Birthdays.

Team Rubik · Post by **Team Rubik** » 29 November 07 12:01 am

This isn't a big deal really, but I was just wondering if it were possible to have something like "Today's Birthdays" on the GCA front page for those that are happy to share that info. I think it would help to foster more of a community feel.

andiamo · Post by **andiamo** » 03 December 07 9:20 pm

Do you mean caching team birthday or actual birthdays?

edmil · Post by **edmil** » 04 December 07 9:42 am

Do we get geocake with geocandles and a geopressie as well

Mr Router · Post by **Mr Router** » 04 December 07 5:44 pm

A bit to warm and fuzzy

The Spindoctors · Post by **The Spindoctors** » 05 December 07 12:04 pm

I like the idea of it highlighting your geocaching birthday/anniversary.

Something along the lines of 'Congratulations to XYZ on four years of geocaching.'

Maybe it should have a condition that you must have found or hidden a cache in the last three-six months.

It would be a way of recognising those geocachers who have been caching for a while and not necessarily doing it for the numbers. Of course those with big numbers and longevity would get a mention too.

Post by **caughtatwork** » 05 December 07 4:07 pm

Geo Birthday's. Great suggestion.

A design has been submitted to the developers for their reaction based on the date a cacher made their first log.

Log, not just find or DNF. A cacher could have deemed to start when they found their first cache, when they DNF'd their first cache, when they first made any log or some other date. At the moment I have chosen the first log of any type as the date they made their first online contribution.

All cachers will be included, not just those who are currently active.

The detail will not be on the front page as it's generated in real time and as the front page is the most heavily hit, that could cause a huge hit on the database. The page will be available off the front page, selectable from the navigation tabs.

As you will see when the results eventually go live, it caters for all geocachers who have a record at Geocaching Australia. Not all of them will be just Aus/NZ people and will include those who have made logs against some of the older locationess caches, even if it was their only log.

This means the data is not perfect, but it should be fine to see who's celebrating a Geocaching Austrlia birthday.

Geodes · Post by **Geodes** » 06 December 07 4:13 pm

I can't believe I'm really suggesting this but, for those who get so excited about numbers, you could possibly consider posting milestones too

Mr Router · Post by **Mr Router** » 06 December 07 4:37 pm

Geodes wrote:I can't believe I'm really suggesting this but, for those who get so excited about numbers, you could possibly consider posting milestones too

I dont believe anyone does it for numbers

cdmark · Post by **cdmark** » 06 December 07 4:56 pm

I reckon their might be the odd one or two that do it for the numbers.

Anyway, a pretty good suggestion Team Rubik and it appears that caughtatwork is onto it! Well done guys.

Dooghan · Post by **Dooghan** » 06 December 07 7:16 pm

caughtatwork wrote:Log, not just find or DNF. A cacher could have deemed to start when they found their first cache, when they DNF'd their first cache, when they first made any log or some other date. At the moment I have chosen the first log of any type as the date they made their first online contribution.

I totally disagree with you on this caughtatwork. This might be fine for new comers to the geocaching but it's not for me. I signed up on the GC on Friday, the 23 November 2001. At the time there was only about 20 - 25 caches in the hole of QLD. The nearest one was in Brisbane 700km way. On the 25 Jan 2002 I placed my first cache called "GC35E1 Rocky View". Now this is my FIRST ONLINE contribution. I logged my first cache 5 Aug 2002. So going from what you said above you are going to deny me 9 months from when I signed up and 6 months from when I placed my first cache. C'mon!!! It's not my fault that there was not that many caches in QLD!!!! I think you should have a bit more of a think about it and come up with something special for us old timers.

BTW caughtatwork. I had a grin of ear to ear while writting this

If you can come up with something for us old times that would be good

Dooghan

Post by **caughtatwork** » 06 December 07 7:30 pm

Dooghan wrote:
caughtatwork wrote:Log, not just find or DNF. A cacher could have deemed to start when they found their first cache, when they DNF'd their first cache, when they first made any log or some other date. At the moment I have chosen the first log of any type as the date they made their first online contribution.
I totally disagree with you on this caughtatwork. This might be fine for new comers to the geocaching but it's not for me. I signed up on the GC on Friday, the 23 November 2001. At the time there was only about 20 - 25 caches in the hole of QLD. The nearest one was in Brisbane 700km way. On the 25 Jan 2002 I placed my first cache called "GC35E1 Rocky View". Now this is my FIRST ONLINE contribution. I logged my first cache 5 Aug 2002. So going from what you said above you are going to deny me 9 months from when I signed up and 6 months from when I placed my first cache. C'mon!!! It's not my fault that there was not that many caches in QLD!!!! I think you should have a bit more of a think about it and come up with something special for us old timers.

BTW caughtatwork. I had a grin of ear to ear while writting this If you can come up with something for us old times that would be good

Dooghan

Technically you are quite correct. There are a handful of cachers who hid before they found so this process would not show their correct birthday.

You could, of course, go back to your first cache, drop a note into it with the same date you want your birthday celebrated on, import it into GCA and bingo. An easy workaround and one that wouldn't affect your stats count.

I am loathe to check the placement date of a cache as well as the earliest of any log date as that would mean joining 10,000 caches to 700,000 logs (and growing). The hit on the database would be significant.

I think with the easy workaround, you should be able to satisfy your correct geo birthdate.

BTW, don't put in anything earlier than 2000 as it won't be checked. 2000 is the official year of birth of geocaching, so those people who have log dates of 1994 and earlier (

) will be a little disappointed.

Team Rubik · Post by **Team Rubik** » 09 December 07 1:43 am

Oops, look what happens when you stop watching the forums for a little while. 
 
To clarify, I meant real birthdays. Milestones and 'geocaching' anniversaries/birthdays are nice, but I wanted to bring the personal touch back to the community. 
 
I would like to log on and see which of my caching friends are celebrating something special in their personal life - new kids, birthdays, wedding anniversaries etc. I imagine it to be a social noticeboard of sorts, where personal achievements outside of caching are recognised and celebrated. 
 
I would actually like it to be free of any caching related milestones of any kind, some of us resent the idea that the sum total of your worth in the geocaching community is based on how many caches you have found. It's an unfortunate idea that has mislead a number of new teams as to what this passtime is all about. It results in dishonesty, resentment, and it seems to be the only thing we celebrate on this forum. 
 
So please, can we bring more of a social feel and less of a competitive one to the forums? I want to see a focus which is uniting rather than divisive.

Richary · Post by **Richary** » 09 December 07 7:50 am

I actually prefer the geocaching birthday to the real birthday. My real birthday will be celebrated (or not) by the friends and family close to me. Usually not much, I don't put much store in them anyway.

But a reminder of the first cache I tried and got be into the hobby is nicer. Even if I could never find the &%*^# thing (Strickland Stroll).

cdmark · Post by **cdmark** » 09 December 07 8:35 am

Team Rubik wrote: I would actually like it to be free of any caching related milestones of any kind, some of us resent the idea that the sum total of your worth in the geocaching community is based on how many caches you have found. It's an unfortunate idea that has mislead a number of new teams as to what this passtime is all about. It results in dishonesty, resentment, and it seems to be the only thing we celebrate on this forum. 
 
So please, can we bring more of a social feel and less of a competitive one to the forums? I want to see a focus which is uniting rather than divisive.

Well put Team Rubik! I admire your honesty (and cajones - metaphorically speaking!) in posting this. 
Having actual birthdays for people would be pretty cool for those that wish to. I hope everyone enjoys the KK idea that we have posted elsewhere and we have a few more takers next year. Cheers.

Team Wibble · Post by **Team Wibble** » 09 December 07 8:48 am

Team Rubik wrote:It's an unfortunate idea that has mislead a number of new teams as to what this passtime is all about.

Just because the numbers isn't what this passtime is all about for YOU, doesn't make it a bad thing.

I thought one of the good things about geocaching is that you can play the game however you want.

Some people want to find as many geocaches as they can. "In it for the numbers"
Some want to get as many first to finds as they can.
Some want to get caches with very high difficulty/terrain ratings.
Some want to get caches with their children.
Some want to get caches that are in really interesting spots, or require long walks.

None of these focuses are any more or less appropriate, or noble than the others.

That said, there are already more than enough ways on these forums and the GCA page that identify and congratulate people's milestones in terms on numbers.

Something that celebrates people's birthdays/anniversaries, either in real life or in caching, would be a nice touch I think.