Dumb question, on "Found it" logs possible on owner caches.

[+TheCarterFamily]

Ok PLEASE NO comments about right and wrong here. Please, all I want to see is possible explanations.

 

Currently it's common practise not to log "Found it", which I'm making the assumption DNF as well, on your own caches.

 

The pick list is context sensitive. Which would mean that somewhere along the line GC.com needed the ability for a cache owner to log a DNF or Found it on their own cache. Any one know the reason why?

 

Also DNF and Found it are possible on owner caches but "Needs Maintenance" isn't there. Any one know the reason there as well?

 

Again please no discussion about the legality of it being there. It's currently there so I'm just curious as the the history behind it's existence.

[+XopherN71]

 

I'll bite

 

Currently it's common practise not to log "Found it", which I'm making the assumption DNF as well, on your own caches.

Makes perfect sense.

 

The pick list is context sensitive. Which would mean that somewhere along the line GC.com needed the ability for a cache owner to log a DNF or Found it on their own cache. Any one know the reason why?

Slipped through the cracks? (AKA, a bug?)

 

Also DNF and Found it are possible on owner caches but "Needs Maintenance" isn't there. Any one know the reason there as well?

If an owner logs a 'Need Maintenance' there's something wrong there. They should have fixed the cache.

[+Totem Clan]

I have a found it log on one of my caches.

Now before everyone turns on the flamethrowers, listen up.

 

I found the cache and logged it and then almost a year later I adopted it. So there are cases where there can be a found it log on your own cache without getting into the 'ethical grey areas.'

[+TheCarterFamily]

Also DNF and Found it are possible on owner caches but "Needs Maintenance" isn't there. Any one know the reason there as well?

If an owner logs a 'Need Maintenance' there's something wrong there. They should have fixed the cache.

 

Just a quick possibility on this.. If an owner is out and about, and doesn't have what he/she needs to maintain the cache with them... they might want to log a needs maintenance via their cell phone, and wap.geocaching.com as a reminder. Write logs are fine but don't trigger the red + attribute.

 

Then later he/she could pull all caches with the red + attribute set to know which ones to go fix. Again don't want to debate the right and wrong on this. Just looking for why GC.com has deemed it unnecessary.

[+DanOCan]

Well, in one case I adopted a cache which I had never found before. The first time I went out to do maintenance on it I logged it as a Find since I had never been there before or seen the cache.

 

I also have a DNF on one of the caches I own. A user reported a maintenance issue and moved the cache a few meters away and mentioned it in their log. I went out to check on the cache and couldn't find it so I posted it as a DNF, partly trying to be funny and partly to serve as a warning to the next seekers that the cache might not be there. (I contacted the people who moved it who gave me more detail about where they had hidden it and when I made a second trip and failed to find it I Disabled it before eventually deciding to Archive it completely.)

 

So, there are circumstances in which both a Find and a DNF log are appropriate on your own cache listing.

 

As for the lack of a Needs Maintenance option, it is normally used as a way to flag the owner that the cache has a problem -- if you are the owner there really isn't a need to flag yourself about a maintenance issue, so it doesn't show as a viable option in the drop down menu. (Just my theory, I don't work for Groundspeak or program the pages so I'm guessing as to the reasoning here.)

[+XopherN71]

I guess 'for me', the only reason I would visit my own cache is to check up on it. With the price of gas I don't just go around for no reason anymore.

 

That said, I would be prepared. So whether I take it upon myself to check on it or wait until there is something logged stating it needs maintenance or new pencil, etc... it wouldn't matter, I'd have what I need when I got there.

 

Another topic that could go back and forth for 30 pages, I'll go into 'watch mode' now since I've stated my thoughts.

[+DanOCan]

Just a quick possibility on this.. If an owner is out and about, and doesn't have what he/she needs to maintain the cache with them... they might want to log a needs maintenance via their cell phone, and wap.geocaching.com as a reminder. Write logs are fine but don't trigger the red + attribute.

 

Then later he/she could pull all caches with the red + attribute set to know which ones to go fix. Again don't want to debate the right and wrong on this. Just looking for why GC.com has deemed it unnecessary.

 

At the risk of sounding sarcastic, if an owner has so many caches that they need to go through this sort of process to track down which of his/her caches need maintenance then it might be a sign that they have hidden more caches than they can comfortably maintain.

[+ArcherDragoon]

"Found It"

As Totem Clan stated...I believe the "Found It" log is still there for the cases in which you are adopted a cache you have already found...at least that is what makes sense for me...

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"Did Not Find"

I have logged a DNF on a couple of my caches...I went to check in them (just normal checking...nothing had been reported to me)...and could not find the cache...I also followed it by using the Disable feature as well. I guess, why would an owner post a "Needs Maintenance" unless they are saying they can't take care of their own caches...and are expecting others to take care of it for them...Sure it is nice when another cacher replaces a log, leaves a writting untensil or fixes a broken container...but it sure is not expected.

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Temp Disable lets me know the owner at least cares about his/her cache (at least that is the case for most cachers)...

[+tozainamboku]

The 'Found It' and 'DNF' are enabled on your own cache for a variety of reasons.

1. moving cache - there are still a few grandfathered moving caches. It is generally considered legitimate to find your own moving cache so long as someone else was the last person to hide it. (One could also find a moving cache multiple times)
   
2. locationless cache - now all archived, locationless (reverse) caches were the predecessor to Waymarking categories. If you had a locationless cache you could 'find' locations that fit the category. You could also claim multiple finds on a locationless cache.
   
3. challenge cache - some caches like the DeLorme Challenge caches require the cacher to find certain other caches to get the coordinates for finding the bonus challenge cache. Some people who have set up challenge caches believe that they deserve a smiley if they complete the challenge themselves. Some will have a friend hide a private bonus cache for them to find for the extra smiley since they couldn't really find their own cache.
   
4. adoption - some people have adopted someone elses cache that they haven't found yet. The first time they visit, they like to claim this as a find.
   
5. events - before the 'attended log' the 'found it' log was used for attending events. CITO events still have a bug where you can use either the 'attended log' or the 'found it' log. Some people would not log 'found it' on their events and some of them will still no 'attend' their own events. Other people have no problem attending their own events.
   
6. teams - sometimes one member of a team account will hide a cache and allow the other member their team to find it. It's easier than creating a new account just for this.
   
7. cache migration - some people have said that they've had to search as hard for their own cache as any other so they should get credit for finding it. Others say that dealing with cache migration is just part of being an owner. Some people will DNF their own cache if the don't want to disable it because they think it may still be there, just to let others know that they had difficulty finding it.
   

A cache owner can set the needs maintenance attribute by editing the attributes. You don't need to log a needs maintenance which would generate an extra email to tell you that you set the needs maintenance. But I guess if you were setting the flag in the field to remind you to do maintenance later it might make sense to allow the Needs Maintenance log.

[+TheCarterFamily]

Rather interesting consensuses forming on the Needs Maintenance. I've gone on record as saying that the attribute can't be set using the wap interface and still have people are saying just to set the attribute. I guess it's safe to assume here "generally" people don't use the PQs to manage which caches need immediate attention. (since attributes are not in GPX files)

 

In anycase. I guess people have answer my question, that with GC.com the needs maintenance log was thought of as a cacher to cache owner notification, rather than a way for the owner to track via PQs which caches they need an immediate visit.

 

I wrote a rather complex sql to flag caches for next run and immediate attention at http://www.geocaching.carterfamily.ca/TheC...OwnedCaches.xml

 

My only problem is it's only up-to-date from the last PQ.

 

But thank you everyone for your responses. It gave some clarity.