Favorite (well written) Logs

[+Team DaddieMark]

Has Groundspeak ever considered an option that would allow a cacher to acknowledge clever logs? Maybe you read a cache page and one of the logs has you in stitches because it is so cleverly written. You want to give it a gold star so that others would read it. I was just reading the logs for GC3QXW5 and a few of those logs made me laugh out loud. I think being able to acknowledge them would encourage others to write better logs. 

[+IceColdUK]

You might find this discussion interesting...

 

[+cerberus1]

20 minutes ago, Team DaddieMark said:

Has Groundspeak ever considered an option that would allow a cacher to acknowledge clever logs?

 

Yep.  We're still seeing "helpfuls" on TFTC logs.   

 

[Moun10Bike]

10 minutes ago, cerberus1 said:

 

Yep.  We're still seeing "helpfuls" on TFTC logs.   

 

 

Yep, remarkably there are 190 "Helpful" upvotes on logs consisting of "TFTC" in the system (out of 24241 total "Helpful" votes collected in the test areas, for a total of 0.8%). Even more remarkable is that there are 410 "Great Story" upvotes on these sorts of logs (about 0.7% of those votes)!

[+Pontiac_CZ]

It has been 2 years since the log upvote system introduction. Any news? How many total votes on Helpful and Great story options? It is going to spread to more countries?

[+Max and 99]

2 minutes ago, Pontiac_CZ said:

It has been 2 years since the log upvote system introduction. Any news? How many total votes on Helpful and Great story options? It is going to spread to more countries?

I hope not.

[+IceColdUK]

3 hours ago, Pontiac_CZ said:

It has been 2 years since the log upvote system introduction. Any news? How many total votes on Helpful and Great story options? It is going to spread to more countries?

It would be nice to hear the opinions of cachers in those test areas.

[+Viajero Perdido]

36 minutes ago, IceColdUK said:

It would be nice to hear the opinions of cachers in those test areas

 

I like it.  I drop compliments for logs that give me a chuckle or some useful info, or that have cool pictures.  And it makes me smile to see similar upvotes on my own logs.

Bring it on! 

[+Pontiac_CZ]

44 minutes ago, IceColdUK said:

It would be nice to hear the opinions of cachers in those test areas.

 

I've found this podcast where a canadian cacher expresses his opinion on log upvotes (go directly to 6:30). I like the idea as I love to read fun and descriptive logs. But I am not allowed to upvote them so far in my country.

[+brendan714]

I think it's a great feature and I would be disappointed if it was taken away.

Sometimes I like to write very elaborate logs, and it's kind of neat to revisit my old logs and see that some people upvoted it as a good story.  It brings me a smile to know that some of my logs have been read by more than just the CO.

 

Similarly, I like to upvote other people's logs that I think are deserving.  As a CO, I will make a special effort to go to my cache page and upvote new logs on my caches that are deserving.  Just my way of giving a nod to say 'thanks for the log!'.

 

I'm all for any feature that may help promote good logs.

[+cerberus1]

Maybe it's just me, but it's rare I ever go back to a cache page (those with FPs years later maybe...), no matter how elaborate my log is, and don't care what others thought of my day.  

We pretty-much already know who the "good log", lengthy cut n paste blather, and tftc people are in our area.

I write my log as thanks to the CO.  Might have been fun, a "good story",  but not worthy of a favorite point...

Most of my "helpful" logs, are made so the CO is aware of something. "Log close to full" an example, so the CO can fix that.

 - It's not meant for the next person to drop a piece of paper in the cache, maybe giving me a "helpful" for letting them know...

We act on logs, not waiting for a NM, and I guess assumed others were similar.

A mention of bees, PI, or bigfoot is meant for everyone and usually at the bottom of my thanks-to-the-CO log.

I see this helpful/good story  thing as simply another addition to stats on third-party sites...

[+brendan714]

1 hour ago, cerberus1 said:

Maybe it's just me, but it's rare I ever go back to a cache page

Huh, I go back to my old logs all the time.  But I do a lot of geocaching to find challenging caches on mountain summits, etc.  I very much enjoy going back to my logs on a cold or rainy day to reminisce the fun times I had with friends, flip through old photos, read old logs, etc.

 

I write my logs as thanks to the CO, but in a lot of ways I write them for myself too.  I do take a lot of joy from returning to those logs and re-reading about my adventures.  But, like I said, a significant amount of my geocaching days are thoroughly planned full day or multi-day trips.  I should probably have a personal blog for such things, but I don't.  It's kinda fun to see that other people enjoy my logs too by throwing me a 'great story' vote.  

 

I have seen some of my logs get 'helpful' votes not because I say the log is wet, but because I give detailed descriptions on access, more accurate coordinates, that sort of thing.  Exactly what I'd be looking for if I went through the logs looking for helpful info on a particular cache.

[+Pontiac_CZ]

12 hours ago, cerberus1 said:

I see this helpful/good story  thing as simply another addition to stats on third-party sites...

 

That depends on the fact whether GS will provide API support for log upvotes in the future. Those sites rely on API to get this sort of things. No support in API = no upvotes stats.

 

Brendan714: I like to geocache the way you do. My logs are kind of a diary.  Typically I (or we) go on a Saturday trip and then I spend the entire Sunday with recalling our adventures, sorting and describing the photos and writing logs. And amending the OSM maps... I go back to my logs from time to time to recall the things we did. I like to read others interesting logs as well. If there was a way to give them a vote while reading them I'd do it so others, if interested, could sort out these "great stories" or "helpful" ones.

[+reybr]

On 6/1/2020 at 10:10 PM, IceColdUK said:

It would be nice to hear the opinions of cachers in those test areas.

 

It's not much used, but from time to time I see logs upvoted for 'good story' or 'helpful'. I upvote logs with helpful information and good stories myself when I come across them, but usually forget to do it on logs for my own caches as I read those logs directly from the email notification. I never use the feature to order logs by most helpful or best stories because there aren't many logs being upvoted.

 

As Brendan714 says, it always brings a smile to my face when I revisit some of my old logs and I see that some has upvoted my log. It's nice to know there are some that appreciate my logs.

Edited June 3, 2020 by reybr

[+hzoi]

Since Norway is one of the test beds for this, we have one cache hide that is eligible for these log votes.

 

To date, only one other individual has voted "great story" on a log, other than me.  And there is one "helpful" log that doesn't really seem all that helpful.

 

Quote

Found with (other cacher) while taking a tour by private boat photo forthcoming

 

uh...yeah, not so helpful.  Maybe someone clicked in the wrong place.

 

I think I'd use it more if I was caching in an area that had the option available.  But so far only Norway and Canada have gotten the chance, and since things have stalled in the last few years, I guess they're not really making much use of it overall.

[+L0ne.R]

2 hours ago, hzoi said:

Since Norway is one of the test beds for this, we have one cache hide that is eligible for these log votes.

 

To date, only one other individual has voted "great story" on a log, other than me.  And there is one "helpful" log that doesn't really seem all that helpful.

 

 

uh...yeah, not so helpful.  Maybe someone clicked in the wrong place.

 

I think I'd use it more if I was caching in an area that had the option available.  But so far only Norway and Canada have gotten the chance, and since things have stalled in the last few years, I guess they're not really making much use of it overall.

 

I looked at a cache I had given a favorite point to. It had one "Helpful" vote. The log is:

 

Quote

 

Found it

04/06/2019

Another marathon solo caching day, with over 50 finds. My target was the Elora-Fergus Backroad Trail series, plus any nearby caches on my way home. Final fling of the day, at 2001hrs. Now, for the 90 minute drive home.....arrrggghhh!! Thanks for your contribution to my day, scrand, and Happy Caching!!

 

 

 

Here's the log I left, it did not get a helpful vote. But few people mark a cache as helpful/great story, and it's only been up since March.  

 

Quote

 

Found it

03/10/2020

I like this one for several reasons. Cemetery, swag size, in good shape, dry, not hard to find, low terrain, logbook rather than a logsheet, rite in the rain logbook, pencil. Well done. Adding a favourite point. Thanks scrand.

 

 

I occasionally use the feature when I stumble along a good log. I have used it on the 2 caches I currently own. When used as intended, I think it's a useful feature. 

 

 

[+L0ne.R]

I just had a look at another cache I gave a favorite point to and was happy to see that I got 2 "great story" votes.  

 

 

L0ne.R Premium Member 3405 Found it 01/05/2019 I had an opportunity to get out and enjoy the +4C temperature. I wanted a good geocaching experience and GuelphHiker came to mind for quality geocaching experiences. I made the right choice, this cache gets a favourite point from me for checking all the right boxes. A forest find, Swag size for those finders like me that like stuff in the box to paw through, A great container (Plano) to protect the contents--everything was in great shape, A logbook and not a sheet, Pencil/pen--you even had them in a separate baggie with a note saying that we could use it if we forgot our own, and that's just what happened to me, I forgot mine back in the car. I used your pencil to write a note in that nice logbook. Left a signature item. Thanks the great stewardship-- for all the work you put into your hides, the maintenance you provide, the nice locations you choose, and the money you invest to buy a good watertight container that protects the contents.    Great story (2)  Helpful