+Arne1 Posted May 26, 2015 Posted May 26, 2015 For me and for many others it would be useful to the possibility of this pseudo-feature completely blocked. So that no one by mistake used when selecting "Send message" instead of "Send email" could not send such a message to my account. Such blocking feauture would have made me happy. 1 Quote
+on4bam Posted May 26, 2015 Posted May 26, 2015 For me and for many others it would be useful to the possibility of this pseudo-feature completely blocked. So that no one by mistake used when selecting "Send message" instead of "Send email" could not send such a message to my account. Such blocking feauture would have made me happy. I've put a message on my profile saying not to contact me via MC as I won't see these messages anyway. I actively ignore MC and will not react to any messages send to me via that way while normal mails will get an answer right away. However, I'm sure MC is here to stay as it's catering for the smartphone cachers + GC apps and thus generates $$. 1 Quote
knowschad Posted May 26, 2015 Posted May 26, 2015 For me and for many others it would be useful to the possibility of this pseudo-feature completely blocked. So that no one by mistake used when selecting "Send message" instead of "Send email" could not send such a message to my account. Such blocking feauture would have made me happy. I've put a message on my profile saying not to contact me via MC as I won't see these messages anyway. I actively ignore MC and will not react to any messages send to me via that way while normal mails will get an answer right away. However, I'm sure MC is here to stay as it's catering for the smartphone cachers + GC apps and thus generates $. That will work for those that try to send you a Message Center message from your profile page, but not those that select your name from the "To (username)" dropdown in their own message center. Quote
+on4bam Posted May 26, 2015 Posted May 26, 2015 That will work for those that try to send you a Message Center message from your profile page, but not those that select your name from the "To (username)" dropdown in their own message center. Yup.. not my problem. MC messages will remain in the MC and people will realize it takes a long time to get an answer and then go look at my profile to check my most recent activity. Then they will see the message. If not, fine by me. Quote
+dprovan Posted May 27, 2015 Posted May 27, 2015 That will work for those that try to send you a Message Center message from your profile page, but not those that select your name from the "To (username)" dropdown in their own message center. For my money, it won't work on your profile page, either, since people going there to send you e-mail are just going to click the first link that says "message" without looking at the exhortations in the profile not to use it. Nor are they likely to see the nearby link that says "e-mail". But I agree with on4bam that it's not his problem. What's more, there's nothing he can do about it, even if he thought it was his problem. Quote
+Harry Dolphin Posted May 27, 2015 Posted May 27, 2015 (edited) You could try putting it on your avatar. But the rounded version cuts things off (like my tail...) Edited May 27, 2015 by Harry Dolphin Quote
+wmpastor Posted May 27, 2015 Posted May 27, 2015 I guess i'm still scratching my head trying to figure out what the OP's beef is with the "pseudo-feature" of the message center. What is the huge problem??? If a person has time and energy to cache, is clicking on the message center just too much of an ordeal? If there is a problem, Dolphin has as usual offered a brilliant solution in the preceding post. Quote
+on4bam Posted May 27, 2015 Posted May 27, 2015 If a person has time and energy to cache, is clicking on the message center just too much of an ordeal? It's easy. If someone sends me a message via e-mail while I'm out caching chances are I will check my mail 2-3 times during that trip and they get an answer, if they send a message via MC I will NOT be going to the website to read their message. I just pay for data used on my tablet so I prefer the few Kb of e-mail over Mb of the website. When I get home the GPS is connected to the PC and caches are logged with GSAK over the API so again, I don't go checking the website so again, there's no instant communication. The only advantage of the MC is being able to send a non-verified a message, but then again, it would have been better to fix that flaw then to create this workaround as the non-verified member might not visit the site anyway. Quote
knowschad Posted May 28, 2015 Posted May 28, 2015 That will work for those that try to send you a Message Center message from your profile page, but not those that select your name from the "To (username)" dropdown in their own message center. For my money, it won't work on your profile page, either, since people going there to send you e-mail are just going to click the first link that says "message" without looking at the exhortations in the profile not to use it. Nor are they likely to see the nearby link that says "e-mail". But I agree with on4bam that it's not his problem. What's more, there's nothing he can do about it, even if he thought it was his problem. I sure hope that on4bam doesn't lose his GPS or billfold at a cache and the finder tries to let him know through the MC. But hey... that's not his problem. Quote
+SwineFlew Posted May 28, 2015 Posted May 28, 2015 For me and for many others it would be useful to the possibility of this pseudo-feature completely blocked. So that no one by mistake used when selecting "Send message" instead of "Send email" could not send such a message to my account. Such blocking feauture would have made me happy. I've put a message on my profile saying not to contact me via MC as I won't see these messages anyway. I actively ignore MC and will not react to any messages send to me via that way while normal mails will get an answer right away. However, I'm sure MC is here to stay as it's catering for the smartphone cachers + GC apps and thus generates $$. It will be lack of communication on your part because you will ignore all MC messages. That could get you in hot water with GS. Dont go around deleting logs because you failed to read any messages via MC. Boycott all you want, but you are stuck with it and have to use it. Its GS new tool and they want you to use it. Like it or not. Another thing you should keep in mind if you got puzzle caches, if someone send you a message via MC for puzzle help and you ignore it, it can force them to find help somewhere else and your answer will be published online for everybody to see. Double end sword here... Quote
+SwineFlew Posted May 28, 2015 Posted May 28, 2015 That will work for those that try to send you a Message Center message from your profile page, but not those that select your name from the "To (username)" dropdown in their own message center. For my money, it won't work on your profile page, either, since people going there to send you e-mail are just going to click the first link that says "message" without looking at the exhortations in the profile not to use it. Nor are they likely to see the nearby link that says "e-mail". But I agree with on4bam that it's not his problem. What's more, there's nothing he can do about it, even if he thought it was his problem. I sure hope that on4bam doesn't lose his GPS or billfold at a cache and the finder tries to let him know through the MC. But hey... that's not his problem. I saw what you did there. Quote
+on4bam Posted May 28, 2015 Posted May 28, 2015 It will be lack of communication on your part because you will ignore all MC messages. That could get you in hot water with GS. Dont go around deleting logs because you failed to read any messages via MC. Boycott all you want, but you are stuck with it and have to use it. Its GS new tool and they want you to use it. Like it or not. Another thing you should keep in mind if you got puzzle caches, if someone send you a message via MC for puzzle help and you ignore it, it can force them to find help somewhere else and your answer will be published online for everybody to see. None of the above is a problem. I'm not a CO. Quote
+The A-Team Posted May 28, 2015 Posted May 28, 2015 ...if someone send you a message via MC for puzzle help and you ignore it, it can force them to find help somewhere else and your answer will be published online for everybody to see. Wow, do they really do that in your area? I'm glad people don't do that around here! That's pretty spiteful! O, the lengths a cacher scorned may go... Quote
+Mineral2 Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 I find that replying to messages via the Message Center is way easier than replying to email messages, especially if I want to hide my email address from the original sender. It's even easier when replying on my phone to just pull up the app and reply. Quote
+Harry Dolphin Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 It will be lack of communication on your part because you will ignore all MC messages. That could get you in hot water with GS. Dont go around deleting logs because you failed to read any messages via MC. Boycott all you want, but you are stuck with it and have to use it. Its GS new tool and they want you to use it. Like it or not. Another thing you should keep in mind if you got puzzle caches, if someone send you a message via MC for puzzle help and you ignore it, it can force them to find help somewhere else and your answer will be published online for everybody to see. Double end sword here... Nope. Not stuck with it. Nope. Don't 'have' to use it. The e-mail system worked very well for the first (almost) eleven I've been here. That's what I'll stick with. I realize that GS has not figured out how to get APP users to register with the site. That's GS's problem, not mine. The Message Center is cumbersome and bizarre. And annoying. If users don't send me messages via e-mail, I will not receive those messages. GS needs to resolve this issue so that I will receive my messages via e-mail, as I have for the past decade. And not dump the old-time users in favor of the newbie APP users. Quote
+on4bam Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 I find that replying to messages via the Message Center is way easier than replying to email messages, especially if I want to hide my email address from the original sender. It's even easier when replying on my phone to just pull up the app and reply. Via MC you don't have a record of any conversations on your computer/tablet locally, you HAVE to go online. Replying will always be easier via mail as not everybody uses "the app". I guess most even just use a GPS instead of apps. Quote
+Arne1 Posted May 29, 2015 Author Posted May 29, 2015 (edited) Via MC you don't have a record of any conversations on your computer/tablet locally, you HAVE to go online. Replying will always be easier via mail as not everybody uses "the app". I guess most even just use a GPS instead of apps. Official APP is only for newbies. I dont know a serious Geocacher which use this app. Geocachers in my surrounding use either Garmin, or smartphone with Locus or aDrake, newbies yet cGeo. No one can online read "messages", but all who have data connection can read emails. Edited May 29, 2015 by Arne1 1 Quote
+on4bam Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 Official APP is only for newbies. It seems that this group is the main target for the "improvements" we saw lately. It's also this group who pays for the "official' apps. Quote
+Mineral2 Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 I think the issue is that some users can't deal with change, as if the way the world was is the way the would should always be. I wouldn't be surprised if these are the same people that still cling to their Garmin gpsMap60csx as the best GPS ever. Quote
+ecanderson Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 Nope. Not stuck with it. Nope. Don't 'have' to use it. The e-mail system worked very well for the first (almost) eleven I've been here. That's what I'll stick with. I realize that GS has not figured out how to get APP users to register with the site. That's GS's problem, not mine. +1 and +1 again. I don't log into gc.com much at all, much less when I'm in the field caching. My phone, on the other hand, goes with me, and email is received and responded to promptly. Quote
+dprovan Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 I think the issue is that some users can't deal with change, as if the way the world was is the way the would should always be. If you think that, you must have missed all the posts listing the specific negatives about the message center. I love change, but I won't put up with change for change's sake. Quote
+Tassie_Boy Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 I think the issue is that some users can't deal with change, as if the way the world was is the way the would should always be. If you think that, you must have missed all the posts listing the specific negatives about the message center. I love change, but I won't put up with change for change's sake. Obvoiusly there are some issues bit the same thing is seen again and again "this doesn't work exactly how i want it to so I'm going to stomp my feet and pull my geocaches". Is childish and it's old. For those who complain that it's inconvenient it go to the website.... i see you on the forums all the time, is it really that inconvenient? For those saying that you can't access it in the field you have 2 options and neither of them will kill you: 1, You have a data connection, you must have, you ate saying you ate getting emails. Pull up gc.com in your browser. 2, Wait until you get home, nobody actually expects an answer straight away. Actually there is a third option, download the intro app and use it's message centre capabilities. Quote
+ecanderson Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 Why, when it should have (long ago) been made unnecessary through proper email accounts and validation? Quote
+Mineral2 Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 I reply faster via text message or IM/hangouts/etc. Maybe the message center should be hooked up through some XMP protocol so we can just chat to one another. Or maybe Groundspeak should introduce "message via text messaging." Replying directly to emails only works if the original messenger checks the box to include his/her email address. Otherwise, you have to go through the website to reply anyway. I promise that the message center, along with the newly redesigned free app, is much more efficient for communicating with other geocachers, both on your phone and on your PC via the website. It's harder to get people to change their habits than it is for them to actually use new technology. Quote
+Tassie_Boy Posted May 29, 2015 Posted May 29, 2015 Why, when it should have (long ago) been made unnecessary through proper email accounts and validation? Because many people sign up to these types of services with a throwaway email address they only visit if they are required to validate but never actually read any messages in it. Because many people who DO use an email that they read have an expectation of privacy and don't want to be contactable via that address to any of the 6 million individuals registered to this site. Because it makes the messages available whenever you are logged onto the the gc.com system. I assume eventually once they have it figured out it will be extended to API access as well. Because despite what many on these forums may think access via smartphones is THE way to get into geocaching now. Once upon a time you had to be some sort of message board geek, then you had to come across the website, then many came to the hobby when geocaches came preloaded on new gps units. Now many, many people carry this amazing tiny computer in their pocket that has a gps in it and the areas that are cache dense and the areas that have mobile coverage mesh, very well. So it is only natural that GS would cater to these people. Because it is Groundspeak's system and at the end of the day they can do what ever the hell they want to improve their business. Don't like it? Use another provider or start your own. Yep things may not be perfect right now but they are working on it and by they time they are finished it will be a much better system than the cumbersome one of going to a website to get an address to email someone. Quote
+kunarion Posted May 30, 2015 Posted May 30, 2015 (edited) Why, when it should have (long ago) been made unnecessary through proper email accounts and validation? Because many people sign up to these types of services with a throwaway email address they only visit if they are required to validate but never actually read any messages in it. +1. I routinely sign up on web sites with throwaway addresses. Email validation gives web sites a valuable email address to send ads to. For most Internet web sites, the "email address" requirement benefits me not at all. If I decide to do more serious business on said website, I can switch to a real email. Probably the main reason an App user doesn't need to prove he's human (to "Validate") is, he is paying for a data plan (or someone monitoring his bill is). Ever see the forms to fill out to use a smartphone? That guy has been "validated" six ways to Sunday. TPTB decided that additional login requirements would be too onerous for persons just trying out the "Intro". I wish other companies had that philosophy. Edited May 30, 2015 by kunarion Quote
cezanne Posted May 30, 2015 Posted May 30, 2015 I promise that the message center, along with the newly redesigned free app, is much more efficient for communicating with other geocachers, both on your phone and on your PC via the website. It might be more efficient for you. It is certainly not more efficient for me. Many of my geocaching related messages are longer than 1000 characters and I save them in e-mails folders sorted to various topics. Those folders can easily be searched through. Organizing messages by the sender and with no search options and the many other features e-mail systems offer is a huge technological sep backwards. Of course if you just want to chat with someone, then it's rather at the level of messages that do not need to be saved at all like most of the worthless things transmitted via facebook and co. Quote
+geodarts Posted May 30, 2015 Posted May 30, 2015 (edited) I promise that the message center, along with the newly redesigned free app, is much more efficient for communicating with other geocachers, both on your phone and on your PC via the website. It's harder to get people to change their habits than it is for them to actually use new technology. I would be careful making promises. For me, it is the least efficient means to communicate with the people with whom I need to communicate. I do not use the Groundspeak apps on my iPhone, iPad, or Android tablet, so there is nothing there that makes it easier for me. I generally do not visit the website unless there is a specific purpose for me to do so - it is usually just to log caches I have found. My friends know how to contact me without using the MC, so that leaves people who are logging my earthcaches or asking specific questions - in each case the MC requires extra steps in comparison to email and makes it harder to keep track of the "outstanding" logs. Yes, some people do not check the email box to reply directly, but in that case I do not think they want to be disturbed with any reply. So it is not a matter of adapting a new technology, but whether that new technology offers any improvement. In my experience, it has not. It has gotten better since I have put express requests on my profile and earthcaches asking people not to use the MC. Edited May 30, 2015 by geodarts Quote
+Arne1 Posted May 31, 2015 Author Posted May 31, 2015 I think the issue is that some users can't deal with change, as if the way the world was is the way the would should always be. I wouldn't be surprised if these are the same people that still cling to their Garmin gpsMap60csx as the best GPS ever. What change? Eg I use smartphone or tablet, but without data transfer via mobile network. It is not necessary and in neighboring countries are ridiculously expensive. Quote
+Arne1 Posted May 31, 2015 Author Posted May 31, 2015 Because despite what many on these forums may think access via smartphones is THE way to get into geocaching now. Once upon a time you had to be some sort of message board geek, then you had to come across the website, then many came to the hobby when geocaches came preloaded on new gps units. Now many, many people carry this amazing tiny computer in their pocket that has a gps in it and the areas that are cache dense and the areas that have mobile coverage mesh, very well. So it is only natural that GS would cater to these people. Yes, access via smartphone is THE way. I know peoples with Garmin Monterra which do not use Garmin software and use Android application - Garmin software have obsolete possibilities. Try to find out the demands on data transfer for simple email and web operations at the message center. Try it when you imagine that in many countries the data transfers at an inclusive price seems like you in America, but it must be quite pay dearly. and install additional geocaching application only for read eventual messages (as another instant messager)? This is nonsense. And another thing - email message can be by simple way converted into a free SMS message! [sorry, translate with help of google] Quote
+Car54 Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 I promise that the message center, along with the newly redesigned free app, is much more efficient for communicating with other geocachers, both on your phone and on your PC via the website. I promise that if you own an earthcache, or two, or more, you might feel differently. Mrs. Car54 Quote
+wmpastor Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 I promise that the message center, along with the newly redesigned free app, is much more efficient for communicating with other geocachers, both on your phone and on your PC via the website. I promise that if you own an earthcache, or two, or more, you might feel differently. Mrs. Car54 With email you can have several addresses to separate out different types of messages (personal, business, e-commerce, etc). I haven't seen anything like that in the Message Center, although there are chains separated by writer as with text messages. I have no strong view on the topic. It looks good to me, but if we've got messages coming from a lot of different modes (email, IM, Message Center, phone, text message, etc.), it can get cumbersome. Quote
BlueRajah Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 (edited) I promise that the message center, along with the newly redesigned free app, is much more efficient for communicating with other geocachers, both on your phone and on your PC via the website. I promise that if you own an earthcache, or two, or more, you might feel differently. Mrs. Car54 I own a large number of Earthcaches with my player account, and have not had problems. Do I find it better, no. Do I find it more difficult, No. Both have advantages and disadvantages. On a few messages above I read above that if someone sends the answer through the MC it is not the cache owners problem. You must accept the log. It is not the cachers problem to validate their answers. The Earthcache guidelines state #6 ....Visitors must be able to send their answers to logging tasks via the cache owner's profile. They can choose how, not the cache owner. If you try to fight that as a cache owner, you will loose. Edited May 31, 2015 by BlueRajah Quote
+lumbricus Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 Since a week or so, the e-mail telling you that you got a message has the whole text with it. Example: "XXX has sent you a new message. "Hey there. .....Message... XXXX" Visit the Message Center to view and reply to this message. View XXX’s profile" You can click on "View XXX's profile" and answer with a mail, no big thing. Message Center is still in Beta, so give it some time and you will get a search function, more than 1,000 characters, etc... Quote
+niraD Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 Message Center is still in Beta, so give it some time and you will get a search function, more than 1,000 characters, etc... Maybe even a bridge between the message center and email. Quote
+geodarts Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 On a few messages above I read above that if someone sends the answer through the MC it is not the cache owners problem. You must accept the log. It is not the cachers problem to validate their answers. The Earthcache guidelines state #6 ....Visitors must be able to send their answers to logging tasks via the cache owner's profile. They can choose how, not the cache owner. If you try to fight that as a cache owner, you will loose. I don't think the issue is whether an otherwise valid log would be deleted because the answer was sent through the message center, but whether the message center provides a better means of communication. For me, as it currently functions, it does not. I will accept a log with an answer sent through the MC, however I may or may not reply through the MC, and if I do it will likely not be as timely. Some have written that the problem is that people are resisting changes as the game focuses on smartphones. I use a third party app that offers more powerful features that Groundspeak's to manage caches (whether it be to search for a cache or to create a GPX file that is transferred to my gpsr). Communication should not be dependent on a particular app or the website. It should work across any platform, as email effectively does for me. I understand that the MC is still in a beta phase, but releasing a feature that is not ready for prime time, that makes communication more difficult for many of us, seems to be another example of "making a better mistake tomorrow." At some point it may be a bridge between email and other forms of messaging, but until or unless that is done, it will be more annoying than useful. Quote
+ecanderson Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 Because many people sign up to these types of services with a throwaway email address they only visit if they are required to validate but never actually read any messages in it. Which needs to stop in any case. gc.com's email database quality has been SO poor at times that their email has been being rejected or throttled by various ISPs ... to the point that those ISPs wouldn't even deliver weekly gc.com newsletter traffic. Of course, I still put that on gc.com for not carefully reviewing ISPs' server responses and realizing that the traffic was being rejected, and why. What you've not considered is the necessity for revalidation on some periodic basis, which would solve more than one problem. Quote
+Tassie_Boy Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 Because many people sign up to these types of services with a throwaway email address they only visit if they are required to validate but never actually read any messages in it. Which needs to stop in any case. gc.com's email database quality has been SO poor at times that their email has been being rejected or throttled by various ISPs ... to the point that those ISPs wouldn't even deliver weekly gc.com newsletter traffic. Of course, I still put that on gc.com for not carefully reviewing ISPs' server responses and realizing that the traffic was being rejected, and why. What you've not considered is the necessity for revalidation on some periodic basis, which would solve more than one problem. HA! You're kidding aren't ya? While we are continuously to log into websites and provide email addresses to do anything on the net it will never change, NEVER. Need to revalidate? Log in, revalidate, ignore every other message there, continue geocaching, still don't get any geocaching communications. Now, I need something explained to me. One of the arguments is that emails can be sent to the phone from the field and that people who carry a smartphone with them in the field that is capable of receiving emails (but refuse to run the intro app) MUST get these emails. What geocaching related is so important that it absolutely must be actioned right now and cannot possibly wait until you get home (if you decide you are not going to use the message centre). Quote
+on4bam Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 I use a unique address on gc, never missed an e-mail (don't subscribe to newsletters). I do the same on every site that needs registration, every hotel/flight/excursion ever booked is done with unique e-mails (on my domain). They work as long as I need them and when I no longer need them I just send them dev/null on the server. @Tassie boy When on a multi further away from home it's nice to be able to contact the CO if there's a problem or help is needed. E-mail is the best way to do so. I don't use a smartphone but will occasionally check mails during the day. As I pay per MB I'm not going to visit websites but will just use the little bit of data e-mail consumes. As for using "the" app, you're kidding, right? I use a GPS, my tablet is for reading (offline) listings and cracking codes (GDAK + GCC) not for caching. Quote
+Tassie_Boy Posted June 1, 2015 Posted June 1, 2015 I find the best bet for caches that I'm having problems is to walk away and come back another day. I still don't understand the need for must be in touch now, but that's just me generally. Quote
+niraD Posted June 1, 2015 Posted June 1, 2015 I still don't understand the need for must be in touch now, but that's just me generally.Maybe it's related to the need to post online logs immediately while you're still at the geocache site. Quote
+Mineral2 Posted June 1, 2015 Posted June 1, 2015 I use a unique address on gc, never missed an e-mail (don't subscribe to newsletters). I do the same on every site that needs registration, every hotel/flight/excursion ever booked is done with unique e-mails (on my domain). They work as long as I need them and when I no longer need them I just send them dev/null on the server. @Tassie boy When on a multi further away from home it's nice to be able to contact the CO if there's a problem or help is needed. E-mail is the best way to do so. I don't use a smartphone but will occasionally check mails during the day. As I pay per MB I'm not going to visit websites but will just use the little bit of data e-mail consumes. As for using "the" app, you're kidding, right? I use a GPS, my tablet is for reading (offline) listings and cracking codes (GDAK + GCC) not for caching. Just because you have the app doesn't mean you have to use it to its fullest extent. I use a GPS too. But you obviously take your phone with you if you're contacting CO's for help. Either you already have the CO's email address because you are personal friends/frequent contacts, or you have to pull up the website to shoot off that initial email. How much harder is it to just open the app and send off a quick message? You don't have to use the app to find the cache, and there's no guilt in installing it and not really using it except for occasional tasks since it's now free. Quote
+on4bam Posted June 1, 2015 Posted June 1, 2015 Just because you have the app doesn't mean you have to use it to its fullest extent. I use a GPS too. But you obviously take your phone with you if you're contacting CO's for help. I don't use a smartphone because my phone is an old Windows 6.5 mobile. It's off 99.99% of the time. I have a tablet with me and I don't want "the" app. I'm picky what to install (I read T&C's and what apps want, not need, access too). Either you already have the CO's email address because you are personal friends/frequent contacts, or you have to pull up the website to shoot off that initial email. How much harder is it to just open the app and send off a quick message? You don't have to use the app to find the cache, and there's no guilt in installing it and not really using it except for occasional tasks since it's now free. For the first contact I could use MC but I prefer "send email" as I get a copy in my mailbox for reference. When I get an answer it's also in my mailbox for further reference. If I need to reply again it's again a one click operation. Besides this, it takes KB not MB which my mobile ISP charges me for, so it's cheaper to use email then websites. Another point is that MC sends a mail to the other side only after half an hour (if not online) to say there's a message waiting, email takes seconds to get to it's destination. The reply then is also instantaneous unless you want the app and data running the whole time or "refreshing" the website all the time adding more MB. And yes, I've had replies minutes after sending a mail helping out with a waypoint or confirming we looked in the right place and it's gone. That way we can continue instead of returning later (or not at all if it's further away from home). Quote
+Car54 Posted June 1, 2015 Posted June 1, 2015 Just because you have the app doesn't mean you have to use it to its fullest extent. I use a GPS too. But you obviously take your phone with you if you're contacting CO's for help. Either you already have the CO's email address because you are personal friends/frequent contacts, or you have to pull up the website to shoot off that initial email. How much harder is it to just open the app and send off a quick message? You don't have to use the app to find the cache, and there's no guilt in installing it and not really using it except for occasional tasks since it's now free. I do understand what you're saying, but please remember not all of us have the same equipment you do. I have a GPS but not a smartphone. So I'm not ever going to be responding to e-mails *or* MC messages in the field. If they've changed things so the full text of the MC message shows in the e-mail notification, I'm good. Otherwise, the MC requires more work on my part. Granted, it's not a lot of work and it's not hard work, but as things become less "fun" to me - per my own definition - the less likely I am to do them. What with new app-only cachers w/o a verified e-mail address trying to log EC's, the idea that the fix is to make more work for the CO just doesn't make sense to me. It says to me that the need to accomodate folks who can't be bothered to log into the website and provide an e-mail overrides the need to respect the established cachers who have gone to considerable effort to get an EC published. I'm sure that's not the intended message and I'm sure not all EC owners feel as I do. That does not make my opinion any less valuable. Mrs. Car54 Quote
+Gill & Tony Posted June 2, 2015 Posted June 2, 2015 <snip> I'm sure not all EC owners feel as I do. <snip> Mrs. Car54 Here's one who feels exactly as you do. Quote
+WuLaW Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 The message-center is still beta. A lot of people do not like it, as we do. So, when it is even beta, where is the possiblity to deactivate it in ones profile? Greetings from Germany to G$, WuLaW Quote
+Adventure.AS Posted June 13, 2015 Posted June 13, 2015 <snip> If they've changed things so the full text of the MC message shows in the e-mail notification, I'm good. Otherwise, the MC requires more work on my part. <snip> Mrs. Car54 I have a couple of EarthCaches and have received MC notification emails with the full text of the message from finders. Is this a new improvement to the MC? Quote
Pup Patrol Posted June 13, 2015 Posted June 13, 2015 <snip> If they've changed things so the full text of the MC message shows in the e-mail notification, I'm good. Otherwise, the MC requires more work on my part. <snip> Mrs. Car54 I have a couple of EarthCaches and have received MC notification emails with the full text of the message from finders. Is this a new improvement to the MC? If you think May 18th is "new"... http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=332197 Release Notes - May 18, 2015 Psssst... We think you'll like this update! In response to community requests, we updated Message Center beta email notifications to include message content. Notifications will be triggered when: You receive a message from a geocacher who you have not received a message from before. You receive a message from a geocacher and at least 30 minutes have elapsed since the last message in the conversation. Notifications will include the text of the first message only. If the message consists exclusively of an image, then no message text will be included in the email. You can turn on/off notifications in your Account Settings. B. Quote
+Manville Possum Posted June 13, 2015 Posted June 13, 2015 I think the new message system is the greatest thing added in a long time. It's really useful for EC's. Quote
+Twentse Mug Posted June 13, 2015 Posted June 13, 2015 The problem as I see it is not so much the Notification Centre, but the very poor notification system. And that notification system also very poor in notifications about new caches, tb movements etc. Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.