too much information in online logs?

[+cachew nut]

I like reading other geocachers logs, especially those on my watch lists, and those that have an interesting story to tell.

 

I noticed some geocachers, who go out for a full day of geocaching, like to include links to the cache they just came from and links to the cache they are going to next, as well as a link to the cache where their day's adventetures started.

 

It makes for some interesting reading, and lets you kind of follow along in the geocachers footsteps for the day, so to speak. It's almost as good as having a "watch this geocacher" option.

 

I personally don't do this, maybe because I'm too lazy, or feel I would be giving away my planning work, but I do note the time of my visit in each cache log. I have to ask this question:

 

Does including the extra information, links to the caches visited before and after, make it too easy for someone looking to increase their numbers to just retrace another's footsteps?

 

I have debated including this information in my logs myself, but felt it would be giving away the hard work I have done in my route planning the day before my hunt. Also, would a "watch this geocacher" option be a good thing to have?

 

[This message was edited by cachew nut on March 23, 2003 at 06:55 AM.]

[Radman Forever]

I hate it when they give spoilers in their logs. You think some people would think twice before they submit their find!

 

Hey look I'm a frog!

 

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

 

 

Faster than a dial-up Internet connection, stronger than any band nerd, look up at the sky! ....is it a bat..... no .....is it my grandma's mustache..... NO! IT'S RADMAN Version 2.0!

[+Jamie Z]

I've made two substantial caching trips where I linked my logs together, meant to be read in order. There are links in my profile.

 

Do I think it helped someone else plan a trip? Gee.. I hope not, since basically my routing consisted of repeatedly going to the nearest cache.

 

Jamie

[+LJAngler]

Uh Huh

[+fairplay]

quote:

---

I hate it when they give spoilers in their logs

---

Yes, you're right sometimes people should think twice. But sometimes caches aren't so abvious to find, and if somebody wants to give a small hint, he should mention that in the Subject line !

We had that problem, that the original cache coordinates were wrong, only the log of another cacher warned us, otherwise we would have serached for hours with no result. The cache Owner was on a business trip, unable to correct the problem.

 

hello

[BassoonPilot]

"Watch this Geocacher option" No

 

"Spoilers in Logs" Owner should send an e-mail containing a copy of the log back to the finder, explaining to the finder that should the spoiler information not be deleted, the owner will regrettably have to delete the find.

 

"Long winded logs" The stories are always more interesting than "Found it, TNLN, thanks."

[+SilverRubicon]

This is placed at the beginning of the log section on each cache page for a reason. If you are not looking for additional information that will help you with your finding of this cache then don't read the logs until after you have found the cache. The same goes for decrypting the hint if there is one. No reason to do it if you don't want additional information for your hunt.

 

As far as having a track this geocachers movements, there is one. You may not be able to have emails sent to you but you can click on his name and have his profile page appear. Then all you have to do is click on the Found caches link. This will take you to a list of the caches they have found in order of last found.

 

SilverRubicon

[+Mopar]

quote:

---

Originally posted by cachew nut:

Also, would a "watch this geocacher" option be a good thing to have?

---

 

One way to watch another cacher is to use the cache logs portion of Dan's stats page. Here is a link to watch Cachew Nut. Using Dan's site instead of the gc.com profile gives you DNFs and notes logged, as well as caches found/hidden.

 

Tae-Kwon-Leap is not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon.

[Radman Forever]

You're right about the message that spoilers could be in the logs. I think if you just make some hints in your log, just encrypt it. It can easily be decrypted. I like to read the logs before I go on the trip if it tells me anything to be prepared for.

 

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

 

 

Faster than a dial-up Internet connection, stronger than any band nerd, look up at the sky! ....is it a bat..... no .....is it my grandma's mustache..... NO! IT'S RADMAN Version 2.0!

[+Stunod]

quote:

---

Originally posted by cachew nut:

Does including the extra information, links to the caches visited before and after, make it too easy for someone looking to increase their numbers to just retrace another's footsteps?

---

 

This makes no sense to me...how could this really help?

 

"Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand."

[+Renegade Knight]

It's a lot of work, and maybe great if you want' to follow the logs. But I don't think it's an issue.

 

Wherever you go there you are.

[BassoonPilot]

I realize that more and more control is being taken away from cache owners, but anything that appears in an online cache log appears at the discretion of the cache owner.

 

If the cache owner doesn't want hints or spoilers to appear in logs to his/her cache page, it is within that cache owner's rights to delete the offending log.

 

As I suggested a couple of posts back, the polite thing to do is to send an e-mail containing the text of the log to the finder and request the offending information to be removed ... I am not suggesting that anyone should be denied a legitimate find.

[Micqn]

Oh well.

 

Nice Rack!

[+Markwell]

Please re-read the original post.

quote:

---

Does including the extra information, links to the caches visited before and after, make it too easy for someone looking to increase their numbers to just retrace another's footsteps?

---

 

If I'm understanding correctly, Cachew Nut is not talking about spoilers like "It was under the big green rock with the yellow stripe on it." He's talking about logs like I did in a cluster of caches I found on my second anniversary of cache. Here's an example. He's asking if showing that much detail (with a link from cache to cache to cache) is giving too much information.

 

CN probably already knows my opinion on this. I'd almost always have too much information (short of a spoiler). Tell me your story. "Found it. TNLN" doesn't tell me anything about your trip. I don't mean that everyone has to write a War and Peace novel. And by all means, don't tell me which rock it's under. But there's no joy in watching all the caches within 20 miles of my house if 3/4 of the logs only state that the cache was found and that nothing was traded. (It's not really like that. I exaggerate to make my point.)

 

And more to your point: I don't think that telling me which cache you came from or went to is going to tell me a whole lot about the research you did for your cache hunt. To date, I've never let anyone else's prior journeys affect how I did my own.

 

Markwell

Chicago Geocaching

[+cachew nut]

Yep, Markwell seems to understand my question. And his logs are some of the ones I like to read, since each log links to the next found cache.

 

Others do this as well, not just Markwell. I believe the Paterquest logs were like this.

 

I was thinking of doing this myself, but I usually only get one day out of the week to go hunting, so I plan ahead to maximize the number of caches I could visit. My question was more about giving away the route rather than giving spoilers in the logs.

 

I don't mind if others do it, it's unlikely that I would try to duplicate Markwell's logs because I either already found some of the ones in his logs, or there are still some closer on my nearest list. Plus, I think I might be able to do better if I do my own work.

 

I asked the question simply because I was thinking of providing these links myself, and would like some feedback before I decide.

[+Bluespreacher]

quote:

---

Originally posted by cachew nut:

Yep, Markwell seems to understand my question. And his logs are some of the ones I like to read, since each log links to the next found cache.

 

Others do this as well, not just Markwell. I believe the Paterquest logs were like this.

 

I was thinking of doing this myself, but I usually only get one day out of the week to go hunting, so I plan ahead to maximize the number of caches I could visit. My question was more about giving away the route rather than giving spoilers in the logs.

 

I don't mind if others do it, it's unlikely that I would try to duplicate Markwell's logs because I either already found some of the ones in his logs, or there are still some closer on my nearest list. Plus, I think I might be able to do better if I do my own work.

 

I asked the question simply because I was thinking of providing these links myself, and would like some feedback before I decide.

---

 

I'm not a great writer, so my logs are kinda on the short side. There are some local cachers that are writers, though. I really get a kick out of reading their longer logs. It's fun to read their report of the approach, mishaps, Force, etc. I didn't even mind too much when one finder reccomended that I be locked up in the ammo box as punishment for choosing difficult terrain!

 

The stories are a big part of the fun. Keep it up!

 

Bluespreacher

 

"We've got the hardware and the software, the plans and the maps ..." -- Citizen Wayne Kramer