+wildlifewriter Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 or... "Why virtuals are a waste of web space." ============================= The sweet smell of success for Team BO, who managed to log this cache - despite ferry disruption caused by the current bad weather. Well done, lads... ...Come back soon. Quote Link to comment
+klaus23 Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Yeah, saw that. There's no way they were ever near there. There's a nice physical cache on the island, but apart from that the three virtuals are lame. And the owner (bloke 1987) was inactive last time I looked. Quote Link to comment
Leoness Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 2 minutes of Googling later and I had the answer too!!! Quote Link to comment
SlytherinAlex Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 2 minutes of Googling later and I had the answer too!!! I must be slipping. It took me three minutes. but I'd only just got up and was still drinking my coffee. Quote Link to comment
+Lizzzzeeeee Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 I'm off to France next month and was looking for suitable caches to find yesterday when I came across this cacher Xspert. He was showing only 3 finds yesterday and he admitted that he hadn't managed to find any of them! At least he seems to have finally broken his duck! I wonder how many more like him there are???? Quote Link to comment
+Lizzzzeeeee Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Just looking at the other caches on the Island - Klaus, I take it "The Rookie" did "The Big One" with you as his log says the answer is in your email - maybe we could all say the same!!!! Quote Link to comment
+Mad H@ter Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 They certainly had a busy day yesterday with 7 caches distributed in almost every corner of the globe. Quote Link to comment
+MarcB Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 That's pretty sad to be honest - at least they're not doing any harm though. MarcB Quote Link to comment
+Birders Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Doesn't matter what your interest is there are bound to be cheats - it's just a fact of life. Just ignore them and carry on enjoying what you get out of the pastime.. Quote Link to comment
+rutson Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 dadgum! Why didn't we thank about that? It'd have saved us 642 miles on Saturday Quote Link to comment
+Chris n Maria Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Having had a look at their profile it might be an idea to remind them of the scout law - particularly the part that says: "A Scout is to be trusted"... Chris Quote Link to comment
+Grandall Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 They're either a pair of halfwit cheats or they don't know the rules. I've just mailed them to politely point out the error of their ways. Quote Link to comment
+Boneychest & Catsuey Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 It's been said on these forums before - they routinely do virtuals from the desktop on the continent. These guys are playing the game to their accepted rules. Look at the cache find requirements "email the answer" - if they have done that then they can claim the find! Take a look at this one. Only a hanful of people have ever been there but plenty have logged it. Slightly off topic - how do you leave a travel bug at a virtual? Quote Link to comment
+Alibags Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Take a look at this one. Only a hanful of people have ever been there but plenty have logged it. Slightly off topic - how do you leave a travel bug at a virtual? I have logged the Four Windows cache. I thought it was designed as an online (couch potato) cache and therefore you don't actually have to visit to log it, so it's not quite the same as the cheating, where the cache setter inteded you to physically visit the spot. Anyhow, I didn't take up Geocaching to spend my time Googling, so although there are lot of similar caches out there (somebody has previously posted a link to a huge list before), it doesn't really float my boat, so I don't think I would bother in future. One of my TBs was left at a virtual. The virt in question was an internet café in Santa Fe. You can log the cache by answering the question and emailing the cache owner. The café owners thought that Geocaching was a good idea, so they keep a TB box behind the counter which GCers can ask to have a rummage in and swap TBs. Quote Link to comment
+Boneychest & Catsuey Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 cool Quote Link to comment
+wildlifewriter Posted January 17, 2005 Author Share Posted January 17, 2005 It's been said on these forums before - they routinely do virtuals from the desktop on the continent. These guys are playing the game to their accepted rules. ... which brings us neatly to the real point: In any activity, if a person routinely breaks the the rules, then there's something wrong with that person. But if MANY people routinely break the rules, then there's something wrong with the rules. (Or guidelines. since we don't actually have any rules.) The relevant guideline says (among other things) this... 3. There should be one or more questions about an item at a location, something seen at that location, etc., that only the visitor to that physical location will be able to answer. The questions should be difficult enough that it cannot be answered through library or web research. Now, I suspect that this provision is fairly recent and that many virtuals - such as the one cited in the OP - were placed in a more innocent age. My question is:- has the time now come to start weeding these out? Quote Link to comment
+snaik Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Slightly off topic - how do you leave a travel bug at a virtual? Try this TB Virtual TB Quote Link to comment
Leoness Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Slightly off topic - how do you leave a travel bug at a virtual? Try this TB Virtual TB Wow! It's even "travelled" over 93,000 miles! Quote Link to comment
+Learned Gerbil Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 (edited) In six days! There are other virtual bugs that have gone further though. Edited January 17, 2005 by Learned Gerbil Quote Link to comment
+Lizzzzeeeee Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 I was willing to give these Scouts the benefit of the doubt. "Poor things," I thought, "they've probably completed all the caches in their little country and can't travel the huge distances required to log any more real ones. It's easy for us to critisise when we live only 20 miles from a cache mecca like Winchester" so I looked at nearby caches to the ones they had actually visited in Luxembourg and find there are over 100 caches within 25 miles!!!! My sympathy has evaporated and they should get out hiking more rather and playing on the computer! Still, whatever floats your boat! Quote Link to comment
+Fangsy Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 The only Virtual I have ever logged was GC5250 and I promise hand on heart that I did actualy climb to the top and take the required photos as proof! Quote Link to comment
Ben Pid Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 I reckon this is the most pointless thing ever, It hardly give the guilty party any gain or anything so why bother..... I say let them get on with it, its hardly a crime its just pointless. If the cache placer wants to delete the logs then I say fair enough, otherwise just let them get on with it. Not even worth its own thread imo. Quote Link to comment
+sTeamTraen Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 There are four sorts of virtuals: 1) You have to use Google, work out a puzzle, etc. See for example this one, which is physically inaccessible. 2) The owner knows you can do from Google, even though that maybe wasn't the intention in the beginning. For example, this one. 3) The owner found out that people are logging it via "outside research" and changes the requirements: for example, this cache (see note of 1st December 2004). 4) Ones that haven't been Googled into one of the other categories... yet In this particular case, the cache gets very little traffic. The owner will probably already have his suspicions about yesterday's log ! If the couch potatoes (of which I am one , guilty as charged) start logging it in large numbers, it will either go from category 3 to 2, or it won't. Either way I don't see the problem. If there were a blanket requirement for virtuals to be logged a certain way (eg with a photo of your GPSr showing coords), that would be a different matter. There are some people who feel the same way about locationless caches, although they generally do involve getting out of the house. As long as there are any versions or elements of the game which don't require a log book, various people will place the bar at a different level. I have 231 finds (232 in a couple of hours, I hope, and that's a 4/3.5 night cache I'm going for !), but I don't mind if anyone knows that only 120 of those are real physical log books, even if only 25 of the others didn't involve leaving the house; in between are all the urban virtuals, the locationlesses (some of which took many hours), etc. Something which might also help would be if all the traditional and mystery caches which are in fact virtuals or locationless, were correctly classified. For example: here, here, here, and here. Nick Quote Link to comment
+Brenin Tegeingl Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Four Windows, is soley a couch potato cache, read the page to confirm this! But it makes a great cache for those who are disabled, I only wish this type had their own section, to give those who can't get out caching, more of a chance to take part! Dave Quote Link to comment
markandlynn Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 or..."Why virtuals are a waste of web space." ============================= The sweet smell of success for Team BO, who managed to log this cache - despite ferry disruption caused by the current bad weather. Well done, lads... ...Come back soon. We went to Clare Island with the details of these virtuals and after decided not to do any of them and went for the Pirate treasure Quote Link to comment
+Learned Gerbil Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Only a hanful of people have ever been there but plenty have logged it. Slightly off topic - how do you leave a travel bug at a virtual? Easy - the same way as logging any cache - it is the picking up of TBs at virtuals that is much more problematical! Quote Link to comment
+CuplaKiwis Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Only a hanful of people have ever been there but plenty have logged it. Slightly off topic - how do you leave a travel bug at a virtual? Easy - the same way as logging any cache - it is the picking up of TBs at virtuals that is much more problematical! Hmmmn. Wonder if an email travel bug has been done before? Email the tracking number to a fellow GC.com member, they log it in the Virtual of their choice, and on it goes... May have merit. But then, I may just be a few sandwiches short of a picnic... Quote Link to comment
+ribel Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 3) The owner found out that people are logging it via "outside research" and changes the requirements: for example, this cache (see note of 1st December 2004). "Beschreibung geändert. Nur noch Loggen mit Foto möglich. Für Cacher ohne Kamera hab ich derzeit keine Idee wie ich die Logfreigabe realisieren könnte". Eh! My decrypt link doesn't work! Quote Link to comment
Leoness Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 This is what Babelfish came up with!!! "Description changed. Only logging with photo possible. For Cacher without camera have I no idea as I the log release to at present realize could" Quote Link to comment
+CuplaKiwis Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 This is what Babelfish came up with!!! "Description changed. Only logging with photo possible. For Cacher without camera have I no idea as I the log release to at present realize could" fakes merpect tense mo te!! Quote Link to comment
+sTeamTraen Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 It means he doesn't know how to allow people without a digital camera (or, presumably, a regular camera and a scanner) to log the cache. Quite decent of him to think of them... Quote Link to comment
+Lance Ambu Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 "Beschreibung geändert. Nur noch Loggen mit Foto möglich. Für Cacher ohne Kamera hab ich derzeit keine Idee wie ich die Logfreigabe realisieren könnte". Eh! My decrypt link doesn't work! Easy, Beside and near to the log take a photo of a cat. For cachers without a a camera, I have a small idea how I can check the log, stupid person. Hope that helps Quote Link to comment
+º Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 There should be one or more questions about an item at a location, something seen at that location, etc., that only the visitor to that physical location will be able to answer. The questions should be difficult enough that it cannot be answered through library or web research.The reason why there are so many couch potatoes on the continent, is that the people have a general problem to read English texts - like the mentioned part of the guidelines. And the appover(s) didn't care very much either. However right now it is impossible to get such a cache approved. Quote Link to comment
+John Stead Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 (edited) Slightly off topic - how do you leave a travel bug at a virtual? Try this TB Virtual TB Wow! It's even "travelled" over 93,000 miles! I've just retrieved it from Derbyshire and dropped it off in Prague - mileage now 112,596 miles and rising! Are we quite mad? Edited January 17, 2005 by John Stead Quote Link to comment
+klaus23 Posted January 17, 2005 Share Posted January 17, 2005 Just looking at the other caches on the Island - Klaus, I take it "The Rookie" did "The Big One" with you as his log says the answer is in your email - maybe we could all say the same!!!! Yes, he did visit all those caches with me. I can provide photos, ferry ticket stubs and descriptions of the interiors of both pubs on Clare Island if you like. Quote Link to comment
+klaus23 Posted January 18, 2005 Share Posted January 18, 2005 (edited) I think I'm going to follow wildlifewriter's lead and abandon virtual caches - if there is a significant amount of people googleing for answers, it takes a lot away from the people that spend time and effort in actually visiting a place. Edited January 18, 2005 by klaus23 Quote Link to comment
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