Minimalist Cache Logs -- Opinions Wanted

[Bronnie_1990]

I'll admit it, i can see where pesky's coming from.
There's only so much i can write about a cracked container poking out from some rocks underneath a tree in a playground.

however, i'm trying to start blabbing on more and more, on caches i like/enjoy/had fun with/and or had too much spare time on my hands.

[Ministro]

I put the following at the bottom of each cache page. And ruthlessly police it.

When logging your find on line, your feedback will be extremely useful - so please add something about your Geocaching experience in your log, even just the condition of the container would help. Logs that are blank, or only contain the words "sent from my mobile device" will be deleted.

<reviewer hat> as others have pointed out, what you actually have is an ALR and can not be enforced. If they have signed the log then they have all rights to do as they see fit. Writing about your experience is optional. If you delete their log they have full right to apeal to Groundspeak and have the log reinstated</reviewer hat>

<player hat> I say that while it used to upset me, I accept that there are may things that I just can't change and people will play the game as they want to. This topic comes up every six or so months and people get quite animated about this. One or the disadvantages as our little game becomes more mainstream and mobile phone aps are used and people don't visit forums is that they do not realise that they are upsetting anyone.</player hat>

<both hats.>How about rather than arbitrarily deleting someone’s log you send them a note asking if they enjoyed your cache. If they did, why they didn't want to share their experience, share some links about log writing (Geocacher Uni, etc). There are so many nicer ways to approach it. I know most geocachers enjoy talking out our obsession so get in and talk about it rather than taking the approach that can be interpreted by a newbie as quite rude and over bearing we might just scare them away.</both hats.>

Just smile and enjoy your caching!

[Happy Chappies]

Like others have said - I'm always a bit disappointed to see a blank log, but have come to accept that some people don't know the etiquette of nice logs, some are iphone only cachers and never realised you should, some people just don't want to, and some are just kids or 'temporary cachers' who can't be stuffed, don't care, but will soon be gone...

One thing I've done (apart from trying to set a good example) is encouraging people to come visit the forums. People here play pretty nicely and by bringing them here they'll learn about the importance of logging, cache design, and those other tricky etiquette bits 'n pieces...

One way is using this bit of html on the bottom of your cache pages.

http://forum.geocaching.com.au/viewtopi ... ml#p172484

Sure - most people will ignore it, but can't hurt.

[noikmeister]

<both hats.>How about rather than arbitrarily deleting someone’s log you send them a note asking if they enjoyed your cache. If they did, why they didn't want to share their experience, share some links about log writing (Geocacher Uni, etc). There are so many nicer ways to approach it. I know most geocachers enjoy talking out our obsession so get in and talk about it rather than taking the approach that can be interpreted by a newbie as quite rude and over bearing we might just scare them away.</both hats.>

Just smile and enjoy your caching!

Big TICK

I am putting up with it at the moment, but I think an active, polite approach is the best. You don't know why they write logs like that and assuming they do it because they are A-holes isn't the right approach. I know of some new cachers who are extremely nice people and they are finding a lot of caches, I have a "stalker mode" rss watch on their logs and I have cringed at some of them and so I wrote them a note to encourage more verbose logging.

As far as putting something in the cache description goes, good luck with that. I would say that the set of people who don't read the description are a bigger set (which probably almost completely encompasses bad loggers) than the set of bad loggers.

[fluffyfish]

Like others have said - I'm always a bit disappointed to see a blank log, but have come to accept that some people don't know the etiquette of nice logs, some are iphone only cachers and never realised you should, some people just don't want to, and some are just kids or 'temporary cachers' who can't be stuffed, don't care, but will soon be gone...

One thing I've done (apart from trying to set a good example) is encouraging people to come visit the forums. People here play pretty nicely and by bringing them here they'll learn about the importance of logging, cache design, and those other tricky etiquette bits 'n pieces...

One way is using this bit of html on the bottom of your cache pages.

http://forum.geocaching.com.au/viewtopi ... ml#p172484

Sure - most people will ignore it, but can't hurt.

Would gc.com allow this on their caches? Do we own the content or them? I guess they approve it and I could always add it later

[caughtatwork]

I think as long as you use the smaller icons and it's a link to the forum, not the site, the reviewers tend to look the other way.

[WanderingAus]

I put the following at the bottom of each cache page. And ruthlessly police it.

When logging your find on line,your feedback will be extremely useful - so please add something about your Geocaching experience in your log, even just the condition of the container would help. Logs that are blank, or only contain the words "sent from my mobile device" will be deleted.

I might do the same... backed up with an ironically templated email to the finder politely explaining the community aspect and maintenance assistance of writing at least a few words.

I might do the same, but maybe at the BEGINNING of the cache page. I can't believe the rudeness of some cachers, I go to a lot of trouble to place good caches in awesome spots, and their log consists of "." or less.

I do enjoy reading some cachers logs, they go to the trouble of giving their impressions of the cache and the area and their logs make interesting reading. Just a pity about the rest.

At the time of creation of GA2628 Are You Verbose? by hookline I had a verbosity of 85, and since then I have increased it to 87, but I like to use those TNLNSL and TFTH etc abbreviations so my chances of ever getting to 105 to claim a second find of that are slim. These rude people probably have a verbosity approaching zero.

[Toriaz]

Everyone seems to be in general agreement that minimal/blank logs are bad & verbose logs are good. Until this last week, I would have agreed.

This weekend I got another collection of blank logs (at least 3, there might have been a few more) on a couple of my caches.

On Friday I got a reasonably long log on one of my caches, with content that that I thought was a little nasty. It upset me, but I tried to accept that it was probably just meant as a joke.

Then on Monday I got another log by the same cacher on another cache, similar to the first one, but longer & more upsetting.

The blank logs may be a bit insulting, but I've found that they're easier to cope with than logs which seem designed to hurt and which (girly wuss that I am) managed to make me cry.

[noikmeister]

Everyone seems to be in general agreement that minimal/blank logs are bad & verbose logs are good. Until this last week, I would have agreed.

This weekend I got another collection of blank logs (at least 3, there might have been a few more) on a couple of my caches.

On Friday I got a reasonably long log on one of my caches, with content that that I thought was a little nasty. It upset me, but I tried to accept that it was probably just meant as a joke.

Then on Monday I got another log by the same cacher on another cache, similar to the first one, but longer & more upsetting.

The blank logs may be a bit insulting, but I've found that they're easier to cope with than logs which seem designed to hurt and which (girly wuss that I am) managed to make me cry.

Just read the offending logs. They do seem a bit unnecessary. Perhaps a polite email is in order. I once got an abusive email from the finder previous to me because i wrote in my log that the previous person to me have shoved the cache in too far for me to reach!

[fluffyfish]

Try blank logs are preferable to rude and/or insulting logs.

I agree with the reviewers. In the gc.com site, you only need to write your name on the physical log sheet. After that, anything is gravy. Sad or as frustrating as it might be.

However on GCA caches, you will have to power to delete logs you don't like. There will be pros and cons to that. However there should be no problem putting a "quality" metric on a log, otherwise an owner can delete it.

99% are mature enough (hiders and finders) for this to work.

[WanderingAus]

However on GCA caches, you will have to power to delete logs you don't like. There will be pros and cons to that. However there should be no problem putting a "quality" metric on a log, otherwise an owner can delete it.

That's what I thought, but I just went to one of my locationless caches to delete a log which didn't meet the cache requirements (it was posted before the published date).

I couldn't find how to do anything except Like it or view it.

How can I delete it?

[caughtatwork]

You can't yet. CraigRat is writing some code to allow you to "hide it", then the logger can amend the log and "resubmit" it.
In the meantime, which cache and which log?

[CraigRat]

I'm (re)writing the delete code as we speak.

I have a few things I need to re-think before deploying it.

[WanderingAus]

You can't yet. CraigRat is writing some code to allow you to "hide it", then the logger can amend the log and "resubmit" it.
In the meantime, which cache and which log?

GA2726 WanAus 180 - Water Storage 1 - Above Ground Water Storage
Published 03/11/2010

Logged 29/10/2010 by Datruk

I emailed Datruk at the time requesting either a change to a note or delete the log, but got no response.

[Zalgariath]

My way with words isn't always the best. All contributions for said email will be gratefully received.

Here is the one I wrote.... the parts in the <> obviously need edit/removal depending on the situation but otherwise anyone can tweek it for their own use. NB: This probably WONT come across well if you have already deleted their log and probably works best on newer cachers. If you dont get a reply or they tell you f-off... then Id delete the log

Hi <iPhone Cacher Name>!

Thanks for finding my cache <hide-I-spent- a- good-bit-of-effort-on-to-create-your-experience> the other day, I hope you had fun on the hunt. Just a quick email to see if you did actually enjoy the cache? I see you <are quite new to the hobby and> haven’t been writing logs, which as a cache hider is really disappointing. I blame the iPhone, as most of the time blank and TFTC logs come from people logging in the field instead of back home online. One of the best parts of our hobby is sharing your experiences with others, particularly the hider who has gone to the effort of creating the caches for you to have fun finding. I understand there are a number of rubbish caches out there which warrant little comment but for the most part it is considered polite to leave at least a few words for each log so the cache hider knows their effort has been appreciated…. (or that their cache needs improvement >:) Not only does this let the community share your experience, but also importantly lets the owner know what condition the cache is in, and can assist future finders.

I hope you continue to enjoy the hunt, and choose to give a little feedback in the future. <When you get your first hide out and see 5 blank, “TFTC” and “sent from my mobile device” logs on the cache you poured yourself into this will make more sense >

On that, if you need any help or advice on hiding a great <first> cache others will rave about or have any other questions let me know and Id be happy to help. Or why not come check out the Geocaching Australia Forums (http://forum.geocaching.com.au/) which are great fun and where any and all questions can be answered

Regards, Zalgariath (aka James)

Obviously if you have hidden a soggy mint tin with a scrap of paper in it under a prickly bush this email template may not be for you