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TeamTJ

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MOC's aren't the reason I support the site.

 

I find it refreshing that you can do this for free. I feel TPTB do an excellent job with the site. Pocket Queries are, by far, the best feature of the site. Didn't even know how much before I paid my money.

 

I simply felt we enjoyed caching enough to help out. It's the only site I've ever paid for.

 

CR

 

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7 of the 109 within 100 miles of my home are MOC's, 2 of which are mine. I've got another MOC comming out in the next few weeks.

 

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"We never seek things for themselves -- what we seek is the very seeking of things."

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)

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The only MOC we've ever done was lousy! A boring cache in an uppity city park (had to pay to get in, unless you were a city resident). To me, the biggest benefit to membership is the pocket queries and the satisfaction of being able to give a little bit back to those that keep the site going.

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As you can probably see there aren't any MOCs in Manitoba. However I bought a membership because I believe I get a very good value from this site. The forums are a lot of fun to watch and participate in. There has always been a lot of help and advise available. And I've paid a lot more for other things and enjoyed them considerably less.

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quote:
Originally posted by solohiker:

Earth to everyone:

 

This site is a financial gold mine.


 

Ever price quality hosting and reliable bandwidth? This site probably isn't the cash cow you seem think it is. Server hardware costs, bandwidth, backup, rack space, manpower etc. It all adds up.

 

Sometimes a majority only means that all the fools are on the same side

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quote:
Originally posted by leatherman:

 

Member only shouldn't be the reason you support the site.


 

Perhaps I should have asked 2 questions instead of the one.

 

1) Are there many MOC's?

2) Besides the joy of giving back, does a membership provide better features? I really don't understand what pocket queries are.

 

Our family enjoys this enough that a membership may soon be on the horizon. icon_smile.gif

 

TeamTJ

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quote:
Originally posted by Renegade Knight:

When I see Jerimy driving a Hummer and read reports of his fully electronic house ala Bill Gates I will believe this site is a financial goldmine.

 

Wherever you go there you are.


You mean this stretch hummer.

geohummer.jpg

 

Seriously, I think we need to support this site and I have no problem paying.

 

________________________________________________________________________

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.

15777_2200.gif

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Here's what you get for membership:

 

Pocket Queries:

Haven't used them yet.

MyPop! features in the Groundspeak Forums:

Nope, not yet

Charter Membership logo:

Nice

The thanks and appreciation ("warm fuzzies") from Geocaching.com for support of the game. We couldn't exist without your support!

Priceless

 

I joined because I've got way more than $30 worth of fun because of this site and I want to pay my way and support the game.

 

I see now why solohiker hikes solo.

 

Mickey

Max Entropy

More than just a name, a lifestyle.

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A group of us have started making our new caches members only for the first weekend or two. I believe that it might help to support the site and it gives dedicated cachers a better chance at first finds. I decided to do this after my first cache had the following first find log in it.

"It was nice to be the first one to find the cache

What a beautiful walk we took the long way and really enjoyed the walk

we took the Nascar 2 disk set computer game, the where's george origami elephant, and Ho the travelbug.

Left a few kid toys from Sonic hope they enjoy them."

Members don't do that.

You need to be extra careful when providing this service to members tho...sorry Blueman..I'll do better next time. icon_wink.gif

As for the benefits , I don't know what use pops are but the pocket queries are priceless. With the help of a very cool program that is available pocket queries can be used to sort caches by type and keyword just to name a few. Thanks icon_biggrin.gif

 

The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

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quote:
Originally posted by solohiker:

quote:
Originally posted by AikenToCache:

Earth to solohiker - ever hear the phrase "tragedy of the commons"?


 

Nope.


 

k... The concept comes from the commons, or common area in towns. In colonial times (and before) folks would graze livestock in the commons, especially if they did not have land of their own. In esssence, using the commons was free. As a result, more and more folks used the common area as a free resource until the commons were destoyed. Overgrazed and poisoned, the commons were lost to all. Thus the tragedy of the commons.

 

Think spam. The guy that wants to sell you viagra or Pamela Anderson videos of convince you to MAKE MILLIONS$$$$$$ uses email... Why should he pay for something that he can get for free?

 

"What we attain to cheap, we esteem to lightly..."

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The price of membership is nothing for what you get. Even taking away what you get from being a member. The extras for me were not a reason to pay the money. I use the site, I enjoy the site and I don't have to see an endless stream of pop up ads for X10 cameras. Is anybody getting rich from this site? Who knows? Who cares? If somebody is more power to them. That is the way things are supposed to be. If I thought up the idea I would want to make money from it. Is there anybody out there that wouldn't?

 

I have said it before and I'll say it again: I hope Jeremy and crew make enough money so the only reason they need a GPSr is to find their way from the beach side lounge chair to the bar and back again.

 

Why are people bothered by somebody from this site making money? People will gladly spend the same or more to by a ticket to watch overpaid, overpampered, over grown cry babies move some kind of ball around a field of play. They will gladly spend money buying CDs from obnoxious drug addicts who use the money to buy more drugs and hookers and spend as much time in jail as they do in the recording studio making crap they try to pass off as music. And they are OK with spending money to watch movies that can't put a storyline together so they add car crashes, people having sex and guns blazing to make up for their lack of talent.

 

But man some poor schmuck has an idea, that you must think is good because you are participating, takes the risk and starts a business and all of a sudden that is a problem. I just have to shake my head. This is not the country I was born into.

 

I was on the site a couple of months and did a few caches before I paid my money. But at the point I thought that this might be something I would like to play around with a little more I put up the money. I like the try before I buy concept. Nobody can force anybody to get a membership if they are using the site, but I would not want to have to look in the mirror every day if all I did was take advantage of something and not feel the need to give back just a little.

 

Thank you and hey have a nice day.

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I agree that Jeremy and gang should make a few bucks. I read about geocaching on some other site then clicked over to here and put in my zip code. I saw three caches come up within walking distance of my home. I didn't even have a GPSr, but I paid for a membership that day. Now I have a Rino 120. I never would have gotton so interested in this game without this awesome site, so it's well worth the few bucks they ask for.

 

quote:
Originally posted by GrizzlyJohn:

 

I was on the site a couple of months and did a few caches before I paid my money. But at the point I thought that this might be something I would like to play around with a little more I put up the money. I like the try before I buy concept. Nobody can force anybody to get a membership if they are using the site, but I would not want to have to look in the mirror every day if all I did was take advantage of something and not feel the need to give back just a little.


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I've done 40 cashes

Probally spent 1 hour on each for research

1 hour a day reading forums

Just spent $ 30.00 US..($60.00 CDN)for membership

$ .75 cents per cache in only 5 months of 12

Dam, I'll have to find something else that get's me, figuring out navigation, GPS'r's, computers, out of the house, for a walk,....and doesn't cost so much..and make someone RICH....HA HA...

 

Membership does have it's rewards...

Please support one heck of a site and web crew...

 

If people persist in trespassing upon the grizzlies territory,we must accept that the grizzlies,

from time to time,will harvest a few trespassers.

-- Edward Abbey

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I believe I will also start putting out my new caches as a members only for the first couple of weekends. This is actually a great idea from the aspect of allowing other members a shot at first finds before opening it up to everyone. I in no way intend to keep my caches members only but I see no reason not to start them off that way. I think it's a great idea. icon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gif

 

"Trade up, trade even, or don't trade!!!" My philosophy of life.

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Inexpensive hobby? HA! There's a bit more than the $30 membership fee (as to which I'd gladly pay double, or pay for a lifetime membership). Read my log on this cache for details.

 

The way I figure it, my price per cache found & placed is currently around $380 once you count the cost of gas, cache trinkets, ammo cans, and all the other items not mentioned in the above cache log. And worth every penny.

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

If there's no accounting for stupidity, then why do I need to file a tax return?

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Once we realized that we were hooked we paid the membership fee. Well worth it, even if there were no perks (other than saving the site from popups and banner ads, which nobody seems to mention as a plus, but is a very big one). In the first six months of our membership, we found over 500 caches. So six months of the fee is $15, divide that by 500 and you get 3 cents. Just 3 cents per cache! Now, if that's not a bargain, I don't know what is. icon_wink.gif

 

--Marky

"All of us get lost in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

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quote:
Originally posted by MercRocks:

I've done 40 cashes

Probally spent 1 hour on each for research

1 hour a day reading forums

Just spent $ 30.00 US..($60.00 CDN)for membership

$ .75 cents per cache in only 5 months of 12

Dam, I'll have to find something else that get's me, figuring out navigation, GPS'r's, computers, out of the house, for a walk,....and doesn't cost so much..and make someone RICH....HA HA...


 

Wow I just figured mine. It cost me .26 cents per cache last year. So that means the more caching I do the less it cost per cache? Wow that's too good to be true. That does it, I'm caching more this year.

 

________________________________________________________________________

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes.

15777_2200.gif

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The first time I filled up the Bronco I spend more than 30 bucks on this hobby. That membership has since become insignificant compaired to the 1000 in gas, 300 PDA, 550 Camera, and 400 GPS I had to get. The Laptop is next, oh and soon my year is up and I'll have to pay my dues again...

 

Last time I went to the movies it was 27 bucks and that lasted 3 hours (Two Towers). Not bad for a movie, but still expensive per hour compared to Geocaching even taking into account the Gas and toys.

 

Wherever you go there you are.

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icon_smile.gif

I've only been doing this for a couple of months but I found when there is something that you like and use a lot you should support it. If you like it and use it, help make it better. I can't think of many sites or places that $30 will handle things for a year. Just my opinion ... I support what I use and do.

icon_biggrin.gif

 

Treat every CACHE you find..... .like it's Yours

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We don't use any of the members-only features right now. In fact, the caches we like the most are the virtual ones that take us on a tour of somewhere and open our eyes to places we might not have otherwise gone to.

 

Maybe to get more people to sign-up for membership, they should make members-only caches a higher standard of quality or something, even though we don't go for the goodies - we just go to see if we can find the darn thing and to get outdoors. Or when you do a search it can say "XX Members-only caches are not shown. Sign-up to see these caches."

 

I'm guessing some people acutally go to get good stuff from caches. We try to take the kid things but leave good things (like a small radio or something, INCLUDING batteries!).

 

Opinions based on experiences with eTrex Vista...

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I decided to pony up the cash for a Charter Membership the day I realized I'd had so much fun Geocaching and Benchmark hunting, but feared the day Geocaching.com goes the way of other dot coms. I see the Charter Membership as a form of Patronage - it's not a matter of a direct exchange of money for goods or services, but rather support to keep the bills paid and so Jeremy and crew can keep adding new features and fix our screwups, etc. Same goes for the stickers, t-shirts and Travel Bugs I've bought.

 

Besides, who would want to be known simply as a "Geocacher" when you can be a 'Bandito'! icon_wink.gif (must say this using a spaghetti western accent.)

 

As near as I can tell, there are no members only caches within 40 miles of my home, but then I suspected that would be the case before I paid my fee.

 

ICQ: 5563417

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Not a whole lot in Kentucky.

 

In fact, you can tell yourself. When you do a Cache search, the members only ones show up, you just can't get into their detail descriptions. The fact that you are asking the question probably means you have no members-only caches in your area.

 

I pay because I am a member of a local GeoCaching organization (www.geocky.org) and feel that I should support the site personally as well as a member of this group.

 

The $30 is cheap, and if Jeremy is livin' large in a nice house because of it, well, COOL - this is a good idea, it's worth paying for, and certainly a far better bargain than buying two music albums and allowing J-Lo's latest incoherent screechings to get her that fourth gold-plated house!

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I started my latest cache hide as a MOC, just to give the folks who contributed their $30 to the site a chance to hit it on "openning weekend". I'll be converting it to an Open-to-Everyone cache this Sunday afternoon.

 

I think the coolest thing about having a MOC is that you can see who has viewed your cache & how many times they've been there.

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You people "can do this for free" icon_rolleyes.gif because people like us who place caches don't charge you for it. icon_rolleyes.gif

 

We just spent $100 in materials for the month of January. We aren't looking for reimbursement, but I chuckle when anybody else would say I'm a "non-paying" member. Charter member? No. But this is not a "free" hobby to my family by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Would I be so fortunate that I could "make money" off this hobby. icon_wink.gif

 

If you hide it, they will come.

Grandmaster Cache

Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

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OOOoooohhhh.... Cindy (who works the job to earn the money to buy the stuff to stock the caches) came up with a great analogy:

 

It's like paying money to the trout farm when we are the ones stocking it with fish. Administrative fees to run a UBB are easily recooped via merchandising and banner-advertising fees. And then some. icon_wink.gif

 

Please understand we are not dissing Jeremy in any way. He's not here complaining about a financial drain and I wouldn't criticize him unless he were to do so. Plenty of folks spend money to make this hobby possible.

 

And we're not "reserving" caches for those who send us "compensation" money, either. We are sure Jeremy is grateful to the thousands of people who invest money plopping nice ammo boxes filled with goodies that really make "this site possible." icon_wink.gif

 

If you hide it, they will come.

Grandmaster Cache

Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

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GRANDMASTER CACHE,

 

I may have missed something, but I don't see any messages in this thread dissing non-charter members.

 

All Geocachers should be grateful to those that hide caches. I've hidden a couple, adopted a couple, made improvements to a several, and in one case a complete replacement of someone else's cache. But no amount of cache hiding will pay for the hardware, the packaged software, the Internet bandwidth, and the labor to write the custom software and maintain the site.

 

ICQ: 5563417

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quote:
I've only been doing this for a couple of months but I found when there is something that you like and use a lot you should support it. If you like it and use it, help make it better.

 

We found it. We like it. We support it. But we are not "charter" members. icon_wink.gif

 

quote:
I joined because I've got way more than $30 worth of fun because of this site and I want to pay my way and support the game.


 

We like to think we "pay our way" and support the game. But we are not "charter" members. icon_wink.gif

 

quote:
Nobody can force anybody to get a membership if they are using the site, but I would not want to have to look in the mirror every day if all I did was take advantage of something and not feel the need to give back just a little.


 

Yes, you may have "missed" this. I didn't. I look in the mirror every day and hardly feel like I am "taking advantage" of something and not giving back "just a little." icon_rolleyes.gif But we are not "charter" members. icon_wink.gif

 

quote:
I believe I will also start putting out my new caches as a members only for the first couple of weekends. This is actually a great idea from the aspect of allowing other members a shot at first finds before opening it up to everyone.

 

Gee, maybe everybody with a good cache should start "charging" for the first couple of weekends before opening it to "everyone." Gee... Maybe I'll send out the coords to people whom I've seen place quality caches - before I post them to those that feel their $3 entitles them to "preferential" treatment. Oh, that I could place caches for a piddly "$3" a month to make me an "insider" member. icon_rolleyes.gif

 

quote:
A group of us have started making our new caches members only for the first weekend or two. I believe that it might help to support the site and it gives dedicated cachers a better chance at first finds.

 

I'm sorry. We must not be "dedicated cachers." My last cache cost more than an entire year's "guilt-free" membership.

 

quote:
Geesh! I've only got seven finds and I think it's worth it to pay for a membership.


 

$3 doesn't place a cache. We thought this "worth it" enough to spend 2.5 worth "membership" fees per ammo can and load 'em up. We're glad people think it is "worth it" to find. icon_rolleyes.gif

 

quote:
The way I figure it, my price per cache found & placed is currently around $380 once you count the cost of gas, cache trinkets, ammo cans, and all the other items not mentioned in the above cache log. And worth every penny.


 

Now THAT'S an expensive hobby. THREE HUNDRED and EIGHTY DOLLARS????? PER CACHE???? Gold plated ammo cans? icon_wink.gif I had to interrupt my response in re: dissing to give kudos to anyone that spends that much money PER cache. Wow. icon_wink.gif

 

quote:
In the first six months of our membership, we found over 500 caches. So six months of the fee is $15, divide that by 500 and you get 3 cents. Just 3 cents per cache! Now, if that's not a bargain, I don't know what is.

 

Uh, Marky I know ya too well to think you only pay "3 cents" per cache." icon_wink.gif Marky and Joani do some of the nicer caches in this area - indeed it was their example of a generous cache that inspired us as to "how to play the game." People like Marky and Joani are what keeps this sport going - not $3 membership fees.

 

 

Anyway - no point in boring anyone any further. icon_wink.gif If $3 a month "determines" a charter membership - then perhaps someone can direct me where to submit my receipts to? I spend a lot more than $3 a month to "help maintain this site." icon_rolleyes.gif

 

Now, off to make the GeoCoins (we just got back from buying the stuff to make them at "gasp" considerably more than one year's membership! icon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gif It's not about the money. It's about giving back to future families and their kids who made "treasure hunting" so fun and fantastic for my three kids. And I'm sorry, but $3 isn't about to cut it. If all I was doing was "taking" from the hobby, I'd gladly pay $3 a month. But, (as we know from Aqualink) the cost of this UBB forum is more than adequately covered financially. icon_wink.gif I can do more for Jeremy and this site by placing good caches which keep people enthused and seeking. And that my friends, makes me more of a "charter" member than $3 would ever fool me into thinking. icon_wink.gif

 

If you hide it, they will come.

Grandmaster Cache

Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

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One reason I placed a moc was because I had a cache stolen,and I feel members are a little more responsible in the re-hiding of a cache.the moc is only a small distance from the one I had stolen,but it has survived a lot longer.I'm not saying that all non paying members are not responsible,but that on the whole paying members are.In the future most all caches I place, excepr for micros, will be moc

 

I'm a man and I can change if I have to,I guess.

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I can understand. Seems fair enough. We just might do the same thing - extend invitations with coords to people who participated in our caches and have not devalued them. Gee... That will help divide the game even further! icon_rolleyes.gif IOC Invitation-only Caches. Oh, we'll throw a few micros out there so folks that pay $3 a year have something to find. icon_rolleyes.gif

 

I see caching like I do gambling - Don't play unless you can afford to lose it all. And when you do... Don't whine about it. Can you imagine a "winner's-only casino?" icon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gif Hey, sign me up!

 

You know, we did a couple caches that didn't break the bank at all... and people with kids have been trading in/out trinkets in the spirit of the game... If someone came tonight and bagged the whole cache I don't think I would "trust" anyone all the more because they dropped a piddly three dollars to get the "all-exclusive" on the "good" caches... Because for $3, they'll forget all about the "regular" caches, sign up to become a "charter" and go swipe all of yours. You see? If you are establishing $3 as the "means of honesty and integrity," it is futile. The only thing you people are going to do is paint yourself into your little "un-common" holier-than-thou ring of "above-average" cachers and then someone is going to zip Jeremy $3 and go on a wild night of plundering caches. icon_rolleyes.gif The purpose of your $3 shouldn't be to have black-tie "members only" caches - it should be to help funnel a few grand a month into the Groundspeak Forums.

 

We just took a guy two weeks ago (his first) and he left 5 ROOKIE YEAR trading cards, one being a Johnny Unitas. One of them went for a tiny bungee cord and the other for a plastic frog. Three went to some really cool games. Now, if this were a "member only" cache, he wouldn't have visited. I wouldn't have visited. You can see dated logs of these at the Ex-Christmas Tree cache and the Away From The Pond caches.

 

Funny, I'll bet "member only" cachers have no problems going out looking for the caches non members place. If you want to be exclusive... STAY exclusive. Or at least do it in shameful silence and don't advertise or brag about it - because $3 isn't going to keep a thief a thief.

 

If you hide it, they will come.

Grandmaster Cache

Tank at: FISH WHISPERER'S LAGOON

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First, this is an awesome site, dadgum well presented! and full of great information.

Jeremy/TPTB do a great job of keeping this site going.

as for this discussion,...

I wonder if I missed something.

I, must have missed the part where someone was Bothered by the idea of This site being a money maker. I absolutely hope it is! Shortly after I

found this hobby, I looked at the travel bug section wondering how much money this was generating.-Warning! Aproximations ahead! Currently,4282 bugs listed,at 5.99

each, this would be $25,649. Of course, I bet most were not purchased at this price, I did not find

the price for multiple bugs, as they are out of stock. but was it 6 for $30? this would be $21,408

This minus the cost of production. I have no Idea how much it costs to supply these, but thats not a bad gross for a sideline. This is not a criticism,or an inquiry about the profit made on these. I have not purchased any yet, But I WILL.

I also plan to go for a membership.

Wondering if this site makes a "profit," or deciding to use the "free" aspects of this site,

do not equate with being bothered,(solohiker)"I never pay for something I can get for free."

 

It would take and incredible degree of dedication to maintain a site of this quality at a break-even

level. And I know I could not do it for long, or

even at all.

I, for one would not mind if this made millions,(not likely) as long as it maintained the quality, and

accessibility for all regardless of their ability

or willingness to support it.

I hope everyone here does what they can to make this a viable in the long term. Money, and quality caches are necessary for this. No doubt about it!

Guess I found a soap box of my own. icon_biggrin.gif

"

Why are people bothered by somebody from this site making money? People will gladly spend the same or more to by a ticket to watch overpaid,"...

"But man some poor schmuck has an idea, that you must think is good because you are participating, takes the risk and starts a business and all of a sudden that is a problem. I just have to shake my head. This is not the country I was born into.

"

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Well at first I disagreed with those who said we shouldnt pay but GRANDMASTER CACHE does make some sense if you just give them a second to talk. I personally wouldnt mind paying if I knew it would help the site or if I could use the extra features (pocket queries) since I'm having a great time. I do disagree that this site is a goldmine, becuase the owners could of put banner ads and I have yet to see one (THANK HEAVENS!!). I know they have cash coming in through charters and the shop, this probly pays for the hosting and bandwidth. I have personally hosted some very large UBB forums and I can say that one person can handle it easily on there spare time. It's a powerfull forum software and stable.

 

I would like to think that any extra money made through this site is put back into it through improvements and maintenence. But of course you need to pay yourself as well.

 

I dont think this site was started as a cash cow, but so many people enjoy it after all this time.

 

If you feel that $3/month or $30/year to Groundspeak is worth every penny or if you feel that you should put that money into caches instead, either way you're still GIVING back to the geocaching community/hobbie in a whole and I applaud you.

 

Orions

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Grandmaster Cache,for one thing I have never seen anyone ***** over 3.00 a month soooooo much,if you are that cheap pay the 30.00 bucks up front and save 6.00 a year,In this thread alone you have used 3.00 worth of words.I have hidden 10 caches and only 1 is a moc and no micros,1 virtual.but I just cant see what you problem is with paying a fee

 

I'm a man and I can change if I have to,I guess.

 

[This message was edited by Jacksons on February 01, 2003 at 05:18 AM.]

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quote:
Originally posted by bitbrain:

 

I think the coolest thing about having a MOC is that you can see who has viewed your cache & how many times they've been there.


 

I agree.

 

I think most caches are placed with the local cachers in mind. All of the local cachers I know are "Charter Members," so it would be hard to argue that anyone from the target audience had been excluded.

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