Can no longer hide coordinate changes from cache robbers

[+yukionna]

Now that Groundspeak has changed the way cache owners have to change cache coordinates to a "log entry" system (instead of through editing the cache page), it is now impossible to hide a coordinate change from non-premium people who steal geocaches (if they are watching the cache page).

 

For example, if I have a non-premium cache that has been muggled multiple times, my previous course of action was to edit the cache listing to make the cache premium and to change the location of the cache.  The new cache location wouldn't be seen by a non-premium member.  Unfortunately, that is no longer the case if the non-premium member is watching the cache.  The non-premium member will receive an email with the new coordinates if they were watching the cache before the cache was made premium.  This is because now I have to create a log entry to change the coordinates of my premium cache.  A copy of this log entry is sent to everyone who is watching the cache page.

 

I know that if I made the cache premium from day 1, I wouldn't have this problem.  The reason I set-up my caches as non-premium is so there are more caches available to new geocachers. 

 

One way Groundspeak could fix this glitch is to add code to not send the normal "watched" email to non-premium members who are watching premium caches. 

One way I can fix this glitch on my caches is to make all my geocaches premium from day 1.   

 

 

[+Isonzo Karst]

22 minutes ago, yukionna said:

Now that Groundspeak has changed the way cache owners have to change cache coordinates to a "log entry" system....This is because now I have to create a log entry to change the coordinates

 

It's been that way since before your join date. My oldest Update Coords logs are from April 2006.

 Nothing has changed in the "now", at least not since you've been hiding. 

 

[+yukionna]

That is not entirely true.  For many years, I was able to simply edit the cache listing to change my coordinates.  I'm not saying the "update coordinates" option didn't exist (that I don't recall when it started).  All I know I was able to change coordinates through editing the listing in the past.  I am no longer allowed to do that.

 

Edited September 1, 2022 by yukionna

[+TriciaG]

Can non-premium members "watch" a cache page (i.e. receive emails about caches)? I didn't think they could.

A little searching suggests it's a PM feature: https://www.geocaching.com/help/index.php?pg=kb.chapter&id=7&pgid=144

[+Isonzo Karst]

Watch is available to Basic members.   If a Basic Member puts a cache on Watch, they will continue to receive logs, even if that cache  is changed to PMO.  I just checked this by logging on as my Basic Account, putting a Watch on https://coord.info/GC191CJ

And then logging on as Isonzo Karst, editing to PMO, and logging "pointless note".  My basic account received that log as email.   

 

yukionna's premise is correct, if there's a Basic Member Watcher on a cache, they'll get the logs, even if cache status changes to PMO. 

 

i don't think needs  to be altered for a few edge cases of cache maggots  (who, if they're genuinely interested can get real close to the location of a PMO trad using Search anyway)  and I'm reasonably sure that the posted coords have only been editable via log entry since sometime in 2006.  There may have been a period when both the Update Coords log and the ability to edit from the old edit page co-existed, but it was months, not years.

 

@yukionna  two thoughts on your time  line and memory; i wonder if you're thinking of changing hidden coords? finals of mysteries, stages of multis? that's still hidden. Done a bit differently, but hidden. And you might check for your own oldest Update Coords log;

https://www.geocaching.com/my/logs.aspx?s=1&lt=47

 

[Keystone]

7 hours ago, yukionna said:

That is not entirely true.  For many years, I was able to simply edit the cache listing to change my coordinates.  I'm not saying the "update coordinates" option didn't exist (that I don't recall when it started).  All I know I was able to change coordinates through editing the listing in the past.  I am no longer allowed to do that.

 

The "Update Coordinates" log type was added in March 2006, which is before your join date.  Since its introduction, the Update Coordinates log has been the ONLY way available to a cache owner to change the posted coordinates.  Editing Additional Waypoints, like for a Multi-cache or Mystery Cache, is a different matter.  Perhaps you're confusing the two functions, as posited in the preceding post by an outstanding historian.

[+yukionna]

4 hours ago, Keystone said:

Editing Additional Waypoints, like for a Multi-cache or Mystery Cache, is a different matter.  Perhaps you're confusing the two functions...

I could be confusing the functions.  Regardless, going back to the primary topic I started here, it is a bothersome glitch for me as I prefer to not make my caches premium unless I need to (i.e., to thwart robbers or newbies who don't understand how challenge caches work).  :shrug:

Edited September 2, 2022 by yukionna