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Locking The "placed Date"


The Blue Quasar

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For some reason that I'm not clear on, cache owners are allowed to alter the "Cache Placement Date"

 

There probably is some reason for this but I can't figure one out. And the comment of "So it keeps showing up as NEW" is not a Reason in my opinion

 

Now that there is the "Published" feature, it makes more sense (albeit to me) that when the "Published" function is performed by the local reviewer, that PLACED DATE is locked just like the CACHE TYPE is.

 

I would go so far as to say that the PLACED DATE should be a function of the actual "Publish" feature, and even auto-updated that it fills in when "Published" (instead of the owner entering it at all)

 

Then it would require Reviewer Rights to update that. Just like Cache Type does.

 

I know it's petty but the timeline is being contaminated with erroneous data and if there was a way to back-correct this I would suggest that too.

 

:unsure: The Blue Quasar

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I agree, but not just for those reasons!

 

My daughter placed a cache, as did her brother. We had some problems with his so I asked our local approver to NOT approve her cache. To preserve family peace I wanted simultaneous approvals. Of course he agreed and two weeks later my son placed his cache.

 

Of course her "Placed Date" was two weeks earlier so she didn't get the "New" icon. I eventually figured it out but it should have been automatic.

 

Published should lock Placed.

 

Paul

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I would not want the date locked for future Event caches (for fairly obvious reason).

 

I would also not want the date locked until some time after the published date because sometimes it can take a while to get approved and at that time the cache owner should be able to set the date to whatever seems best.

 

It would make sense to have the first "find" or "attended" log trigger a lock on the date.

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Sometimes people are quite picky about the "date placed." If it was hidden on December 8th because it was Dad's birthday, then they want that to be the date hidden, even if the cache is reviewed and published on the 10th and first found on the 11th. I vote to leave this feature alone, and let the community provide "feedback" to hiders who keep bumping the hide date forward on the same cache.

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We placed 26 caches for an event, anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks before the event. They were officially "published" on the date of the event.

 

However, when you create the cache page, you can't forward-date the "date placed". So on the morning of the event, all the cache owners updated their "date placed" to be the same date as the event.

 

That way, those people who did not attend the event would still have the caches show up during the following week as "new" caches in the area. :anitongue:

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All good points.

 

I guess what bothers me is "Fake Dating"

 

There is certainly good reason to go with the actual date of placement over actual date of listing. That too would be fine, since it is truely reflective.

 

It would make sense to have the first "find" or "attended" log trigger a lock on the date
- Hey... good idea Hynr!

 

But massive backdating for novelty, or worse yet CONSTANT date alterations. That, in my opinion, should be Reviewer Required action.

 

I still think that the date of creation should be the true date. It can be correctable within reason, like if it was placed two days before the listing was created... but outside of a week is too far.

 

 

Sure, it can always be altered by the local reviewer, or a note in the "Notes to Reviewer" section if it is a special reason for the alteration...

 

Using the cache type as an example.... if I go replace one of my tradional caches and convert it into a multi... I need to get the reviewer to alter it.

 

I dunno... it just irks me that people keep editing their cache placement dates.

 

Maybe I should just up my dosage. But in the mean time... Can I pre-book GCSTAR for my account? Maybe there's a market for "Personalized GC's". I see GCACHE isn't in the 'array'... auction that puppy off to the highest bidder!

 

Okay, gone from serious to silly... it happens.

 

 

:blink: The Blue Quasar

Edited by The Blue Quasar
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Actually, until reading this thread it hadn't occurred to me to change the date hidden, but now that Im probably going to use it. I'm planning to replace a missing (assumed, I haven't visited, but a very thorough searcher has) cache. When i replace it, I'll move it and change both the coords and the date hidden on the listing. I hope that this will help folks notice the coordinate change.

 

I haven't encountered fake dating. I think the ability to change date hidden when you change the hide is a good one. I hadn't considered that it would get a listing back on the new caches notification, but where a coordinate change is made, I think that's a good thing.

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I don't think it's a "new" or rehidden cache if the owner makes a tiny coordinate correction (for better accuracy, or stump #1 fell apart and the cache is moved to stump #2).

 

If the coordinates are moved 400 feet to a prettier spot, that is a new cache and should have a new cache page, preserving the history of the cache as previously hunted by those who found it.

 

"Date hidden" is an important statistic to me. I like to look at a cache hidden in 2001 and say "ahhhh, one of the oldies but goodies, I remember finding it in 2002 and I'm glad it's still around." Some of that history is lost if the cache is re-hidden and the date is bumped forward to 2005. How did I find a cache in 2002 that wasn't hidden until 2005? :rolleyes:

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I'm planning to replace a missing (assumed, I haven't visited, but a very thorough searcher has) cache. When i replace it, I'll move it and change both the coords and the date hidden on the listing. I

Ok, let me get this straight.

You are "replacing" a cache you have never found.

In a different area then the original cache was.

With a new hide date.

Replace. To place again.

You aren't replacing an old cache, you're placing a new one.

When you place a new cache, you use a new cache page.

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Exactly!

 

Archive the old one and place a new one with a new GC # tag, to preserve the timeline.

 

And the benefit is that people that found the original can come seek the new one again.

 

Please do not subcribed to the "Fake Dating" mentality. I don't believe in it for religion, or breaking substance abuse.

 

And it really sucks in Geocaching when people FIND a cache before it was placed. Imagine being new to the hobby and you find a cache placed three days ago, only to find out that people have been logging for two years...

 

Stats matter. Altering the date contaminates the data.

 

:rolleyes: The Blue Quasar

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I still think that the date of creation should be the true date. It can be correctable within reason, like if it was placed two days before the listing was created... but outside of a week is too far.

I usually create a listing (and then specify that it not be approved via the checkbox) well before I actually place the cache and/or want it approved. I alter the date of placement just before I set the cache for approval.

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Sorry Mopar, my last post wasn't very clear. It's my hide, it's about 2 weeks old. I

think it may be missing. I had planned to get there yesterday and hunt (and maybe find) and if necessary, replace it (I rolled my ankle instead). If I replace it, I'll move it a bit deeper into the woods. Wouldn't changing the "date hidden" to the date of new slightly shifted coords be appropriate? and possibly help folks notice the coord shift, not go out hunting it with the original coords. I'm not real excited about archiving and resubmitting a cache that's only moved 40-60 feet (assuming it is indeed missing).

 

I can't say as I feel real strongly about this one way or another, and I hadn't considered that changing the date hidden would get weird as far as the couple of finds it's had in the first week. Hmm, maybe not.

Edited by Isonzo Karst
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The whole point is that there is nothing wrong with a resonable need to edit the date of placement, be it to match with the placement of other related caches, or for a Birthday, or Event. Even if it was three days ago, and you want that date instead of submission date....

 

But CONSTANTLY editing the date so it tags as "NEW" or because you went out and replaced the container after a year and half, of because you think it's funny to list the year 2000 so your cache looks old, that stuff is what I take issue with.

 

Maybe I just don't get it why I can edit the date, but not the cache type. To me, some elements are FIXED and some are FLEXIBLE... Date of Placement should be more FIXED if you ask me, but can be edited upon request to a Reviewer.

 

It doesn't matter... this even in my eyes is a very minor issue, but I do wonder if the GC Server actually stores the Date of Creation (not Placement) somewhere.

 

Hmmm... that's got me thinking, but again, minor issue

 

:blink: The Blue Quasar

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Maybe I just don't get it why I can edit the date, but not the cache type.

Changing the cache type leads to abuse, such as changing from a traditional to virtual.

 

Changing the date really means nothing, except maybe it will show as "new." If it already has the FTF, most people won't care if it's new or not, only that they haven't found it.

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I should correct my previous comment.

 

I don't have any problem with someone posting an inaccurate placement date for puzzle caches, or to reflect something relevant to the cache. It would be like fake coordinates for a puzzle cache.

 

I was trying to hide my main target by providing alternative examples, I don't like centering out specifics, but in my attempt I ended up offending a good friend.

 

But getting back on topic... I still think that the date should be LOCKED when submitted for review and approval.

 

That was the main idea for my request. Locked when the owner submits it for approval. Just like Cache Type, and if you want to edit the date before submission that is fine, but after it is listed should require a Reviewer.

 

I agree with Lil Devil that altering the cache type can lead to abuse. I feel the same about Date of Placement. I wish it was handled the exact same way. The way it is submitted is how it should remain, unless a Reviewer approves the change.

 

;) The Blue Quasar

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I just placed a series of 6 caches and it took over a week to get them published. By the time they were finally published (the reviewers were tied up with life and it took them a while to get to my stuff) they didn't show up as NEW even though they WERE new. I changed the date at that point so that the hidden/placed date was the same as the published date and then the caches showed as new.

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