Let's Register more caches on GCA

For all your general chit chat, caching or not.
budgietas
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by budgietas » 01 June 11 10:22 pm

Do you think one of the reasons for the different is the ground speak app? I know that I only found my first gca cache by accident (I was trying to hide a gc cache). Anyway before this I didnt know that gca caches existed because I was exclusively using the groundspeak app. I am happy to say that now I hide and find gca caches equally with gc caches.

I really appreciate the gca web site, I look at it daily! =D>

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Zalgariath
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by Zalgariath » 01 June 11 10:34 pm

The Smartphone Apps are the best thing that ever happened for Groundspeak... (I reckon they have sold 10 times as many apps as Premium Memberships at a wild and unsubstantiated guess :P) ...and the worst thing to ever happen to the hobby :evil: Which is why I support GCA... generally speaking the people here are interesting in the social aspects and betterment of our beloved addiction... Not just seeing it as an 8 quid location based game run by some phantom corporation on your phone. Its hard to get the big picture of the hobby if you dont use the website explaining it!

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pjmpjm
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Thanks from GCA Utiliser

Post by pjmpjm » 01 June 11 10:57 pm

gmj3191 wrote:all the work and facilities for cache listing that C@W, CraigRat and others have done is not really utilised to a greater extent.
Thanks and thanks again to these guys from a heavy GCA utiliser . . . =D>

Laighside Legends
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by Laighside Legends » 01 June 11 11:01 pm

Zalgariath wrote:The Smartphone Apps are the best thing that ever happened for Groundspeak... (I reckon they have sold 10 times as many apps as Premium Memberships at a wild and unsubstantiated guess :P) ...and the worst thing to ever happen to the hobby :evil: Which is why I support GCA... generally speaking the people here are interesting in the social aspects and betterment of our beloved addiction... Not just seeing it as an 8 quid location based game run by some phantom corporation on your phone. Its hard to get the big picture of the hobby if you dont use the website explaining it!
How many do you reckon actually buy the official app? There are many other free ones out there and the reviews on the official one aren't positive...

Maybe someone should write an app that has live access to both GCA and gc.com... Although it would be hard to compete against some of the other apps...

ps. I assume your talking about android - I have no idea what the iphone market is like...

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caughtatwork
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by caughtatwork » 01 June 11 11:15 pm

Heaps.
Everyone I know who has started recently started because there was an iPhone app.

If someone would like to buy me an iPhone I'm sure we could get something going ;-)

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Zalgariath
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by Zalgariath » 01 June 11 11:20 pm

No idea on the official app, although Id be guessing the iPhone one sells the best. Never paid for it myself as I like Geobeagle on Android... 100,000 offline GC/OK/GCA caches what?! :twisted: Apparently the new version of the GC app is pretty good, but still data reliant to a great extent. My main point is if people get introduced to the hobby via an app their appreciation and understanding of it compared to the "old way" (being introduced by some nutter friend who can explain it properly then loggin online and learning more yourself \:D/ ) it degrades things like community. Apps are awesome, I use my Garmin-fone as my primary hunting device now, but do as stated perhaps delay people discovering the joys of the GCA Community and GC.com in its thoroughness.

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gmj3191
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by gmj3191 » 01 June 11 11:24 pm

caughtatwork wrote: Of course, free and open is a big part of the benefit of enjoying caching on Geocaching Australia.
An interesting debate to be had there. There are good arguments on both sides of the coin.

When I here "free and open" I can't help but think about little nymphs dancing down forest paths wearing filmy flowing little nothings. I can see how that lead into the GeGnome thing 8)

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caughtatwork
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by caughtatwork » 01 June 11 11:35 pm

We're not nymphs, we're faeries.
http://wiki.geocaching.com.au/wiki/Faeries

We can charge you for access to the forums if you like? Or maybe for free you get a couple of forums and then for money you get the cools ones. Of course, you don't even need an account at GCA to get the cache descriptions, co-ords, or even download a GPX file. You can build a widget that comes into GCA and pulls data for free. You can get your stats and shove the graphs into your website and they're generated in real time, rather than a static image that you have to be logged in for. Know XML? Get stats feed via our free XML feed 24 x 7 x 365. Want to promote a region that include geocaches or highlight a bike trail or path? Go for it. Want to support the troops, police, gay rights. Knock yourself out. Have a request for something? Sure, I can spend my evening looking at it and most of the time get it out the same night. Find a bug. I'll squash it flat, just like that. Have some knowledge that you would like to share with the community, stick it in the wiki which is open to any community member to edit. Emailed GPX files? Sure thing. 1000 caches in your GPX file, via email. OK. 2000, sure. 10000 (your ISP will probably bounce the email due to size), but sure, why not. Hate ads? We don't do that either. Not even any white spaces that should have an ad in there but not shown because you have adblock installed. We don't get too preachy about what is right and what is wrong. We let you do what you want to do.

Free and open is not everything, but damn, it's nice.

budgietas
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by budgietas » 01 June 11 11:35 pm

Yes an gca app would be great, but I would think that the price of development would be prohibitive. I use geosphere for both gc and gca on the iPhone, mainly for planning routes. Although the process is ok using gsak it is not as easy for people as the ground speak app if they are not computer savie.

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caughtatwork
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by caughtatwork » 01 June 11 11:43 pm

The cost of development is the device. The SDK is free. You pay a $99 fee to get the app into the store. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_SDK The investment is time, not money.

We have talented, nerdy, geeky peeps here. Could one of the community do it? If they need special API's into the GCA database, it can be arranged.

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CraigRat
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by CraigRat » 01 June 11 11:45 pm

caughtatwork wrote:The cost of development is the device. The SDK is free. You pay a $99 fee to get the app into the store. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOS_SDK The investment is time, not money.

We have talented, nerdy, geeky peeps here. Could one of the community do it? If they need special API's into the GCA database, it can be arranged.
There is one being developed for Android (by others) that I've played with.

I need to get the API fully working before it's viable though.

Time is the problem however... this year it's been a struggle to do the back end admin, let alone push any new code.

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Zalgariath
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by Zalgariath » 01 June 11 11:55 pm

caughtatwork wrote:We're not nymphs, we're faeries.
http://wiki.geocaching.com.au/wiki/Faeries


:gnome 'y disambiguation added... :lol:

Laighside Legends
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by Laighside Legends » 02 June 11 12:02 am

Does anyone else get the feeling that groundspeak wish there API wasn't happening... It will ruin there chances of making any money out of the app market. They have been delaying it now for over a year and they don't really want to let it out in the open...
caughtatwork wrote:You pay a $99 fee to get the app into the store.
It costs $99 to publish an iphone app! :shock:
That seams a bit overpriced... does android do it for nothing?

budgietas
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by budgietas » 02 June 11 12:03 am

I hate adding another issue like an gca app as I know that the developers are already doing an amazing job considering they are doing as a hobby. My initial point was to explain one of the possible differences between gc and gca. Gc might not be happy if gca was to develop an app - seeing it as more competition.

If I can help with my limited ability let me know.

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Richary
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Re: Let's Register more caches on GCA

Post by Richary » 02 June 11 12:04 am

Geosphere is the only iPhone app I have paid for in the 3 months I have had the phone. It automatically has the GC pocket queries programmed in as a location, but adding another bookmark that takes you to the GCA state download page is quite easy. So I use that when out on the road away from home and it works well. In fact I found the mapping to be very useful when in Melbourne last week where satlock is useless in the alleys, and I could look at the maps and go it's 1/3 of the way down the alley so start looking.

So yes, there is at least one app compatible with GCA and other sites.

I'm happy to find a cache on either site. And enjoy both equally. The only problem I have is remembering to check if it's a GCA site and I should be leaving a GC trackable in it as that doesn't work! Also overseas visitors may not know to check GCA for other caches they can find.

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