Why I Do Not Log Finds, DNFs, Notes, ect. on GC.com
There are several reasons why I do not log finds, DNFs, notes, etc. on GC.com.
It has been found that some notes in logbooks have been removed. I made note of just one to the community, but I found that many of the logs I have left in caches have been removed or defaced.
Not logging means I cannot be set-up as a cache thief (here, here, and here and a forum post which ties it together here). There was a concerted effort to disparage me by making it appear as though I targeted caches and plundered them. The idea was to target particular cachers’ caches who it was thought I had issues with. These are just some of the ones which went missing.
Not logging means I cannot be set-up as a hitchhiker thief (here among others). The cache this YJTB was placed in was close to my home.
Not logging means I won’t have folks checking up on my activity. GC.com forum post and Frolickin’s profile.
Not logging means I won’t interfere in the locals’ fun of claiming FTF.
his and hers
Ivdweby: Xkc-Diyepx
GC.com’s customer service has proved to be inadequate. While I could create an entire site documenting these troubles alone, permit this post to serve as proof. After an entire year of documenting issues I had, I finally requested publicly for some assistance. Hydee posted that she would look into my tracking numbers and get back to me about any reasonable queries.
While it is possible that each and every thing which I asked about was frivolous, the courtesy of a response should have been had. That she didn’t ever contact me is proof that GC.com does not consider my queries to be reasonable. Why would I continue to support a site which has shown such scorn towards me?
The above are the reasons why I do not log into GC.com.
But, there is no pleasing everyone. If I don’t play the way some people tell me to, then I am a parasite or rude (rude2). Fortunately, as a caching ghost, they never need to know I even exist.
Also blogged on this date . . .
- Good Thing We Didn't Step in It - 2008
- Corzine Proposed Seat Belt Legislation - 2007
- School Board Election - 2006
- Wolf Shuts Down Mets - 2005
- salt hay homestead - 2003
- Deep in the heart of the Pine Barrens - 2003
- Nash's Cabin - 2003
By Bob on Sep 11, 2005
This piece, while absolutely accurate, does not explain in its entirity why I do not post on GC.com. Rather, it is a summary of further reasons why I will not post there. It is difficult to pinpoint the reasons why I stopped logging initially as there were many factors. As time went on, it seemed like everything pointed to reasons not to log on GC.com and little was pointing to why I should.
Reasons included: crappy caches, FTFs, greed for smiley faces.
Other reasons included the expectation GC.com would implement a stats package (it looks as though I was incorrect in that assumption), concerns of supporting a commercial site, wanting to drop out of the public face of caching (or at least reduce my face time), and wanting to explore other manners for a power cacher to approach the game.
As I built my database, I realized that I had gathered all the data I wanted and that GC.com could be used merely as a listing site (I know, that’s all it is anyhow). But because I had all the coordinates I needed for my purposes, there was no advantage to log on their site.
Finally, an experiment I began in August 2003 was growing. I had been moderated in August. As a protest, when I came back from the State College event, I refrained from posting any new photographs to GC.com. But I also began not logging some caches. I picked and chose, initially, certain finds. As I played around with that, I realized that some of my friends were noticing. I would adjust to see just how many caches I could find and not log without drawing attention. Then I went on a few out-of-state trips for big numbers. As I passed 100 caches not being logged in the system, I knew I would eventually end up where I am now. I plugged in some of the local finds along the way and as of the A Piney Luncheon w/ the South Jersey Irregulars, I had just about 800 finds listed on GC.com and was within days of 1000 overall.
I continued posting some of my finds at GC.com until May 2004. Some more detail for a lot of those finds was available on my site at the time. When all the issues cropped up with Groundspeak that got some of the locals miffed with me, it was an easy decision to refrain from logging publicly. I then had the above post to secure my reasons for doing so. Frankly, it was just a catalyst to get to where I was headed.
Now I cache anonymously. Because I make no claims as to what caches I find, I do not log in most logbooks and not online (not at GC.com, I do on some other sites) either. It has been quite refreshing. I have often stated the game would be better without the online logs and I have found that to be true. Now, more than a year after I went totally incognito, I cache when, how, and for what I desire.
By Bob on Sep 18, 2005
It appears this piece has affected change. The hers link above is archived.
By Bob on Jan 23, 2006
In another example of not being able to please everyone all the time . . . apparently, my course of action is a pet peeve of some. I wonder if it is just me or the 959 respondents to the lurker thread that also bother her.
By Bob on Mar 26, 2006
For the record, the lurker thread now has over 1000 respondents.
By Bob on Feb 24, 2007
I just realized that Frodo claimed FTF on the Ivdweby: Xkc-Diyepx cache. I recall well staying up until 3:00 a.m. to solve it (brute force) and then taking the day off to find it. I think I could dig up a photograph of that blank logbook and the travel bug that was initially in the cache.
By Bob on Feb 25, 2007
It looks as though it was 4:00 I was up to. Here is my log for that cache.
By Frodo on Feb 25, 2007
Bob,
What is your point? By your own admission above you don’t always log caches and I don’t recall seeing your signature in the log book. So if I drew the wrong conclusion as you chose to leave no trail where is the foul?
Frodo
By Bob on Feb 25, 2007
No foul.
Added @ 9:10 p.m.
To elaborate this point . . .
I was reared to not pat oneself on the back. My father would speak to me about the importance of being humble and let one’s work speak for himself.
Along the way in geocaching, folks started dragging me into their FTF race. Logs would taunt. Logs would name me by name. I was (and am) very much put off by that. I know it is explained as friendly. I found it not to be.
I began to investigate what it meant to be FTF. I was less than satisfied with the results. There were no clear definitions and folks seemed to interpret situations very differently.
When I ceased logging, I removed myself from that less than satisfactory facet of this game. I watch with amusement as folks “claim” FTF. It isn’t always based on complete information.
I’ll ask directly what I always thought, “Isn’t the first name in the logbook enough? Why make the claim?”
An offshoot of this is the self-congratulatory praise folks heap upon onself. There was a time when folks would begin a thread acknowledging someone else’s accomplishment. Lots of folks begin their own thread these days to let the world know what number they hit.
None of this is to say it is wrong. I think this is very much in keeping with society as a hole. It is just something I am deeply uncomfortable with.
I completed a study on my logs a while ago and not one of them ever announced that I was FTF. To me, my log in the book is enough for others to know who was first, if they are interested. And really, who cares?
By Frodo on Feb 25, 2007
For the most part I agree with you. FTF is no big deal. For me the satisfaction of finding a cache in an interesting area is what counts and if you can do it in the company of friends and/or family - so much the better - though there is nothing wrong with solo caching which I also do quite often.
That cache back in 2004 that started this discussion was fun. The V’s were new to the area and the puzzle caches they put out were great fun. I didn’t realize you where in the race until I read your blog entries today. So I guess I yield my FTF on that cache to you. And score a “WW” for Frodo on this cache.
Lately I don’t usually mention FTF. Though I will admit I claimed one the other day. I couldn’t resist when we saw the tracks of an unsuccessful cacher that we know in the snow leading to the cache area.
As for boasting about how many caches folks have found on-line - I think we are in agreement. Bragging about the numbers is in very poor taste. Not everyone is scoring on the same scale from my observation so the numbers themselves and comparisons are meaningless. I can’t believe that someone actually went to all the trouble of tabulating a leader board of the top geocachers. What a waste of time and effort.
As for scoring, give me baseball box scores - they actually make sense. Now if I could only figure out what game you were scoring in that puzzle cache of yours that I can’t figure out!
By Bob on Feb 25, 2007
The thing is, how do we know Jeremy didn’t fly in from Seattle to do that one cache and beat me to it?
That’s the issue. No one really knows. I would be perfectly fine to adopt the first name in the logbook standard. That seems reasonable.
But it’s funny. When I used to use that standard, I received all sorts of grief from some in the community. So I abandoned it.
I read logs of folks who yield FTF, who claim double-FTF, etc. It all seems to be nonsense.
Isn’t it about finding the cache? Sounds like you enjoyed it. I did too. That enough for me.
As for compiling stats, as long as the stats are out there, someone will. Heck, some of your friends have deemed me the “resident statistician” and use it pejoratively. That project was widely misunderstood, and here I sit ostracized. For me, it taught me Access and the non-leaderboard stats were the ones of interest. It was far from a waste of time as my employer was the beneficiary of what I learned.
Finally, the TMOTABG puzzle I think will prove to be far easier once solved. It is fairly straightforward once you get to where you need to be. Of course, that only gets you coordinates. There’s more fun to follow.
By Frodo on Feb 25, 2007
TMOTABG
“It is fairly straightforward once you get to where you need to be.”
It looks like it should be fairly straight forward but getting to where you need to be is the trick. Thought I was close the other day with google but only one little bit fit. So back on the shelf until I get another bright idea.
“Heck, some of your friends have deemed me the “resident statistician” and use it pejoratively.”
Having never met you, I will have to judge on our interactions here. As for the past - I wasn’t there and I am content to deal with the here and now.
By Bob on Mar 1, 2007
I love Flask’s directness on the FTF issue.