Common sense and cache photo spoilers

[+datum]

Please tell me it is not necessary to post the following in each of my cache descriptions:

 

Do not post pictures of the cache that will give away its hiding spot…or the cache hiding spot without the cache… or pictures of the hint, with your logged posting. Any logs or pictures that do will be deleted.

 

Kinda’ ridiculous that I have to consider this isn’t it?

 

I’ve noticed a recent increase in log postings with pictures of the cache in its hiding spot with area surroundings. This makes it fairly easy to walk up to the cache once in the area.

 

Doesn’t it go without saying….isn’t it understood??? that any visuals that give away the cache location should not be posted unless it is by the cache owner?

If a picture is worth a thousand words isn’t that the equivalent of giving a detailed worded description of where to find the cache?

 

I await your comments…..

[+Stunod]

The cache pages already post the warning:

 

"Warning. Spoilers may be included in the descriptions or links."

 

I personally don't read the logs before searching to avoid any of these spoilers.

[+brdad]

That's right, just like the cache clues, a person does not have to read the logs or look at the pictures if he does not want to.

 

But, pictures and finder's logs can turn what you want to remain a hard cache into an easy one for log previewers, so if you want to keep the cache difficulty, I'd be tempted to post the note so that when the time comes and you have to delete someones log you can say the person was forewarned.

 

And obviously, if you have to act on that warning, do it politely.

 

There's 3 kinds of people in this world, those that can count and those that can't.

[+brdad]

That's right, just like the cache clues, a person does not have to read the logs or look at the pictures if he does not want to.

 

But, pictures and finder's logs can turn what you want to remain a hard cache into an easy one for log previewers, so if you want to keep the cache difficulty, I'd be tempted to post the note so that when the time comes and you have to delete someones log you can say the person was forewarned.

 

And obviously, if you have to act on that warning, do it politely.

 

There's 3 kinds of people in this world, those that can count and those that can't.

[Chameleon Circuit]

The people who include spoiler information in their logs do it intentionally. I say delete the log without notice.

[+MountainMudbug]

I get excited when I see the option to look at photos of the cache and its surroundings. I can choose whether or not to view the pics. If I do look, it helps me to get a better feel for what I'm going to be searching out, the kind of attire I should wear, and how big my cobweb-fighting-stick might need to be. Frankly, I still have a hard enough time locating things even with several visual aids. But I can surely understand your frustration about others showing too much..... a note of your wishes clearly displayed on the cache page should suffice. And don't get too upset - maybe they just really enjoy your cache and want to share the shots of their adventure there.

 

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I sincerely feel that the facts are completely irrelevant in this case.

[+datum]

While it’s true a person doesn’t have to read the logs…they may save themselves a few problems if they do. I check a few of the latest log entries (if I can) before I do a cache. First I check to see if the last person or two found it. Then I know there will be a good chance it is still there when I go after it. I look to see if there is anything that may have changed since the cache was posted. I look to see if any bees, hornets, wasps, poison ivy, poison oak, etc. is mentioned. I look to see if there is any mention of the coordinates being way off to know that I may need to expand my search.

 

Seems to me that giving a picture or two of the general area would be proper and accepted. To actually display a picture of the cache in its hiding place complete with surroundings is like spraying it with bright orange paint and tying balloons on it. There will be no more comments from seekers like “We had fun looking for this one, thanks for a great time.”

 

Seems to me that if people have been finding a cache (let’s say) for a year or so without those revealing photos….what makes somebody think they are needed now?

[+Web-ling]

I often post photos with my log entries. I go out of my way to make sure the photo shows nothing that will help the next cacher. I usually crop the photos close to make sure there's nothing in the background to help. If the cache description tells what the container is (ammo box, blue-rimmed Tupperware) I may include the cache in the description, but if the container is NOT described, I won't. I usually move at least a few yards away from the actual cache site, and then find as non-descript a background as possible. I have never had a log deleted due to my photos, and as far as I know, no cache owner has felt it necessary to delete the photo.

 

As a cache owner, I've never deleted a log because of the photos. If necessary, I'd delete the photo, but I'd leave the log. If the log contains information I don't want posted, I have occasionally encrypted the log, emailed the poster, and asked them to edit it. Every time I've done this, they've quickly complied.

 

I enjoy seeing the pictures others post in their logs. I've had a lot of positive comments about mine. Sometimes I look at the pictures ahead of time, but by the time I actually hunt the cache, I've usually forgotten anything in the photos that would have helped. I really appreciate it when cachers post photos of their experinces on the caches I've placed. Very seldom is there anything in the photos that would realistically help anyone, and if it's one of my easier caches, I really wouldn't care if it did.

 

[+Desert4X4]

I just posted a pic near a cache because it was a good picture. I stated under the pic that it could give away the location even though I think if you follow your GPS it will point to the same area that the pic is of. It is a pic of the mountain top about 20 feet away from the cache.

I also posted a close up of the cache itself (being careful to only show the contents) because there were several posts saying that it was full of garbage.I also warned that this was a pic of the cache under the link.

Was I wrong to post em?

 

Desert4x4

[emanuel]

My approach is that if I'm going to say anything in my log that may be a hint, I encrypt it. If I were to post a photo that could help to find the cache, I would put "SPOILER" in the description. Either way, I try to make sure I don't give away any more than the cache owner has, unless the conditions have changed.

[+datum]

Back in the old days....

 

I recall when I first started geocaching. One of my first caches required that I park in a parking lot in front of this one building. Well…it just so happened that there was a gentleman standing in the doorway of this building. I got out of the car….he’s looking at me…figured I’d better go over and say hello…let him know what I was up to. As I started explaining he said “Oh, you're looking for that box out in the field.” “Want me to show you where it’s at?” My reply – “No thank you, I’d rather find it for myself.” Isn’t that what just about every geocacher would do? Isn’t that what it's partly about? Doesn’t a picture of the cache in it’s hiding place, shot from 20 or 30 feet effectively take you by the hand and say “Here it is!” ??

[+datum]

Back in the old days....

 

I recall when I first started geocaching. One of my first caches required that I park in a parking lot in front of this one building. Well…it just so happened that there was a gentleman standing in the doorway of this building. I got out of the car….he’s looking at me…figured I’d better go over and say hello…let him know what I was up to. As I started explaining he said “Oh, you're looking for that box out in the field.” “Want me to show you where it’s at?” My reply – “No thank you, I’d rather find it for myself.” Isn’t that what just about every geocacher would do? Isn’t that what it's partly about? Doesn’t a picture of the cache in it’s hiding place, shot from 20 or 30 feet effectively take you by the hand and say “Here it is!” ??

[xWaterLilyx]

I am one of those people who will read a little bit of the last few postings to see if there is anything not original said about the site; coords are off, animals, steep hills.. etc.

 

But I LOVE pictures and sometimes fight the urge to look, but after my first hunt I realized I spend so much time on here reading descriptions and looking through cache postings that I couldn't tell you what things I knew went with what cache.

 

I am still trying to do it first without much help, then coming back online and reading logs and decoding hints to try again. (of course part of this is because we don't have printer ink so I can't exactly print a cache page out!) We are fixing that this weekend though!!!

 

**Try something 3 times before giving up on it! The 1st time may be bad weather, the 2nd may be dead GPS batteries, the 3rd you may spot that hiding spot!!**

[+briansnat]

I don't have a problem with it as long as the person who posts the picture labels it a spoiler. If someone then wants to view the picture before going out on the hunt, that's their loss.

 

"Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing" - Helen Keller

[+datum]

This is a general statement directed at those who miss the point completely.

 

It amazes me how some people are able to only hear or read things in such a way as to miss the point completely. I have no problems with pictures of the general area, scenery, pictures of Suzie & Mom or a tight close up of the cache itself. I even enjoy them. I do have a problem with a picture that gives away the location of a cache. Example: The cache is hidden in a tree stump. Somebody posts a picture with their log of that tree stump with the cache showing. Another example – The hint is: Near a big rock. Somebody posts a picture of someone sitting on the big rock with their logged posting “Here I am sitting by the big rock near the cache.”

 

If a cache owner wanted to give away the cache location with a visual to cache seekers…they would have posted a picture of it themselves.

 

Common sense folks! Try some….

 

[This message was edited by datum on September 14, 2002 at 06:05 AM.]

[+datum]

digital camera.

 

Since common sense isn’t a prerequisite for geocaching I’ve decided to add this to all my cache descriptions:

 

Do not post pictures of the cache that will give away its hiding spot…or the cache hiding spot without the cache… or pictures of the hint, with your logged posting. Any logs or pictures that do will be deleted without notice.

 

Reminds me of when I had to add “(including gum)” to my statement on the cache pages asking for no “edibles of any type in the cache so as to not encourage critters." Because…someone thought it would be OK to put gum in the cache.

 

That cache description is going to get pretty long if one has to keep adding all these common sense rules.

 

I’ve had my say……

[+Jamie Z]

After someone had posted a smiley face log with a comment along the lines of "We didn't find the cache, but we were close" on one of my caches, I added the following to the page:

 

Note: You must find the cache container and sign the logbook to log this as a find.

 

When I emailed the folks, they were glad to change it to a note.

 

Jamie

[+Kfam]

Took some pictures at a recent cachefind that we wanted to post with the log. We e-mailed the shots to the cache owner and asked if they minded having them posted. Permission granted and everything is cool.

[+Nurse Dave]

You seem to have missed the point brought up to you. You don't have to read the last posts. You don't have to look at the pictures. The warning about logs containing spoilers are meant for people like you that don't want the spoilers. I enjoy just getting to new areas but would rather not spend half an hour looking for a cache that's hidden in a plastic rock covered in dirt. I look at the log and pics because I like it if it saves me from the above.

Almost eveything people get upset about (including me) and discuss it in the forums gets this reply, "Every one is different and some people like it that way and some don't." If you get so upset about reading spoilers, you shouldn't read the logs because they may contain spoilers because some people like spoilers. Look at the pictures after you find the cache and just look for frowny faces in the logs if you are worried it might not be there.

 

---I will stand out, I am a raven in the snow.

[+datum]

What this is all about is that recently two of my caches have been compromised by the posting of pictures. The previous examples that I gave are fairly accurate. As the placer of those caches….I have the right to object. I deleted the photos in both cases and sent out a courtesy email notifying the parties. One I haven’t heard from…the other initially copped an attitude but I hope we have smoothed things out. Maybe now you have a better understanding of what I am getting at?

 

I also wonder if you took any time to read the previous postings? If you did than you’d know my reasons for looking at the latest log entries in preparation of hunting a cache.

 

I wasn’t going to bother with this thread anymore, since I thought I had said all I can say. Then after your post I felt maybe a little clarification was needed. Thanks for giving me that opportunity.

 

[This message was edited by datum on September 14, 2002 at 10:53 AM.]

[magellan315]

Datum, as the cache owner you can encrypt log entries you feel are spoilers and you can add the words "SPOLIER" to any title for a picture.

[Dirtnapper]

Why not just download the waypoints for the area; I just download all the waypoints for each state that I am planning on going through... As they pop up, I try it... I never get to read or see the details until I come back...the pic, if there is one, just lets me see how close I came if I did not find it. There is nobody forcing any person here to read or look at the photos...same old story...some show appears on tv that rubs some people the wrong way, they watch the whole thing, then call and complain...common folks..let's have some fun...

 

de mortuis nil nisi bonum

[+ApK]

quote:

---

Originally posted by datum:

This is a general statement directed at those who miss the point completely.

 

It amazes me how some people are able to only hear or read things in such a way as to miss the point

---

 

Have you seen the spelling and grammar thread?

[+ApK]

quote:

---

Originally posted by datum:

This is a general statement directed at those who miss the point completely.

 

It amazes me how some people are able to only hear or read things in such a way as to miss the point

---

 

Have you seen the spelling and grammar thread?

[+datum]

Naw....I'm not gonna' play....

 

[This message was edited by datum on September 14, 2002 at 07:56 PM.]