Jump to content

Owner Visit


StarBrand

Recommended Posts

If there was no problem reported, why would you need a note?

 

Why would this note be any different than a comment you would add if you put my logbook in a ziplock bag?

 

If there should be any change related to cache maintenance, I support a flag that would show 'cache OK' or 'needs maintenance'. This flag should be able to be toggled on and off by any cacher, not just the owner.

 

If a cache is wet and someone notes in their log and turns the 'needs maintenance' indicator on, the next cacher who searches for it should be able to resolve the problem and turn the indicator back to 'cache OK'.

 

I don't think that we need a special log type just so an owner can keep track of his own maintenance visits. I also don't think this log type is needed to let others know that a maintenance visit has been made by the owner, since the absence of this log would not normally indicate that there is a problem with the cache.

Edited by sbell111
Link to comment
Ok, how about this... dont make any changes to the page. Maybe we could just make up a "smilie" that looks like a hammer and a wrench or something... that you could put next to your note indicating that you did maintenance to the cache.. regardless if you are the owner or not. It would just be something that would catch your eye when scanning over the posts.

 

Oakley1975

Like I mentioned before.... dont change anything...just add this icon if someone wanted t ouse it...not just the owner..

Link to comment
So Jeremy, I realize that there are lots of do-dads and clickers and buttons and such that people want on the site, :D but was just wondering if this has any feasablilty.

 

Its not really a biggie to me, just curious.

Sure, if I want to go ahead and completely disregard the opinions of geocachers who don't think this is necessary. I don't just apply changes willy-nilly.

Link to comment

Semi - mixed reactions to this one so far. I appreciate the concerns raised here and have (myself) taken them to heart. I don't want to "clutter" things up on the screens or add "unessary" icons - these are valid concerns. However, I will (one last time) ask for a bit more discussion here as those of us that like the idea seem to have extended it in some good directions. So any more thoughts on the Original post here??

Link to comment

If there should be any change related to cache maintenance, I support a flag that would show 'cache OK' or 'needs maintenance'.  This flag should be able to be toggled on and off by any cacher, not just the owner.

 

If a cache is wet and someone notes in their log and turns the 'needs maintenance' indicator on, the next cacher who searches for it should be able to resolve the problem and turn the indicator back to 'cache OK'.

 

I don't think that we need a special log type just so an owner can keep track of his own maintenance visits.  I also don't think this log type is needed to let others know that a maintenance visit has been made by the owner, since the absence of this log would not normally indicate that there is a problem with the cache.

Sounds good to me.

I have often helped maintain caches where the owner is obviously not active yet the cache is still in good condition and only needs a new logbook or ziplock bags etc.

A flag like the one you propose would highlight the need to take the repair kit out to the cache.

Nothing as annoying as getting to the cache and realising you need your spare logbook which is in the car.

Nice solution ;)

Link to comment

You can, as the cache owner, add a line at the bottom of the cache description with a date in bold saying that the cache was maintained. A little more work than posting a log, but just as effective and doesn't add any work for J and company. I do this all the time.

 

--Marky

Edited by Marky
Link to comment

I would also love to see this option. In fact, I was logging on just now to ask for it! ;)

 

It would be very useful, in particular for caches which have a lot of DNFs in a row, such as my Revenge of Dry Canyon cache. Its just a difficult cache - but now people using some of the various GPX programs will see four frowns next to it and pass it by, even though its in perfect working order.

 

A regular note can mean anything after several DNFs. It could mean the cache is fine, the cache is missing, the cache will be replaced "next week", etc. An icon/logtype to indicate "cache is fine!" but not count as a visit would be terrific.

Edited by Mr. Snazz
Link to comment

How about just adding an icon like the one below to the smilie list that anyone could put preceding information about maintenance done to the cache. It could be used anywhere whether it be a "found-it" or "note" or what have you.

 

icon.jpg

 

It could just be in the note to catch your eye if you were scanning over the posts to see if it needs repair or has been repaired so you know that it is in good condition or may need some lovin'

 

Oakley1975

Edited by Oakley1975
Link to comment

Don't know if this needs a new thread or not, but I have been thinking about something similar, yet different.

 

I would like to see a owner note that was visible only to owners and approvers. I would use this as a quick way to make notes as to where/how the cache is hidden. Now that I have over 100 hidden caches it is getting harder to remember how I have hidden them all. I looked almost 30 minutes for one of my own caches on a maintenance run :mad: Of course I could keep these notes elsewhere, but I think a note on the listing itself would be nice.

Edited by AB4N
Link to comment

Lots of good opinions above, here's my take on it.

 

I do not agree with a new log type so much as a new "Cache State" flag, with a corresponding date. At the top of the descriptive page, perhaps near the ratings, you would see a small smiley sized icon, a one or two word description, and a date. Persons logging a find or a note could set this flag to "Happy", "Dirty", "Wet", whatever descriptions make sense, from a drop down list. That flag would stay set until someone reset it. A user could reset it by posting a note or find, or the owner could reset it at any time. This would give any seeker a quick feel for what they should expect to find, and allow them to either fix the problem themselves (if there is one) or seek another cache until someone fixed it up. This sort of thing would allow the community to take a little better care of itself, without hunting through logs and putting together info.

 

For instance, you can see I logged This Cache in October of '04. At the time I noted that the cache was wet inside, in hopes the owner or someone else would pay some attention to it (I had no drying gear with me at the time). Thus far, no one has, or if they have I have no way to know that without seeking it again. Also, the owner will not know there is a problem unless he/she reads the logs, or gets an e-mail from me.

 

This is a very complete idea in my head, so if I've failed to draw a clear picture of the idea, just ask questions and I'll blather on some more :mad:

 

It would be two fields in the DB. State=1-5, StateChange=Date or whatever, and should not incur noticable server load in either direction.

 

Jeremy, are you willing to make changes at this depth if the community deems it smart, or are we in the "too much recoding" woods?

 

Edit: Missed a field in my database description.

Edited by cscade
Link to comment
I don't know why this is needed.  In my opinion, the 'note' option works fine.  Often, someone other than the owner will describe the condition of the cache either in a 'found' log or a 'note' log.  Why do we need a special log type just to record maintenance visits?

 

edited the typo too late.  :ph34r:

I actually posted a similar request a year ago. Most people seemed to like the idea at the time.

 

The difference between a "note" and an "owner maintenance" log would be that the owner maintenance logs updates the last found date on the search page.

 

A lot of people look at that date to decide whether or not they're gonna bother with a cache. The owner could have done a recent maintenance run and verified that the cache is there, but people can' t tell that unless they pull up the cache page and go through the logs. As Mr. Snazz mentioned, it will also provide a meaningful icon to users of Watcher, GSAK and similar apps.

 

The owner maint log will tell people the last time the cache was verified in place, rather than the last time it was found. Much more useful to people who are deciding which caches to look for.

Edited by briansnat
Link to comment
The owner maint log will tell people the last time the cache was verified in place, rather than the last time it was found. Much more useful to people who are deciding which caches to look for.

For this reason alone, I think this is a good idea.

Link to comment

I like the idea of a maintenance log. I have a cache which recently had several DNFs in a row. After checking it to verify it was still in place, I wanted a log to stand out so anyone looking at the cache could spot that it was there. I used the "Reviewer's Note" log, which is obviously not the correct type. (Why does that show up for the cache owner, anyway?)

 

I also contemplated disabling and reenabling the cache to get those icons, but I didn't want to spam the people watching the cache with mulitple emails, and that wouldn't really be an appropriate log type either.

 

An appropriate icon would be much easier to spot than a note, as some people posted notes as well, and if you were just looking at the logs for icons and not that who made the logs, you might not notice if I had just done the "post a note" to report that the cache was still in place.

 

I know that Groundspeak has no obligation to make external software more useful, but an application like GSAK, which shows the previous four logs would still show four no-finds in a row, even after my note. A log type showing that I performed maintenance on the cache would show up in the GPX data, and GSAK could show that log type as the most recent log.

 

I'd prefer this over having a checkbox that anyone could toggle. Without knowing how a cache is supposed to be hidden, I can see many people incorrectly indicating that a cache needs maintenance.

Link to comment

I hurt my knee the other day, so yesterday I was going for only the easy caches. I went to one that had a recent "note."

 

That was all I looked at on my Palm before setting out to walk .1 mile.

 

Well, after I couldn't find it, I looked at the cache page and this cache has not been found by anybody else, since that person found it April 3. Prior to that, it was found easily by many people.

 

I won't be revisiting that cache until a previous finder verifies its location (or status), or the cache owner is able to visit the cache and post a "verified" note.

Link to comment

I've always been in favor of a "Revisit" logtype that could be used for a Cache Owner visit or just a revisit by a cacher who doesn't want to log multiple finds on the same cache. These are different from "Note" which doesn't necessarily indicate whether a cache is still in place, especially since I've seen at least one program that counts how many of the last five logs are happy-faces in order to determine whether to indicate that the cache might be missing. Also, as others have pointed out, this type of log could updated the last found date for the cache.

 

I think the hardest part is coming up with an option that doesn't confuse the average or newbie cacher, so that it's not clear which logtype to select.

Edited by kablooey
Link to comment

In the case of the cache I mentioned above, the last person to find it said they "rehid it better." Then there are two DNFs, then a "Note" from that finder (instead of another "Found it"), but then there are two more DNFs. :rolleyes:

 

There needs to be a difference between a "Note" and a "Verified."

 

One of the early finders of this cache is out of town, but when he gets back, if he has time, in the cache owner's absence, he can "Verify" the cache as missing from original location, or present, but inexplicably difficult to find now. :D

 

Edit for spelling . . . :D

Edited by idiosyncratic
Link to comment

I like the idea of some kind of maintenance visit/needs maintenance icon, that would be set by one cacher, and cleared by another (maybe the owner, maybe not).

As far as cluttering up the logging page, might I suggest an "Advanced" interface and a "Basic" interface? The option could be burried nice and deep somewhere to switch between modes, that way we don't scare all the newbies.

The "Advanced" interface could include all kinds of weird and wonderful bells and whistles that most people might not care about, and the basic would just have what exists now. Heck it could even be a premium member feature. The ability to log a "Needs Maintenance" log would then be hidden in the Advanced interface (could be cleared by anyone though).

You could even as has been suggested previously have a little counter for "Maintenance Visits" under the user profile, as some people really are all about the numbers :rolleyes:.

Link to comment

I like the idea of an owner did maintenance icon for the following reason: some other website (not geocaching.com) could count this - like the way they count number of hides - along with finds when ranking geocachers. That would encourage some of those numbers junkies to maintain their caches.

Link to comment
I like the idea of an owner did maintenance icon for the following reason: some other website (not geocaching.com) could count this - like the way they count number of hides - along with finds when ranking geocachers. That would encourage some of those numbers junkies to maintain their caches.

That would just be one more number that doesn't mean anything. I rarely log my maintenance visits online. I only do so if someone posted a problem with the cache.

 

The fact is, if you think that there may be a problem with a cache, this solution does not help you make sure that it is resolved.

  • If a former finder comes by and fixes the cache, this information will be in a note.
  • If someone fixes a problem during their initial find, this information will be in a find log.
  • Again, if the problem wasn't previously reported, the owner may not log anything about the visit.

If the 'solution' doesn't solve the problem, it should not be implemented.

Edited by sbell111
Link to comment

I agree with that. I live out in the country and probably won't make a maintenance visit to my caches unless/until someone tells me the log is full, or the cache can't be found, or something else happens (cache muggled, but still present).

 

I'd much rather be out finding new Geocaches than visiting my own for no reason whatsoever. :rolleyes:

Link to comment

I visited a cache the other day that definitely needed maintenance. I mentioned that in my log, but I don't think the owner of the cache is active anymore because they haven't visited this site since last September.

 

The cache needs a new container and all the swag that can tolerate it (plastic toys, lizards, etc.) needs to be cleaned in a bleach solution since it is covered in mold.

 

The cache is located in a nice area with a good view, so it certainly doesn't need to be archived, but it definitely needs attention by someone . . .

Link to comment
I visited a cache the other day that definitely needed maintenance. I mentioned that in my log, but I don't think the owner of the cache is active anymore because they haven't visited this site since last September.

 

The cache needs a new container and all the swag that can tolerate it (plastic toys, lizards, etc.) needs to be cleaned in a bleach solution since it is covered in mold.

 

The cache is located in a nice area with a good view, so it certainly doesn't need to be archived, but it definitely needs attention by someone . . .

That cache should either be adopted and repaired or archived and removed.

Link to comment

I'm glad to see that owner maintenance visit type log will be added. I myself have visited all my caches that I placed a while ago and checked on them. I posted notes for them but I wished that it woud be better recognized as a maintenance visit. I want to own high quality caches for people to find. And I want people to know that I do try my best to take good care of them. I dont want to wait until someone tells me that one is bad...then that person has had a bad caching experince at my disposal. It may not have been my fault that the cache was damaged or what have you but if I can prevent that from happening I would feel alot better about it. :lol:

Link to comment
... It may not have been my fault that the cache was damaged or what have you but if I can prevent that from happening I would feel alot better about it. :lol:

Consider this scenario:

 

I visit your cache and post a 'needs maintenance' note because a tree fell on your ammo box and the lid no longer closed.

 

The next day, StarBrand visits the cache and, since he had a spare ammo box in his Jeep and he's a nice guy, he replaces the box and explains this in his 'found it' log.

 

The cache clearly needs no maintenance, so you make a mental note to by StarBrand a slice of pizza some time and give him a new ammo box.

 

A few days later, Idiosyncratic gets his gpx file and runs it through GSAK. He notes that the three last logs for this cache is a 'find', a 'needs maintenance', and a 'find'. He's getting sick of visiting wet caches thanks to the spring rains and blows yours off, thinking that it is in bad shape.

 

Note: the names in the above scenario have been changed to protect the innocent.

Link to comment
...How would you proceed under the circumstances?

I would contact the approver for that region or post an SBA.

Actually, I left a TB in the cache (one that wouldn't be harmed by mold) in hopes someone would soon make a trip to the cache to pick it up.

 

With my "needs maintenance" mention in my log, I hoped the next person would be able to go prepared to "fix" the cache.

 

I wouldn't want to see the cache archived because it has a neat spot.

Link to comment
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...