UK Postcodes

[el10t]

Jeremy has found a supplier of georeferenced UK postcode data which could be used to generate postcode-based searches for caches in the UK. The details are in this thread.

 

The data costs over 1,000 dollars.

 

Is this a worthwhile investment?

 

Rich

mobilis in mobili

[Ben Pid]

Most definatly! would make navigation so much easier and benefit us all in this country as appose to all those across the pond geting all the benefits!

 

(Will be a member soon enough!)

 

Pid

 

Ben Piddington http://www.buckscaching.co.uk

[+Chris n Maria]

Having introduced someone to caching recently, their first question was "which once are close to me"? Which is nice and easy with the postcode search and a lot easier then other routes when you are indoors without a GPS.

 

Chris

Bear rescues a speciality!

London & UK Geocaching Resources: http://www.sheps.clara.net

[+Huga]

The US have had zipcode searching for a long time, and an up-to-date postcode searcher is the next step for the UK. Anything that extends the search capabilities is a good thing - I'm popping to my parents' for christmas, and it's great to be able to tap in their postcode and see what caching opportunities are nearby.

 

And besides, if Jeremy is prepared to pay $1000 for the data, then he must think it's worth it, and he must be able to afford it.

 

Definitely a good thing.

 

--

**Mother is the name of God on the lips of all children**

[+page28]

I would rather see better integration with Geocacheuk.com where you have the map of the UK and the caches in different colours,( GC used to do some thing sililar). The links to streetmap and to gc.com from the stats page are more than enough for me.

[+Tim & June]

We were just working out which options we to place on a poll about this question when Elliot posted his poll.

 

Guess this is a case of great minds

 

We voted NO because we figure the money would be better put into a good mapping system which would show visibly where the caches were.

 

The main thought was that we know few postcodes upon which we could search. Parents, brothers and sisters etc, and that would be it for us. After which I doubt if we would need the facility again because in future we could always do a 'Find nearest caches' from one of our logs.

 

Just our £0.02

 

Tim & June (Winchester)

 

See June, I told you that sign which said 'Unsuitable for Motor Vehicles' was wrong !

[+The Hornet]

What T&J said!

 

I voted no as I rarely know the postcode of places (although I can generally find something close using Autoroute). I would prefer to search a Gazeteer of main town/city names. I guess this could be implemented fairly easily and would cost nothing to get the data. If Jeremy thought this would be useful and if the data doesn't already exist I'm sure it would be easy to get some volunteers (me for one) to go through a set of towns and entering the co-ordinates of the town centres.

 

_________________________________________________________

 

It is better to regret something you did, rather than to regret something you didn't do.

[+The Hornet]

Just read another thread and came across this posting by dylanhayes:

 

Quote: found a gazetter of world place names supplied by the US DOD (Jeremys' tax dollars at work!) which covers the every country in the world. As far as I know the information is public and can be used on a commercial websites. The data is pretty comprehensive, 32,000 placenames for the UK alone, and you can't beat the price.

 

Endquote

 

Sounds familiar eh?

 

_________________________________________________________

 

It is better to regret something you did, rather than to regret something you didn't do.

[Wronskian]

I think that given the information is pretty easily available elsewhere (Streetmap Grid Conversion, for instance), it seems a bit extravagant to spend $1000 on putting UK postcodes into the system.

 

Of course, I don't know what Jeremy's finances are like - ultimately if he can spare $1000 for us in the UK, that's great! I'm sure we'd find a use for postcode lookup from time to time (and definitely it's good for newcomers). It's just that when you can go elsewhere for free, could the money may be better spent elsewhere on the site?

 

--

Seek and ye shall find (tupperware, ammo boxes, bears, free ISP CDs...)

[+The Northumbrian]

I voted No, as its something that in my oppion is not needed. you can find nearest caches by using your home co-ordinates. I have noticed that a lot of people are wanting to make the sport to easy.

I just use a landranger map and study the best way to get to a cache,there's no adventure in having it all done for you, £1000 seems a lot to waste on a postcode system, I agree with Tim on a better map data. How many are there in the uk that subscribe to the site? are there enough to cover the cost of the data and still money left over to help run the site? there is a fellow out there that has found 145 caches and hidden only 1

cant see him paying subs to help out with extra software for the site , not when there's mugs like me willing to pay to keep him in a hobby.

I for one would like to see everyone help with the costs of running the site and getting more things made available to us.

Nige

[crr003]

"there is a fellow out there that has found 145 caches and hidden only 1

cant see him paying subs to help out with extra software for the site, not when there's mugs like me willing to pay to keep him in a hobby. "

 

Do non-paying cachers really bother you that much? Maybe you should hide member only caches? That'll teach 'em.

Anyway, if he/she's found 145 caches I doubt if he/she needs additional software to help! (Especially lame postcode SW )

 

But you do bring up a good point, maybe as fully paid up card carrying members, we should vote on any/all additions?

 

Sorry it's off topic, but that comment just struck me.

 

Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

[+The Northumbrian]

No, non paying members dont bother me a bit

The only thing that has ever bothered me is the ones who do the thing on a one sided way , ALL TAKE AND NO GIVE, This to me IS a thing that should be sorted out there are times when some rules are needed, its not as if setting out a cache is a lot of money, only about a fiver all in plus a bit petrol, and a couple of spare hours.

But I think that I am probably a minority on the subject of a non written rule to say after you find so many please return the gesture to your fellow caches and hide a few yourself for them to find,

Nige.

[iryshe]

It's a moot point now. I bought the postcode database. Consider it an investment to deflect the flack I get at ignoring non-US Geocachers.

 

Jeremy Irish

Groundspeak - The Language of Location™

[el10t]

Jeremy - is there any way you can monitor the useage of the UK postcode search over the course of the next year to when (presumably) a re-subscription of the data will be due?

 

You can decide then whether to continue to invest in the feature or not, based on the demand for it.

 

(By the way, after having had a moan previously, I appreciate the fact that you are trying to add more features for the non-US members Keep up the good work!)

 

Rich

mobilis in mobili

[+Huga]

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Northumbrian:

No, non paying members dont bother me a bit

The only thing that has ever bothered me is the ones who do the thing on a one sided way , ALL TAKE AND NO GIVE, This to me IS a thing that should be sorted out there are times when some rules are needed, its not as if setting out a cache is a lot of money, only about a fiver all in plus a bit petrol, and a couple of spare hours.

---

 

Hmm, I dunno how people claim to be able to place a cache for £5...I've never spent less than £20 on any of the caches I've placed - the ammo boxes I use cost £5 to start with!

 

And I think you'r ewrong: Rules aren't needed. Rules are bad. Telling people what they can and can't do is a very bad thing in a friendly (at the moment) place like GC.com.

 

And besides, what will you have? A ratio, such that a cache has to be placed every 10 finds, or else you can't log any more finds? That'll lead to one of two siuations:

a) A massive increase in the number of people finding but not logging (logging online) caches.

People placing lame caches in order to allow them to carry on logging.

 

We already have enough lame caches out there (We've all visited them, admit it), we don't need a rule that'll create more of them.

 

The status quo seems fine for the time being - we have a ridiculous number of caches compared to this time last year, and a nice community of cachers.

 

Let's not spoil that.

 

Just my 1/5 of 10p

 

--

**Mother is the name of God on the lips of all children**

[iryshe]

You can now enter your full postcode. I tried a few random ones (including ones mentioned in the past) and they all seemed to resolve ok. I don't have it down to the last two digits (Like NE21 4SR, I have NE21 4) but I do the coding on my end to resolve it even if you put in all the data.

 

Data is about half the price after the first year, so maintaining it shouldn't be an issue (hopefully).

 

Jeremy Irish

Groundspeak - The Language of Location™

[iryshe]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huga:

I dunno how people claim to be able to place a cache for £5...

---

 

A bit off-topic.

 

Jeremy Irish

Groundspeak - The Language of Location™

[+Chris n Maria]

Jeremy, thank you.

 

This will make it easier for me to use the system, so I could start caching while Chris is at work! (hehe!)

 

Maria

 

Bear rescues a speciality!

London & UK Geocaching Resources: http://www.sheps.clara.net

 

[This message was edited by Chris n Maria on December 06, 2002 at 12:30 AM.]

[+SimonG]

I originally thought it wasn't worthwhile (I doubt I'll use it), until welch pointed out in the other thread how useful it might be for new users. Anything that makes geocaching more user-friendly to new people has got to be good, so I voted yes.

 

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Fnwu n ies galu rnseupyu cesf pucieut. Aj yahltu tagu aj sfug nys bhgi - sfuq'lu ajsup tshbupst, jal funwup't tnzu. - Sullq Rlnsyfuss

[+bartman007uk]

Postcode searches would really have helped me when I started out those many moons ago (four whole weeks now)

 

When they want rain, native Americans do a dance. When I go geocaching, it rains. Is there a link?

[MCL]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Huga:

 

Definitely a good thing.

---

 

I don't agree on this one. I think the money is better spent elsewhere. To convert postcode to lat/long surely only requires some nifty code to prod streemap.co.uk into life. When you give it a UK postcode, you get back the full coordinates of the code given. All for free.

 

same for mapquest.co.uk and multimap.co.uk.

 

I'm not a web coder, but I bet someone out there is and will do it for less that a thousand dollars.

 

No trees were harmed during the production of this posting, but a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced....

[+washboy]

quote:

---

It's a moot point now. I bought the postcode database. Consider it an investment to deflect the flack I get at ignoring non-US Geocachers.

---

 

I may have questioned the necessity of a postcode search facility but I am grateful you have implemented it. I can now see the sense in making it as easy as possible for potential cachers and first visitors to GC.com to see how many caches are within thier reach. It is a good thing. Well done and thank-you.

 

So, please don't make the mistake of concluding there is animosity here about what you provide for UK cachers. It is all too easy for folk to overlook the essentially non-commercial nature of GC.com - perhaps encouraged by the professional look of the site (much to your credit).

 

I, for one, remain in awe of and immensely grateful for what you and the team and GC.com provide for the worldwide community of geocachers. Without you, the sport would probably not exist, nor would that community.

 

Thank-you again. My charter membership will be arranged today

 

=====

There's no such thing as a free lunchbox!

[+Slytherin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by washboy:

I can now see the sense in making it as easy as possible for potential cachers and first visitors to GC.com to see how many caches are within thier reach.

---

But I thought the idea was not to encourage new people. Now we go and spend a thousand bucks on them.

Jeremy should have saved the money and used it to throw a Xmas party for the UK geocachers.

[+washboy]

quote:

---

But I thought the idea was not to encourage new people.

---

 

That's certainly not the impression I intended to give!

 

I don't wish to discourage genuine interest in the sport. If someone finds their way to the GC.com site I want them to have an enjoyable visit and come away with a good impression. It's how they become aware of GC.com, in the first place, that I'm concerned about.

 

But let's not rehash that issue so soon

 

=====

There's no such thing as a free lunchbox!

[+Slytherin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by washboy:

That's certainly not the impression _I_ intended to give!

---

Sorry it was meant to be a joke.

 

I've been told to lighten up.

 

Alex.

[+Chris n Maria]

Poor Jeremy

 

Dammed if he doesn't make enhancements, dammed if he does.

 

IMHO we won't gain much by going over a decision that has already been made.

However, maybe we need to consider how future enhancements should be identified and prioritised? Should we ask someone (the UK moderators?) to co-ordinate a wider debate of UK cachers, so that in future we can have a more consensual view of what we would like to have before it gets implemented?

 

Maria

 

Bear rescues a speciality!

London & UK Geocaching Resources: http://www.sheps.clara.net

[el10t]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chris n Maria:

Poor Jeremy

 

Dammed if he doesn't make enhancements, dammed if he does.

---

 

There's just no pleasing us Brits.

 

Rich

mobilis in mobili

[+jeremyp]

Oh no, it's Australians that say that isn't it.

 

-------

jeremyp

The second ten million caches were the worst too.

http://www.jeremyp.net/geocaching

[+SimonG]

I think Americans say 'whinging limeys'.

 

...............................................................................

Fnwu n ies galu rnseupyu cesf pucieut. Aj yahltu tagu aj sfug nys bhgi - sfuq'lu ajsup tshbupst, jal funwup't tnzu. - Sullq Rlnsyfuss

[+The Gecko's]

Thanks Jeremy

 

It's good to see the commitment to UK cachers, just signed up as a charter member on the strength of it.

 

Thanks again,

 

Dave