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Charter membership?


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Until I become a member a few weeks back, I was still getting the latest new caches in my area just like I always had been.

 

I don't remember getting it this week, so maybe there's a problem with the system right now. Usually they come out each Thursday. Though a few time the system has been so bogged down that I don't get the email til much later.

 

Things to check... is home zip (or co-ordiates) in your profile? Do you have the notification box checked?

 

-- Mitch

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quote:
Originally posted by solohiker:

I still get updates and I don't belong to any charter. What are the benefits of being a charter member? I thought it was just a money making scam.


Now I do beleive the few small pennies for membership is to help support the web site. Just think of th massive amount of space we us posting and logging. Servers lots of them needed. Join nnow it supports the game we all enjoy.

 

Pepper

 

Horizontals where it's at!

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quote:
Originally posted by solohiker:

I still get updates and I don't belong to any charter. What are the benefits of being a charter member? I thought it was just a money making scam.


 

Well, for starters, charter members got to test drive the benchmarking system for weeks before it went public. We get to change our titles in the forums. Etc, etc. And there are probably more benefits coming our way.

 

rdw

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Customized bulk downloads with eBook format is coming shortly (hopefully by the weekend). There were no "nearby" cache notifications this week because the application is crashing for some reason. I'm working on it.

 

Jeremy Irish

Groundspeak - The Language of Location

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IMHO, membership is the only way to go if you are a true geocacher. Why would you not support the pastime you enjoy?

 

I would treat it like shareware. Try it out for a few days, and if you like it, pay the money to support it.

 

If there's no support, where would we be?

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quote:
Originally posted by SuperGenius:

Now I do beleive the few small pennies for membership is to help support the web site. Just think of th massive amount of space we us posting and logging. Servers lots of them needed. Join nnow it supports the game we all enjoy.

 


 

I guess I don't know how many pennies a charter membership costs. I assumed this site was subsidized by the gps manufacturers. If it isn't then somebody missed an opportunity.

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Well i don't know about you but i'm liking this geocaching so much that I will get myself a membership very soon..

 

The only thing I need to do is to get my dad around and ask him to use his credit card to pay for this membership..

 

!!! can you believe it that you are geocaching for free!! all of this is for free.. dadgum I just have to get me a membership only to support the game (sport)..

 

Happy cachin'

 

Irresisti

N12º 55.475

E100º 52.865

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The 1st time I took my kids Geocaching, and this is recent, the look of excitement on their faces when we found the "treasure" made it clear that this, and this organization was definately something I was going to support. With or without additional benefits to be gained.

 

I learned a long time ago that good intentions, a pat on the back, or a heart felt "atta boy" don't pay the bills!

 

I'll show my support with cash....and all the above listed warm and fuzzy feelings.

 

To the powers that be, "Keep up the great work!"

 

~Honest Value Never Fails~

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quote:
Originally posted by sbell111:

Its my understanding that the GPSr manufacturers have taken the stance that they need not do any sponsorship of the site to reap the rewards of its success.

 

This type of thinking is the exact opposite of why I decided to become a charter member.


 

Why would you suspect that the gps manufacturers are ignoring this site? They reference this site in their promotions and literature. Do you really think they aren't paying a hefty promotional fee? This site is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. I doubt there are more than a handful of cacher's who do not know friends who have purchased gps recievers as a direct result of this site. I have three friends who bought receivers just for caching.

 

This site should be self sufficient and very profitable.

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quote:
Originally posted by sbell111:

Its my understanding that the GPSr manufacturers have taken the stance that they need not do any sponsorship of the site to reap the rewards of its success.

...


 

How do you know that? The Home Page of Geocaching shows ads by both Magellan and Garmin as well as by a supplier of GPS equipment. Of course, this could be just a service of this site and these companies aren't paying, but I wonder...

 

Alan

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quote:
Originally posted by sbell111:

Its my understanding that the GPSr manufacturers have taken the stance that they need not do any sponsorship of the site to reap the rewards of its success.

..


quote:
Originally posted by solohiker:

Why would you suspect that the gps manufacturers are ignoring this site? ...


Solohiker, I'm not sure whether you misunderstood sbell111 or are just skeptical; but it has been explained in earlier posts that both Garmin and Magellan were approached regarding sponsorship of this site, but their response was (paraphrased), "Why should we pay for publicity we're already getting for free?"

quote:
They reference this site in their promotions and literature. Do you really think they aren't paying a hefty promotional fee?

They don't have to pay anything to reference this site. If they were paying a promotional fee, wouldn't you expect to see them announcing it with something like "Proud sponsor of Geocaching.com!"?

 

Worldtraveler

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I remember a forum thread where Jeremy explained the disinterest the GPS manufactureres had in paying promotional fees. Apparently, they felt Geocaching was doing all the promotion they needed and for free. This thread was quite awhile ago, maybe things have changed since then.

 

Wait... here's the link posted 05 March 2002 10:53 AM

 

All he does is make a passing comment about it.

 

[This message was edited by joedohn on June 26, 2002 at 06:52 AM.]

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...and it is a little harder to find it in the old forums, here's the post from Jeremy:

<=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=>

posted 05 March 2002 10:53 AM

 

quote:
Originally posted by prv8eye:

You would think the GPS manufacturers and retailers would be falling all over themselves trying to buy advertising on Geocaching.com.


 

"We'll be honest. Regardless of what sort of relationship we have with you, geocaching will sell our GPS units."

 

(Quoted from memory from a major GPS manufacturer).

 

So no, GPS manufacturers are not falling over themselves to advertise on the site.

 

Jeremy

<=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=><=>

Markwell

Chicago Geocachers

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quote:
Originally posted by Markwell:

So no, GPS manufacturers are not falling over themselves to advertise on the site.

 


 

AKA -- We need them more than they need us. We know it, they know it. And there you have it.

 

rdw

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I wonder if Garmin or Magellean would want to help support this page by allowing Jeremy to post a coupon for 15% off of a GPS unit.

 

I know for a fact that if I was on this site looking for a new GPS, and I saw a coupon that I could print out and take to my local dealer, I would do it.

 

Garmin/Magellean would get more business this way. Plus, Jermemy could require that they pay to advertise their coupon.

 

Just my two cents (which I left in the last geocache I found...)

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quote:
Originally posted by Team Dragon:

I wonder how fast that would change if Jeremy planted an icon on the front page linking to Lowrance, saying this was the recommended manufacturer.


 

I've been wondering that for a while now.....

 

How many here would switch to an iFinder if Lowrance became the "Official" GPS of Geocaching.com and used Jeremy's logo on the case?

 

I'd be tempted myself, if only because I love the idea of having a 10,000 point tracklog.

 

What features would a dedicated GPS unit have?

 

I'd like to see them include the basic mapping software and allow you (for a small fee) to download regional maps that contained *both* topo and street information, with a display that allows you to choose just what you'd like to see onscreen.

 

If it could store and display extended cache descriptions (getting PDA-ish) so much the better. It uses MMC cards, so I'm not sure that this isn't possible with a current iFinder and a firmware update.

 

They could ship the unit to you in a custom ammobox

 

I don't own stock in or even know of anybody that works for Lowrance.

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