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GeoCacher TurnOver


umc

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Reasons for Geocachers leaving the sport????? Recently I have been hearing quite a bit how Cachers don't stick with the sport/hobby. I hear how they come into it all gung-ho and find x number of caches then nobody hears from them any more. Does anybody have insite as to why they leave? Obviously its not becasue they move or things of that nature. I understand that we all get busy at times and don't have time for anything other than breathing but to vanish all together.... I myself get really hyped about things then lose interest after a while. I hope that doesn't happen with GeoCaching and me. I don't think it will because GeoCaching ties everything I like into each other very nicely.

 

So anyway, what does everyone else think about people coming and going? Has anyone ever taken long amounts of time away from Geocaching? Does or has anyone known someone that started out and found a bunch of caches to never be heard of again?

 

No don't worry I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon. icon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gif

 

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Not so sure, Somewhat new Owner Of a Garmin GPS V Received on 10-03-02

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Sometimes it's a matter of Geocaching being the latest fad for them. Sometimes it's a weather issue--winter hits and they realize they don't want the specific challenges of winter caching. Sometimes life gets busy and they don't have the time (especially if they've cleaned out most of the caches near them). Sometimes it's the realization that this can be a lot of work sometimes (but fun work).

 

Bret

 

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.

When a man found it, he hid it again." Mt. 13:44

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quote:
Does anybody have insite as to why they leave?

 

I can only assume, they just get burnt out. I personally know a few geocachers that found over 100 caches and for some reason just stopped. Some of them don't even go to the site anymore.

 

I can also say it might be discouraging when geocachers don't trade fair. For example: I personally went to the caches we have hidden to maintenance them. I was totally shocked when some of them were filled with just pencils. I understand the way the world works, but there are dollar stores, garage sales, and even goodwill. icon_eek.gif Where is the morals and respect at? I have no problem with restocking my hidden caches, it's just a little mind boggling!

icon_confused.gif

 

TRADE FAIR IS THE MOTTO ......RIGHT!!!!!!!!

 

All I can say is that I'm not burnt out and will continue to maintenance our caches. If I do get discouraged about trade items, I can always hide a film canister with just a log book. icon_biggrin.gif

 

Leaving? Upinyachit? NEVERRRRRRRRRRRR!

 

Duane

Upinyachit

icon_smile.gif

 

Our feet go where the caches are! feet.gif

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We "quit" for about 5 months. Without going into all the gory details, life just got in the way. It happens.

 

As for others, I think a great majority of them just get tired of it. After a while, geocaching is really pretty easy and if the coolness of finding hidden things is all that really interests them, they're likely to get bored pretty quick.

 

I've seen many people locally that just find a few caches and are never heard from again. Something else I noticed is that virtually none of the original cachers in this area are still active. I guess for some, there just is not enough to keep them coming back.

 

I know that for me, the over poliferation of virtual caches locally turned me off for a while as well. If you like a particular type of cache and there are not enough of those around, it probably has some affect on this.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

Scott / Brokenwing

 

-There's a thin line between geocaching and walking in circles like an idiot.-

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I looked up some profile numbers, and the turnover appears to be staggering. Go to your profile page and look at your number (A= xxx) in the address bar, and check the numbers around yours. Following are some numbers of finds and hides from profiles I picked at random.

 

For example, This member registered in June, 2000 and has 72 finds and 6 hides. I think that user might still be active in geocaching. icon_wink.gif

 

(For that user, the address should appear on your address bar as http://www.geocaching.com/profile/default.asp?A=3. Try your own or any other profile # after the "A=" to investigate further.)

 

For example,

A=40 joined in 9/2000 and found 8, hid 1.

A=1111 joined in 12/2000 and found 1 cache.

A=30001 joined in 11/2001 and found 4, hid 1.

A=45001 joined in 3/2002 and found 0, hid 0.

A=65000 joined in 7/2002 and found 9, hid 0.

 

[This message was edited by ACME geocachers on November 10, 2002 at 06:35 PM.]

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quote:
Go to your profile page and look at your number (A= xxx) in the address bar, and check the numbers around yours.

 

This was an interesting exercise. I probably checked out 10 users in each direction and then just started typing in random numbers (yep, I got time on my hands tonight). I think I only found 1 person with over 10 caches (70 if I remember right). The vast majority had no finds and no hides and a few had 1-9 finds.

 

I'm assuming the majority of us would find similar results. Sorta makes you wonder if they went out and bought GPS's too.

 

Bret

 

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.

When a man found it, he hid it again." Mt. 13:44

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quote:
Originally posted by ACME geocachers:

I looked up some profile numbers, and the turnover appears to be staggering.


i ran a search from 22000 to 22018, and 15 had >5 finds(7 with NO FINDS! & six were flagged as being inactive because emails had been bouncing?), the other three had 8, 13, and 35 finds. the person with 35 finds also has found two TB and last visited the site a little over a week ago, so of 19 profiles, only this person and myself are still active icon_frown.gif

 

to answer umc's question about turn over, i think large amounts of geocachers either A. see/read/hear about geocaching, go find a couple and then lose interest in the "newest fad", or B. find as many as possiable in a few weeks/months and burn themselves out.

whack.gif

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I haven't been in caching for very long but really enjoy it especially when I can get my daughter and her two boys to go with me. icon_razz.gif

Unfourtunately, I own a Retail store and will have to let caching go untill after the Holiday season. icon_frown.gif

Working seven days a week sorta takes the energy away from caching. Being over 62 helps too! icon_rolleyes.gif

It may be spring when I get back out and I think alot of people are the same.

.

.

quote:
Old enough to know better. BUT, frankly my dear, I just dont give a dadgum!
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It does seem noticeable that we see a fair number of geocachers who will rapidly find a bunch of caches, never hide any, then quit. I suspect they are hooked on a new fad.

 

I think that burnout is a problem, especially with the geotrash in the caches as was mentioned earlier.

This is a problem that we have to solve by individual action. It seems strange that a person who will spend 200-300 dollars on a GPSr can't afford to get some nice signature item to leave.

 

remybussi.gif By appointment to the Court of HRM Queen Mikki I. remybussi.gif

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In this area (northern NJ), with a few exceptions, it seems that most Geocachers stick with the sport. We seem to have a pretty hardcore group here.

 

I attribute this to a several things. First, the density of caches. Second the variety of caches.

We have many fairly easy caches in urban and suburban parks, but we also have a significant number of challenging and interesting caches in the state parks and forests. Additionally, because there is a lot of history around here, there are many excellent virtuals as well.

 

Finally, though NJ is small, there are very diverse ecosystems here. Rugged, rocky peaks (well by our standards), upland & lowland forests, wetlands, swamps, salt marsh and costal plain.

And all these are within a short drive of each other.

 

This means in the course of an afternoon, you can climb a rugged, rocky peak to bag a cache, wade through a waist deep swamp to get another, hit a cache in a suburban park, then find another in a tidal salt marsh, or on a jetty sticking out into the ocean.

 

The diversity of terrain and caches here keeps things interesting and there is something for everyone.

 

Now personally, I've taken breaks from Geocaching. Not because of any plan to do so, but because other things have gotten in the way. I have a number of other interests and there are the usual work and family obligations (though now that I've been "involuntarialy separated" from my employer, I've been able to spend a lot more time on Geocaching).

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I just found my 50th cache yesterday even though my goal was to accomplishe that my the end of the year. I worked hard for this over the least 3 weeks most of those where found, some easyer than others but I have to admit that after finding 50 and placing 4 it is mostly the logging and getting feetback from people finding my hidden ones that keeps me doing it. I could go hiking and climbing, biking and kajaking, flying and exploring and have enough fun without finding a silly little treasure but then it is not about the stash anyways. For me it is also not for the high tech fix I need frequently, in the age of GPS navigation, Istrument approaches into airports and computer controlled traction systems on locomotives, there is enough tech injections in a day. All in all to see what other people thought and felt looking for and finding a cache is what makes it so interesting to me and I also have to admit, that I get impatient quickly when nothing happens in the area for a while. icon_rolleyes.gif BUT and this is a BIG BUT icon_eek.gif I can see myself maybe some day getting less active but there will always be an occation where it wil be great to have Geocaching a a resource for a almost unlimited number of reasons, mainly because it is shows you more of your surrounding world than one would normaly go out to explore. icon_razz.gif

I am glad this whole website with all its Geocachers and Members exists.

You are all great. icon_biggrin.gif

 

So Long grinchtv.gif Eagleflyby

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I have thought a lot about leaving the sport for a while now. At least as far as logging caches on the web site. We have a few people in this area that are really into the numbers of the game. They really try and pad their hide counts. A number of people have placed 10 caches in a 1500 foot radius in one park here, six of those are from one cacher.

 

I have a choice whether to hunt these caches or not, and usually I choose not to avoid them, but it really gets annoying when these caches start to interfere with my “closest list” and my Pocket Query. I usually end up hunting them just to get them off my list. This is what I did this weekend. I hunted 14 caches, 12 which were placed by one cacher. It seemed more like work than fun.

 

If I ever leave the game, it will be for this reason.

 

[This message was edited by eroom on November 11, 2002 at 12:40 PM.]

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quote:
Originally posted by eroom:

They really try and pad their hind


I've seen cachers who need no extra padding icon_smile.gif

quote:

but it really gets annoying when these caches start to interfere with my “closest list”


I agree, especially when the hider is not from the area and leaves virtual caches that show up on the nearest list. I wish there was an "ignore" feature.

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quote:
Originally posted by Web-ling:

I suspect some people actually have lives outside of geocaching.


 

Well, I guess my next question would have to be: Whats a life?

 

Seriously, thanks to everyone for shedding light on this subject. Everything I have read makes a lot of sense.

 

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Not so sure, Somewhat new Owner Of a Garmin GPS V Received on 10-03-02

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That's funny, the other night, we stopped by HackAttack's cousins (on our way to a cache) and he came out to the car with his two young daughters, and said in a really super sad way, "oh you all are going?" then said to HackAttack, "At least you have a life." His wife was at work and he was fixing the sink.

 

Fixing the sink...caching......fixing the sink...caching.....I'd rather be caching!!! That's life!!!!

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I think kids have a impact on caching for some people if the kids have sports they play-then alot of the time little or no caching will get done during thoses times of year.I all so think more caching gets done in Texas during the Fall and Winter months becase of the lack of poison ivy,snakes,bugs and heat.

 

If you eat a live frog in the morning,nothing worse will happen to either of you for the rest of the day.

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I have been on some great cache hunts and then there are all the rest: a tupperware container full of junk hidden under a log with 6 sticks lined up on top of it as camoflauge.

 

I doubt I'll stop caching (and it's about time I started hiding a couple) but it's discouraging to take more time and effort to seek a cache than the hider took to place it. Too many caches like these a girl's likely to retire her GPS.

 

And, of course, the other side is time. I don't seem to have much right now and the little I do have gets wasted on errands and work.

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Philip,

 

I guess that begs another question, but I will post a new thread to keep things from getting confusing.

 

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Not so sure, Somewhat new Owner Of a Garmin GPS V Received on 10-03-02

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I'm in almost total agreement with Enfanta. I sure don't want to take away from all the people who hide caches, and many of the caches around my area *are* pretty good... but some of the newer ones are really starting to be the same.

 

Go to a local park, walk 100 yards into the woods, find a plastic container underneath some sticks.

 

Now and then I still enjoy that sort of thing, since it gets me out doing stuff... but given my limited caching time as of late, my last few hunts have been carefully selected to give me the experience I'm looking for. Namely, a decent hike, or challenge, or a location that will make me stop and look around for a while.

 

Jamie

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quote:
Originally posted by enfanta:

I have been on some great cache hunts and then there are all the rest: a tupperware container full of junk hidden under a log with 6 sticks lined up on top of it as camoflauge.


 

Is the problem with the fact that it's full of trash of that it wasn't well hidden?

 

I could care less what's in the cache as long as it provides a bit of a challenge to find.

 

george

 

39570_500.jpg

Pedal until your legs cramp up and then pedal some more.

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Yikes. I know it creates enough domestic grief for me. I imagine a lot like guys who go golfing at every chance I imagine.

 

But that would never ward me off. icon_wink.gif I think people just start to do it and realize that sometimes it's a lot like... you know... hiking and stuff. And not so much like finding toys in the woods any more icon_smile.gif

 

Either that or they get 5 caches into the sport, can't find one, and just totally give up.

 

I think socialization plays a /large/ part in geocaching. If I didn't have caching buddies and if there weren't an organization in Michigan to share stories with, go to events with, etc... I'd probably have gotten bored with just finding caches sooner or later. After all... even if you're a die hard cacher, after a while you will have found most or all of the caches within an hour or so of your house. Then you need something else to fall back on and I think the folks involved become that something else.

 

First experiences wtih a geocacher could influence a person to leave the sport as well. One negative comment or a rant that is not done tactfully could easily scare off a newbie forever.

 

--------

trippy1976 - Team KKF2A

migo_sig_logo.jpg

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Well, a bit of both, actually.

 

I'm still sort of into what's *in* a cache. It's not that I want stuff necessarily but I'm curious about what folks leave.

 

And folks leave a lot of pencils, stickers and McToys.

 

But more discouraging than the contents are the poor choices of locales: my favorite caches have led me to places I would never go on my own. Up mountains, across streams, to odd or different features in the landscape both natural and man-made. But these locations seem to get fewer and far between as I walk behind schools and into briars only to find an unimaginative hiding place.

 

Yes, yes, I know that it's my choice which caches to hunt. And I'm getting better at sorting the wheat from the chaff. A poorly written cache page is a good indicator that the hunt will be poor, too. So I just keep looking and reading and sorting and if I get some time I'll go looking for what I hope is a physically and mentally challenging cache.

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We got into geocaching in a really big way this year - found over 400 in 4 months and hid approx 40 caches. It's been a blast for the whole family, BUT we are finding that we simply cannot afford all of the gasoline it requires to keep this up. Will be drastically cutting back beginning after our first caching event at the end of this month :(

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So anyway, what does everyone else think about people coming and going? Has anyone ever taken long amounts of time away from Geocaching? Does or has anyone known someone that started out and found a bunch of caches to never be heard of again?

 

Obviously, not everyone drops out for the same reason but I'd guess the most common reason is crappy caches. I can't tell you the last time someone put out a good multi in my area. As for a worthy traditional, probably not even a half a dozen a year within ten miles of me. Once upon a time it was not that way. Why would I go search for something that was placed with little or no thought, offers no challenge or no "wow?" Might just as well go have a nice hike or bike ride and leave the GPS at home.

 

Of course, one of the reasons you get crappy caches is that many of the quality cache owners are fed up with GC.com and have decided it just is not worth the hassle. At least that seems to be the case in my area and explains my departure and others I know.

 

GC.com is kind of like the NFL, as long as they are making money, they don't care if the game has degraded to the point where it has become almost laughable. I'm doing my part by keeping my money in my pocket and turning off all my caches. Imagine what good might come if everyone else did the same?

 

... or you can keep logging finds for caches hidden on guardrails and lamp posts or tossed aimlessly in the woods.

 

.

Edited by emmett
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We got into geocaching in a really big way this year - found over 400 in 4 months and hid approx 40 caches. It's been a blast for the whole family, BUT we are finding that we simply cannot afford all of the gasoline it requires to keep this up. Will be drastically cutting back beginning after our first caching event at the end of this month :(

What are you going to be doing instead that won't be using gasoline? Sitting at home watching TV? I actually find caching to be a very inexpensive hobby.

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GC.com is kind of like the NFL, as long as they are making money, they don't care if the game has degraded to the point where it has become almost laughable. I'm doing my part by keeping my money in my pocket and turning off all my caches. Imagine what good might come if everyone else did the same?

So, because there are no new non-crappy hides, you're going to take your non-crappy hides and go home. I imagine that if everyone did that there'd be nothing but crappy hides left. Yep, that sounds "good" - thanks for improving the sport. <_<

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GC.com is kind of like the NFL, as long as they are making money, they don't care if the game has degraded to the point where it has become almost laughable. I'm doing my part by keeping my money in my pocket and turning off all my caches. Imagine what good might come if everyone else did the same?

So, because there are no new non-crappy hides, you're going to take your non-crappy hides and go home. I imagine that if everyone did that there'd be nothing but crappy hides left. Yep, that sounds "good" - thanks for improving the sport. <_<

 

Would you rather they abandoned their caches? If you're done playing please, pick up your game pieces.

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GC.com is kind of like the NFL, as long as they are making money, they don't care if the game has degraded to the point where it has become almost laughable. I'm doing my part by keeping my money in my pocket and turning off all my caches. Imagine what good might come if everyone else did the same?

So, because there are no new non-crappy hides, you're going to take your non-crappy hides and go home. I imagine that if everyone did that there'd be nothing but crappy hides left. Yep, that sounds "good" - thanks for improving the sport. <_<

 

And your solution? Keep forking out time, money and energy to help fill the pockets of a company that has no regard for its customers or its product? Yup, that is brilliant! There is no improving this sport/hobby until the folks at the top care. You keep giving them your money, what is their incentive to care. This is the way the customer-company relationship works. If you are satisfied, you keep going back. If not, you don't. What we see here is a company that works to discourage creative and higher quality cache placements while encouraging the proliferation of crappy caches. If you support that then keep paying but for those who don't, it is quite normal and appropriate to find better uses for their time and money.

 

.

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This bumped thread is about reasons why geocachers leave the sport. Fine, if you'd like to say that Groundspeak's policies, etc., are a reason for that, then list it among all the other reasons. But don't turn the thread into a general diatribe about the evil Lily Pad. Write them a strongly worded protest letter. Thank you.

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I find it ironic that most of the people who posted in this haven't logged in for years.

 

I just want to know what's up with this guy from post#8?? And people say the forums are angsty today. Phooey. When is the last time someone got a lifetime forum ban around here?

 

I looked up some profile numbers, and the turnover appears to be staggering. Go to your profile page and look at your number (A= xxx) in the address bar, and check the numbers around yours. Following are some numbers of finds and hides from profiles I picked at random.

 

For example, <A HREF="http://www.geocaching.com/profile/default.asp?A=3" TARGET=_blank>This member</A> registered in June, 2000 and has 72 finds and 6 hides. I think that user might still be active in geocaching. icon_wink.gif<!--graemlin::D-->

 

(For that user, the address should appear on your address bar as <A HREF="http://www.geocaching.com/profile/default.asp?A=3" TARGET=_blank>http://www.geocaching.com/profile/default.asp?A=3</A>. Try your own or any other profile # after the "A=" to investigate further.)

 

For example,

A=40 joined in 9/2000 and found 8, hid 1.

A=1111 joined in 12/2000 and found 1 cache.

A=30001 joined in 11/2001 and found 4, hid 1.

A=45001 joined in 3/2002 and found 0, hid 0.

A=65000 joined in 7/2002 and found 9, hid 0.

 

[This message was edited by ACME geocachers on November 10, 2002 at 06:35 PM.]

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There are a number of reasons. I personally know a considerable number of geocachers who have quit entirely due one or more of these following reasons (two of which have had me wanting to quit many times (see *):

 

* 1.) Caches being stolen (> 1 years consistently) - this wiped out all of the geocachers in my area at one time. They all quit after a 4 year stretch of all caches being stolen. Finally the cache theif was caught and arrested. He got merely a slap on the hand. It wasn;t enough to revigorize geocaching in my area again.

 

* 2.) Disagreement with either GC.com policies or cache Reviewer inconsistencies with approvals. Cachers have either quit altogether or stopped their premium account and have reduced the amount of caching. Here in NY, there seems to be a very solid inconsistency on how caches or events are approved.

 

* 3.) Price of gasoline! All though this hasn't stopped me altogether, it has slowed me down. And I now cache selectively as many do (see #4)

 

* 4.) They have exhausted the caches in their area and now have to drive 50 + miles each way to get one or more caches. These people now only cache when they are heading to do something else (work, vacation, etc)

 

5.) There are more and more geocaching web sites surfacing, and some have moved over to those that are free (e.g. OpenCaching) - yes, i know, they do not compare. Dont tell me, tell them.

 

6.) Cache placement is more and more becoming restricted. City and towns, Stte parks and Historical associations, ect are creating ordinances against geocaching. The bad 10% have ruined for others. As time goes on this will get even worse (as it has for the metal detecting community).

 

GC.com has had a good run (and its still going strong), but it will not last forever. You should plan for that.

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Not much has changed in 10 years, eh? :rolleyes:

 

I find it amusing how folks can find these old threads and dig them up, but threads with answers to frequently asked questions seem to defy being found.

 

B.

 

if you dislike peoples questions, then don't answer them. If it were not for the bulk of questions, there wouldn't be much use to have this forum. yes, you will see repetiveness, and most of this is due to the naiveness of the nubees. I hardly doubt that criticisim will help in any way, which brings me to #7

 

#7 - GC.com forum bullies. How many people have experience this? No, I am not referring that you "Pup Patrol" are a bully, but, the geocacher here who made this post may misconstrue your post as such. There has been plenty of forum bullying going on, and I lknow people who refuse to come to this forum solely on that reason alone.

Edited by GeoLobo
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Not much has changed in 10 years, eh? :rolleyes:

 

I find it amusing how folks can find these old threads and dig them up, but threads with answers to frequently asked questions seem to defy being found.

 

B.

 

if you dislike peoples questions, then don't answer them. If it were not for the bulk of questions, there wouldn't be much use to have this forum. yes, you will see repetiveness, and most of this is due to the naiveness of the nubees. I hardly doubt that criticisim will help in any way, which brings me to #7

 

#7 - GC.com forum bullies. How many people have experience this? No, I am not referring that you "Pup Patrol" are a bully, but, the geocacher here who made this post may misconstrue your post as such. There has been plenty of forum bullying going on, and I lknow people who refuse to come to this forum solely on that reason alone.

 

Bullying? You're joking, right? Because there's no "bullying" going on in this zombie thread that I can see.

 

This thread died 10 years ago. I was making a humourous comment on how people can find long-dead threads to drag up, but they can't find current threads that explain how to do things. I wasn't "criticizing" anyone, I was making an observation.

 

The original poster of this thread last posted to the forums 3 years ago. Is he/she following the thread in its recent resurrection?

 

B.

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