run-together characters was driving me crazy. And that's two years of crazy, since my post is still there, with no replies. That's not even the half of it, by a long shot. But I don't need replies now for that specific thing. So that's one issue to scratch off the list. Cool.

Edited December 27, 2014 by kunarion

[+Shop99er]

 

But couldn't you just delete the program and reinstall it?

 

It's $30 every couple of years or so. If you're not willing to support Clyde and his efforts, then don't use it.

[+jellis]

You only have 25 finds. For you it's not worth it yet.

[+Roman!]

And if I got a new PC, I'd have to do everything all over again.

 

If you back up your GSAK settings, you can move the backup file to the new system and use the "restore" function to duplicate your settings. It's in the help file for GSAK. Worked splendidly when I got this laptop.

Good to know.

 

While researching info for my replies on this Topic, I discovered (after 32 minutes of being nagged, plus 10 more minutes of testing on another machine) that this part was fixed in some previous update:

 

 

The dot-matrix cache numbers with run-together characters was driving me crazy. And that's two years of crazy, since my post is still there, with no replies. That's not even the half of it, by a long shot. But I don't need replies now for that specific thing. So that's one issue to scratch off the list. Cool.

 

You value your time so little?

[+kunarion]

And if I got a new PC, I'd have to do everything all over again.

 

If you back up your GSAK settings, you can move the backup file to the new system and use the "restore" function to duplicate your settings. It's in the help file for GSAK. Worked splendidly when I got this laptop.

Good to know.

 

While researching info for my replies on this Topic, I discovered (after 32 minutes of being nagged, plus 10 more minutes of testing on another machine) that this part was fixed in some previous update:

 

 

The dot-matrix cache numbers with run-together characters was driving me crazy. And that's two years of crazy, since my post is still there, with no replies. That's not even the half of it, by a long shot. But I don't need replies now for that specific thing. So that's one issue to scratch off the list. Cool.

 

You value your time so little?

No, but in order to accurately cover the Topic, I must endure the nagging. In this case, I needed to be sure I wasn't seeing things -- and that the default text was in fact fixed. Sixteen minutes of waiting, then I get notified of an update, then there's another sixteen-minute wait once the updated version starts. I have a ton of questions, and at two years per answer, sixteen minutes is nothing.

Edited December 27, 2014 by kunarion

[+baloo&bd]

No, but in order to accurately cover the Topic, I must endure the nagging. In this case, I needed to be sure I wasn't seeing things -- and that the default text was in fact fixed. Sixteen minutes of waiting, then I get notified of an update, then there's another sixteen-minute wait once the updated version starts. I have a ton of questions, and at two years per answer, sixteen minutes is nothing.

 

What name did you post under on the GSAK site?

 

After having used GSAK for almost 11 years, with one notable exception from a non-caching macro writer getting obstinate, all my questions have normally been answered within 24 hours and usually by Clyde.

 

I went to find your question to see why it may have gone unanswered and could not find it.

[+kunarion]

What name did you post under on the GSAK site?

 

After having used GSAK for almost 11 years, with one notable exception from a non-caching macro writer getting obstinate, all my questions have normally been answered within 24 hours and usually by Clyde.

 

I went to find your question to see why it may have gone unanswered and could not find it.

You're in good company. Even Clyde, after incompletely researching the issue, made a special point to come to this Forum and declare that I had never asked. And others then piled on that people who say they asked but didn't, don't know what they're talking about. Hey, ask me again why I'm not so keen on GSAK . The Mods must have been on vacation that day.

 

This is the whole thread:

http://gsak.net/board/index.php?showtopic=22618&st=0entry166235

 

I only asked twice. Once as the thread Topic, once after a similar answer was given which was cool, but didn't address the original question, and again, at which point I began to realize I was way over my head in this text sizing thing. Unlock this column, change these settings, unlock that, maybe I need to live with what it is, not what I'd like. To this day, I think I made it all worse by adjusting it. Two years later, it looks to me that the dot-matrix text thing has been fixed by some update. Two years from now, I'll ask how to get my screen back to the defaults, and two years from that, I'll ask about how to set the text up uniformly bigger. There are something like four different sizes now.

Edited December 28, 2014 by kunarion

[+kunarion]

What name did you post under on the GSAK site?

 

After having used GSAK for almost 11 years, with one notable exception from a non-caching macro writer getting obstinate, all my questions have normally been answered within 24 hours and usually by Clyde.

 

I went to find your question to see why it may have gone unanswered and could not find it.

You're in good company. Even Clyde, after incompletely researching the issue, made a special point to come to the Groundspeak Forum and pronounce that I had never asked. And others then piled on that it was therefore proven that I made it all up, was a typical Forum "badmouth", and didn't know what I was talking about... while my whole point all along was to agree that people must go ask about GSAK on the GSAK site, not here. Hey, ask me again why I'm not so keen on GSAK . The Mods must have been on vacation that day.

 

This is the whole thread:

http://gsak.net/board/index.php?showtopic=22618&st=0entry166235

 

I only asked twice. Once as the thread Topic, once after an answer was given which was cool but didn't address the original question, at which point I began to realize I was way over my head in this text sizing thing. Unlock this column, change these settings, unlock that, maybe I need to live with what it is, not what I'd like. To this day, I think I made it all worse by adjusting it. Two years later, it looks to me that the dot-matrix text thing has been fixed by an update. Two years from now, I'll ask how to get my screen back to the defaults, and two years from that, I'll ask about how to set the text up uniformly bigger. There are something like four different sizes now.

Edited December 28, 2014 by kunarion

[+wmpastor]

What name did you post under on the GSAK site?

 

After having used GSAK for almost 11 years, with one notable exception from a non-caching macro writer getting obstinate, all my questions have normally been answered within 24 hours and usually by Clyde.

 

I went to find your question to see why it may have gone unanswered and could not find it.

You're in good company. Even Clyde, after incompletely researching the issue, made a special point to come to [/i]the Groundspeak Forum[/i] and pronounce that I had never asked. And "]others then piled on that it was therefore proven that I made it all up, was a typical Forum "badmouth", and didn't know what I was talking about... while my whole point all along was to agree that people must go ask about GSAK on the GSAK site, not here. Hey, ask me again why I'm not so keen on GSAK . I'd rather never ask anything about it ever again. The Mods must have been on vacation that day.

 

This is the whole thread:

http://gsak.net/board/index.php?showtopic=22618&st=0entry166235

 

I only asked twice. Once as the thread Topic, once after a an answer was given which was cool but didn't address the original question, at which point I began to realize I was way over my head in this text sizing thing. Unlock this column, change these settings, unlock that, maybe I need to live with what it is, not what I'd like. To this day, I think I made it all worse by adjusting it. Two years later, it looks to me that the dot-matrix text thing has been fixed by an update. Two years from now, I'll ask how to get my screen back to the defaults, and two years from that, I'll ask about how to set the text up uniformly bigger. There are something like four different sizes now.

Whew! Sounds rough. Others seem fine with the advanced solutions, but so far i'm doing fine with the "plain vanilla" options.

[+kunarion]

Whew! Sounds rough.

You think that's bad, go look at OTT. To provide quality entertainment, I type a hilarious joke, and nobody ever laughs!

[+SwineFlew]

You only have 25 finds. For you it's not worth it yet.

 

That's for the OP to decide, not you.

 

I had very low finds when I downloaded GSAK for the first time.

[+MartyBartfast]

What name did you post under on the GSAK site?

 

After having used GSAK for almost 11 years, with one notable exception from a non-caching macro writer getting obstinate, all my questions have normally been answered within 24 hours and usually by Clyde.

 

I went to find your question to see why it may have gone unanswered and could not find it.

You're in good company. Even Clyde, after incompletely researching the issue, made a special point to come to the Groundspeak Forum and pronounce that I had never asked. And others then piled on that it was therefore proven that I made it all up, was a typical Forum "badmouth", and didn't know what I was talking about... while my whole point all along was to agree that people must go ask about GSAK on the GSAK site, not here. Hey, ask me again why I'm not so keen on GSAK . The Mods must have been on vacation that day.

 

This is the whole thread:

http://gsak.net/board/index.php?showtopic=22618&st=0entry166235

 

I only asked twice. Once as the thread Topic, once after an answer was given which was cool but didn't address the original question, at which point I began to realize I was way over my head in this text sizing thing. Unlock this column, change these settings, unlock that, maybe I need to live with what it is, not what I'd like. To this day, I think I made it all worse by adjusting it. Two years later, it looks to me that the dot-matrix text thing has been fixed by an update. Two years from now, I'll ask how to get my screen back to the defaults, and two years from that, I'll ask about how to set the text up uniformly bigger. There are something like four different sizes now.

 

I know this is going off topic but I feel I must reply. Looking at the links you provided:

 

1. You asked a question, on the same day you got two answers which prompted you to reply "that's better" so obviously they were useful answers, you then added followup question and got two answers again the same day, one with a screenshot of exactly which boxes you need to tick. And you think this is unhelpful?

 

2. You chose to use different usernames on here and on the GSAK forums, so when you complain on here about not getting a response on the GSAK forums (which is evidently not true from the link you provided), how on earth do you expect Clyde (or baloo&bd below) to know that you're using different usernames? I think most people use the same username for the two sites.

 

It seems to me you got pretty good service, but are determined to feel maligned.

[+kunarion]

1. You asked a question, on the same day you got two answers which prompted you to reply "that's better" so obviously they were useful answers, you then added followup question and got two answers again the same day, one with a screenshot of exactly which boxes you need to tick. And you think this is unhelpful?

It was in no way a follow-up question, I had to ask it again. I had to ask twice in that one Topic, just to get something close to the answer, and never did get it set up very well. Sorry about using the word "better", that evidently confused everyone. I don't even know if there is an answer, but if so, it was becoming be a very complicated answer, and asking everything more than once would take a long time, and remember this is about text sizing. The main problem was not that there may eventually be an answer, but that I'm the only one asking. I thought it would be a basic thing that everyone would have trouble with, and expected to find the answer without even asking. Look at the GC App questions around here, and imagine if people were being called a "typical badmouth" for bringing them up.

 

2. You chose to use different usernames on here and on the GSAK forums, so when you complain on here about not getting a response on the GSAK forums (which is evidently not true from the link you provided), how on earth do you expect Clyde (or baloo&bd below) to know that you're using different usernames? I think most people use the same username for the two sites.

 

It seems to me you got pretty good service, but are determined to feel maligned.

So I had to be pretty determined to feel maligned when the owner of GSAK came here specifically to call me a liar, and others joined the chorus? Notice that it's still happening, people can't just let it go, I must be trashed. Cool.

 

In no way did I expect people to know my username on another board. But I also don't expect flat statements that are blatantly false like "you have never made a post asking for help on the GSAK forum". Usernames are not the issue. The issue is that I found the GSAK Forum to be not particularly helpful. That's what I found, and it's true. It's cool that it has to get analyzed to ensure I'm at fault, and the accusers held blameless. But defending the maligning by saying I shouldn't feel maligned is silly.

 

I got my head bit off for saying I had a problem with GSAK, for truthfully saying that Forum wasn't helpful. I have a pretty good reason to feel maligned. But go ahead and keep stating otherwise.

Edited December 28, 2014 by kunarion

[Keystone]

I think the question of "do you have to pay for GSAK?" has been answered. As the discussion has veered off topic, I'm now closing this thread. Complaints about the GSAK forums are best addressed by those who operate them.