Etiquette

[CodeJunkie]

@labrat_wr wrote:

Please also be aware that the Cache Owners do not receive edits to “found it” logs from Geocaching.com. the only way to know that a TFTC post was edited to include an in depth log would be to visit the cache page. If there is no indication that there will be more coming, I don’t believe too many owners go back to check.

To “get around this” when I post a “Found – More Later” I then post a NEW Found It log with all the details and delete the original. That way the CO gets another email with all the details.

Another thing I do is include the text “Pictures Attached” when I know I’m going to include any photos. The CO’s don’t get notifications when photos are added so I try to give them a heads up via the log that it includes some photos.

[gotta run]

@cheezehead wrote:

@TeamCabana wrote:

If all you want to put after finding the cache is a TFTC thats fine don’t let CO’s bully you into writing more if you don’t want to.

So I guess you do not want CO’s to put out more cache for YOU to find then, huh? With out CO’s, there are no caches to find. Why should a CO put out anymore, and maybe CO’s should just achive their caches cuz finders don’t seem to care aboout the time and effort and money that is put into placing a quality cache. Just sayin… As a CO with over 170 caches, maybe I should say enough is enough, I’m done hiding them, cuz it seems most people just don’t seem to care anymore.

If gc.com did away with the comment section of the online logging system, would you pull your caches? Or place any more?

As a general rule I put a LOT more time into creating our letterboxes because it takes a long time to carve the stamp. When those boxes get found, I get a simple “status update” from letterboxing.org. Many letterboxers don’t even bother to keep track of their stuff online so half the time I don’t even know a box has been found. Yet I still keep placing them.

On the Left Side of the Road...

[Trekkin and Birdin]

Michael, As one who enjoys the handcarved stamps (working on one right now, in fact!), I appreciate that you continue to place them. I cross list the majority of our hybrids and am always surprised (and delighted) when I check them physically to see how many letterboxers have actually found them.

I like getting stories on our caches, but I figure we put them out into the universe and if we don’t get to see the results, we trust that most who do look for our stuff are enjoying their day. All any of us can ever do is put out what we like and then whatever happens, happens. There are so many things way more worth stressing about. For us anyway, this isn’t one of them. As the original poster said, if we get a “found it” log, we know it’s still out there being found. Not everyone waxes poetic, in writing or in voice. We all have different gifts we bring to this or any other game. Celebrate them all.

[bartrod]

Part of what I enjoy about geocaching is planning, researching, and designing a new cache…I get a great amount of satisfaction out of that. The comments are a bonus…but something other than TFTC would be nice. So when I log a good cache, I try to convey my appreciation to the owner and hope others would do the same for me.

Oconto...the birthplace of western civilization:)

[CodeJunkie]

A little off topic perhaps, but any chance in any of the letterboxers out there sharing any stamp carving tips? Perhaps even a stamp carving event? I’m not sure what the interest level is, but I’m curious.

[Trekkin and Birdin]

When I was writing for the Examiner, I did a two parter on this topic. Here you go…

http://www.examiner.com/geocaching-in-la-crosse/so-you-want-to-create-a-letterbox-hybrid-part-i

http://www.examiner.com/geocaching-in-la-crosse/so-you-want-to-create-a-letterbox-hybrid-part-ii-the-stamp

There are some amazing carvers out there, and a search on the letterbox sites will yield other links with ideas and tools. I have a dremel tool, and would love to try that for some more detailed stamps someday.

[gotta run]

Here’s where I come down on this topic. I can spend my life trying to make people who will never be happy with me happy with me, or I can appreciate the people who like me. For instance, I am a scout leader. The vast majority of people like the job I do, and if the majority doesn’t like something I do, I change it.

But there is that 5 % of people who will never be happy with anything. It is ALWAYS the same people. The kind who complain but never lift a finger to help. The kind who if you give a half a glass of lemonade to will not say that the glass is half full or half empty, they will complain that you didn’t give them root beer.

You cannot worry about those people. They are the users and losers in life.

Same goes for geocaching. I love reading logs and digest every HP2 story like a good novel. I know that they, and others like them, appreciate my caches. I know that we share similar values when it comes to geocaching. These type of people are my “customers,” the ones whose opinion I truly value.

However there are some cachers who I know I will never get any validation from. I know there is a team in my area for whom every cache is “an easy cache for our team to find” regardless of its actual difficulty, and who has never given anything back to the sport by placing even one cache. I know there is a cacher who seemingly enjoys every cache exactly the same, whether it’s a 2 mile paddle out to a breathtaking island in the bay or a guard rail hide. I know that these people are who they are and they will never share my values about the game.

So as my dad used to say, consider the source. Treasure the good feedback from respectful players that you receive, and ignore the unappreciative, inconsiderate, or simply inarticulate players out there.

On the Left Side of the Road...

[Walkingadventure]

GR- sometimes you’ve been known to stir things up (for whatever reason).

You finally completely hit this smack dab on the head.

I know I’ve found myself taking part in the whining and itchin’ but this past week I decided if was done.

Enjoy those that bring you joy in life, try to not let the others bring you down. Don’t let anyone take your fun away and have fun playing the game.

Doing anything else is like taking poison and hoping the other person dies.

Back in Indiana, there used to be an afternoon cartoon host back in the 70’s called Cowboy Bob. At his sign off every day he’d end with “If you can’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all”

From now on, that’s what I’m going for.

Following the signals from space.

[rcflyer2242]

My thoughts about this subject are. When your only doing two caches, why is it so important to place a log with a cell phone as soon as you find it. If they were FTF’s I would understand but neither of the two caches they did were. I have a hard time understanding why some people are in such a hurry logging caches by cell phone. Does anybody understand how irritateing it is when you get logs for a 5 or 6 hour time from the same cacher running our bike trail and logging from cell phones and all they say is TFTC, even on the ammo cans and custom containers.

Maybe it is just me but slow down and enjoy things a bit more. Whats the hurry?

[pkarm]

wow rc you really missed the point. I log them NOT because I am in a hurry but just because it is convenient to do. Yesterday we did two WSQ and we spent a good 30 mins at each place walking around and looking at the stones once we found the cache. Reading post it seems like to may of you this is more a competition for my wife and I it is a fun little hobby. Instead of getting irritated appreciate that someone took the time out of their day to find your cache. One of the things I have noticed is that people put a lot of emphasis on the number of finds they have or numbers of hides they have. For myself it is all about spending time outdoors enjoying a simple game of hide and seek, not who I am trying to impress.

[Todd300]

Logging from a phone is somewhat cumbersome. I can type a whole lot faster on a computer keyboard than I can on a phone.

MY GPS marks my finds and DNF’s so all I have to do when I get home is to look at my GPS what I did for the day and log it online.

The only reason I can think about why I should log on a phone is FTF and I did that once. Actually that was a FTL – First to Log – lol. I just missed an FTF on one cache by 5 minutes so I posted the find on my phone before the FTF’er got home to post her find – lol.

Anyways…

TFTC logs, copy and paste logs, and other similar logs are in bad taste in my opinion but I’m not gonna gonna delete a log when someone does that to my caches. For every TFTC I get, I get more well written logs.

I also look at it this way – if you start logging finds in the field, you are wasting time in the field when you could already be on the way to the next cache.

[rcflyer2242]

I think you missed my point. I am not irritated from my caches being found, it’s the fact that every 10 minutes my email goes “you have mail”. I would rather have a cut and paste log 58 times over a 30 minute period than 58 TFTC logs one every ten minutes for 5 hours.
It does not seem convient to me to post a log for 2 or 3 caches only to go home and then edit your log. Why take two steps when you only have to take one.
I admit when I get TFTC logs I get a little upset but only on a few of them. I think when you find a container that has a sculpture of Mount Rushmore screwed to the lid or a hand carved item attached to the container or something similuar the cacher could at least put “Cool Container TFTC” or “enjoyed the container” or something like that. The preform tubes or bison’s its no problem I understand a TFTC.

Just my opinion. Thats all. Generally don’t mean squat anyway.

[cheezehead]

@gotta run wrote:

@cheezehead wrote:

@TeamCabana wrote:

If all you want to put after finding the cache is a TFTC thats fine don’t let CO’s bully you into writing more if you don’t want to.

So I guess you do not want CO’s to put out more cache for YOU to find then, huh? With out CO’s, there are no caches to find. Why should a CO put out anymore, and maybe CO’s should just achive their caches cuz finders don’t seem to care aboout the time and effort and money that is put into placing a quality cache. Just sayin… As a CO with over 170 caches, maybe I should say enough is enough, I’m done hiding them, cuz it seems most people just don’t seem to care anymore.

If gc.com did away with the comment section of the online logging system, would you pull your caches? Or place any more?

As a general rule I put a LOT more time into creating our letterboxes because it takes a long time to carve the stamp. When those boxes get found, I get a simple “status update” from letterboxing.org. Many letterboxers don’t even bother to keep track of their stuff online so half the time I don’t even know a box has been found. Yet I still keep placing them.

Truthfully, if thatwere to ever happen, yes,I’d pull my caches and would not put anymore out. I enjoy reading logs, being cused out and such. TFTC is just pure lazyness. Same reason I don’t put swag in caches anymore. There is either nothing left or pure garbage.

What happens to the game if there are no more new caches to find or all caches become skirt lifters and rail caches?

Ammo cans- $10-$15
Swag- $5-$10
Logbook w pencil- $1-$2
Cost $16-$27 per cache.

Taking a few extra seconds to write a sentance- $PRICELESS$

[gotta run]

@Walkingadventure wrote:

GR- sometimes you’ve been known to stir things up (for whatever reason).

Who, me? 😆

I’ve thrown a few fire bombs but only about things that people do, IMHO, that ruin others’ enjoyment of the game. Crappy logs only show up in my inbox and I hit the delete button. They don’t affect other players and I choose not to let them affect me, again because I “consider the source.”

On the Left Side of the Road...

[Lacknothing]

I have an iPhone and use the geocaching app. You can set your logs to save as a fieldnotes. When you get home, you can then access your fieldnotes on geocaching.com and add your comments and then submit. That way the CO gets your entire comments. As stated earlier, if you log a TFTC from the field and then edit later, the CO doesn’t get notification of the additional comments.

The views expressed here are that of myself only and do not necessarily represent that of the WGA board.

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