Generic Vs. Brand Name Caches

[+Snoogans]

There seems to be a certain amount of expectation from certain hiders. Some hiders you expect MORE from and some hiders you expect less. These are your local Brand Names. Some of these Brand Name hiders become very well known by word of mouth for whatever reason whether positive or negative. Usually positive though, in my experience. Some of these Brand Names are actually generic accounts used to misdirect attention/expectation from another user.

 

I've known for a long time that a few Brand Name cachers will hide a cache, or three, or ten, on a sock puppet (generic) account to throw the expectation off, to make an out of character hide, to start a NEW Brand Name, or just to have a little fun and keep people guessing.

 

Locally, there has been a lot of speculation an a NEW hider calling him/herself The Secret Agent. There has been a lot of speculation and a lot of fun over this account. At a local event I attended today, you had to check a box whether or not YOU were The Secret Agent as you signed in. More than half the names I saw had checked "Yes."

 

I may or may not have a generic account or two that may or may not have hidden a cache or two. I'm NOT the Secret Agent though.

 

So,

 

Have you done it?

 

Would you create a genaric account to hide a cache that is out of character for YOU?

 

Are there any local mystery hiders in your area like our Secret Agent?

 

Share your thoughts or a link to your local mystery hider(s).

[+DeRock & The Psychic Cacher]

Hate to spill to many beans so:

 

Have you done it?

 

Would you create a genaric account to hide a cache that is out of character for YOU?

 

Are there any local mystery hiders in your area like our Secret Agent?

 

Share your thoughts or a link to your local mystery hider(s).

 

Great timing, we've been talking about this very subject in the MiGO forums recently. I prefer to call them "pseudonym accounts". Kind of like an author using a pen name.

 

If you want to know any more I'll quote the lyrics from one of my favorite bands, "Don't ask me no questions and I won't tell you no lies".

 

Deane

AKA: DeRock & the Psychic Cacher - Grattan MI

[+Snoogans]

I prefer to call them "pseudonym accounts". Kind of like an author using a pen name.

 

That's probably a better way to think of these accounts. I chose the term "generic" because of the negative effect the term "sock puppet" has attached to it.

 

Most real "pseudonym accounts" that I know of are positive or neutral in nature. Very few are negative and many are quite fun like the one I highlighted.

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Never even heard of it being done actually. It raises some interesting possibilities though

[CoyoteRed]

I grabbed a 'nym in expectation of placing a few caches, but never got a round tuit.

[+fivesecrethunters]

There be sharks in these waters......

 

be still and play dead.....it works with bears, and it just might work for a Secret Agent......

Edited August 1, 2008 by fivesecrethunters

[+WebChimp]

Would you create a generic account to hide a cache that is out of character for YOU?

 

Nope.

[+Tequila]

In the Greater Toronto Area, a well known cacher created a puppet account as the Mystery Mole. He put out 10 feeder cache puzzles and a FINAL.

 

It has been the most fun in caching in years. Trying to guess who he is. Trying to solve his very very hard puzzles. One puzzle is the most clever I have seen.

 

It added a welcome diversion from the plethora of drive up micros that saturate the area.

[+Viajero Perdido]

Why create a separate account? Just change the name in the "placed by" field. Much simpler.

 

I created a separate brand for a few of my "downmarket" hides...

[+Tequila]

Why create a separate account? Just change the name in the "placed by" field. Much simpler.

 

I created a separate brand for a few of my "downmarket" hides...

 

Then your identity would not be a mystery.

[+Viajero Perdido]

That's okay with me. I just don't want people to get their hopes up when they see a cache by "VP's Stupid Micros Dept.".

 

We've got some "brands" locally, but none that are well-kept secrets (that I'm aware of). One is a team account with about 25 puzzle hides, and they've never tried to keep their other identities a secret. Even the village-idiot account, we all know who that is.

Edited August 1, 2008 by Viajero Perdido

[+doingitoldschool]

Why create a separate account? Just change the name in the "placed by" field. Much simpler.

 

I created a separate brand for a few of my "downmarket" hides...

 

If you do that, and someone clicks on it on the cache page, they still see your profile, no?

[4wheelin_fool]

Every cache I have found by The_Hyders I have enjoyed, as they are usually in interesting and scenic locations, and some are really clever, but their identity is unknown.

Edited August 2, 2008 by 4wheelin_fool

[+DArR]

Not mentioning any names, but I know of one cacher that has a couple of 'aliases'.

[+gof1]

Are we under oath here?

I choose not to answer any questions at this time.

Please address any questions to my legal representative.

[+hikemeister]

There are a couple of strange characters down here in Florida known to hide a cache or post a funny note at an event from time to time -- that's all I have to say about that.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Naw. No need to. I've got evil mystery caches. I've got cache and dashes. I've got mile hikes in. The only thing predictable is that most of them will have nice views.

[+flask]

a long time ago we had a sockpuppet hide some very good caches.

 

i figured out who he was. the answer was a surprise to me, but once i'd figured him out he protested loudly and angrily that it wasn't him.

 

but i had (and still retain) evidence that would hold up in court.

 

i have never hidden a cache under any of my sockpuppet accounts, but i have found some that way.

 

i had one called "shen ku sockpuppet" that one of our area cachers pointed out loudly and triumphantly was *gasp* a sockpuppet!

 

good detective work there.

 

not the brightest crayon in the box. these days she signs all her logs in maroon, with a cute little saying that (since she obviously doesn't actually speak french) sounds even goofier in french than it does in english. doesn't get enough attention at home, i guess.

[+Dread_Pirate_Bruce]

All of my hides are on my own account. I sure hope they are not predictable. And, everyone around these parts knows that if they ask me for a hint, they must ask it in question form. When they do, I answer it ABSOLUTELY ACCURATELY. For example, one asked: "Will you give me a hint?" I answered: "Yes." Another was more specific; he asked: "Is it to the left or right of the tree." I answered: "Yes; it is to the left or to the right of the tree." (It was not in the tree.) I see no need for an alias for any of my hides.

[+bflentje]

a long time ago we had a sockpuppet hide some very good caches.

 

i figured out who he was. the answer was a surprise to me, but once i'd figured him out he protested loudly and angrily that it wasn't him.

 

but i had (and still retain) evidence that would hold up in court.

 

i have never hidden a cache under any of my sockpuppet accounts, but i have found some that way.

 

I am still trying to figure out why people care if a cache is hidden by someone with a sock puppet account...

[+DanOCan]

Nope never done it and likely never will.

 

After all, if I'm going through the work of hiding a cache I want the credit.

[+flask]

a long time ago we had a sockpuppet hide some very good caches.

 

i figured out who he was. the answer was a surprise to me, but once i'd figured him out he protested loudly and angrily that it wasn't him.

 

but i had (and still retain) evidence that would hold up in court.

 

i have never hidden a cache under any of my sockpuppet accounts, but i have found some that way.

 

I am still trying to figure out why people care if a cache is hidden by someone with a sock puppet account...

 

it's the challenge!

 

they were fine caches, all of them, and they had everybody guessing. it was a mystery to solve.

[+Snoogans]

After all, if I'm going through the work of hiding a cache I want the credit.

 

Ahhh, but there in lies the rub.

 

Hi, my name is Mark. I like to hide caches more than I like to find them. I am a shameless promoter of the Snoogans brand name. My NAME isn't Snoogans.

 

I know thousands of maintainable cache worthy locations. If I put a cache in EVERY one someone would find reason to cry loudly about any number of perceived motivations that are frankly none of their business for me to have so many hides. (Probably a person from out of the area too.) Not to mention that many would not fit with my personal "Snoogans" style of hiding. It would change the Snoogans brand name in essence.

 

Nope, I'd rather hide a generic brand name cache or create a NEW brand name to give folks a reason to guess. You'd be surprised how much FUN a little mystery can be. Especially when someone is wondering about a cacher at an event and it's really YOU. I've seen it in action many times and it doesn't go wrong if it's done positively, and the TOS and Guidelines are followed. Did I mention that I'm NOT The Secret Agent I mentioned earlier in this thread? Cuz I'm not. See how that works?

 

But seriously, I'm not.

[+9Key]

I've used several pseudonyms over the years. I do it because people have certain expectations of what my hides should be. I see it as being similar to a Mick Jagger solo album. He wants to do some songs that just don't fit with the Stones sound so he does his own thing.

[+Snoogans]

I've used several pseudonyms over the years. I do it because people have certain expectations of what my hides should be. I see it as being similar to a Mick Jagger solo album. He wants to do some songs that just don't fit with the Stones sound so he does his own thing.

 

Yep, you are one of the cachers I was thinking of. I remember when C.E. was trying to compete with you on hides and I just shook my head thinkin' you already had him beat if you even chose to compete if you just outed a few of your other accounts. Sheesh, I remember he wanted to bet money.

 

It's funny though. Now, some people just assume a new hider in DFW is YOU until they actually show up at an event.

 

Some of your pseudonyms are real knee slappers. You set the bar pretty high.

Edited August 7, 2008 by Snoogans

[+BlueDeuce]

 

I know thousands of maintainable cache worthy locations. If I put a cache in EVERY one someone would find reason to cry loudly about any number of perceived motivations that are frankly none of their business for me to have so many hides. (Probably a person from out of the area too.) Not to mention that many would not fit with my personal "Snoogans" style of hiding. It would change the Snoogans brand name in essence.

 

Nope, I'd rather hide a generic brand name cache or create a NEW brand name to give folks a reason to guess. You'd be surprised how much FUN a little mystery can be.

 

Fun perhaps. Throw them off more by having it published under another known (or little known) real cacher. Maybe even by someone far away.

 

Adopt it back later if necessary.

[Mystery Casher]

Thanks for the idea, this sounds like it could be fun and somewhat interesting.

[+Snoogans]

Thanks for the idea, this sounds like it could be fun and somewhat interesting.

 

You're welcome.

 

However, pseudonyms hiding caches within the guidelines are one thing. Pseudonyms posting in the forums are viewed a bit differently. Read the terms of service (TOS) for the forum and don't make more work for the mods and you'll do fine.

 

As a general rule my pseudonym accounts DON'T post in the Groundspeak forums and on the local forums where they sometimes do post, the mods are aware that it is ME.

[+9Key]

I've used several pseudonyms over the years. I do it because people have certain expectations of what my hides should be. I see it as being similar to a Mick Jagger solo album. He wants to do some songs that just don't fit with the Stones sound so he does his own thing.

 

Yep, you are one of the cachers I was thinking of. I remember when C.E. was trying to compete with you on hides and I just shook my head thinkin' you already had him beat if you even chose to compete if you just outed a few of your other accounts. Sheesh, I remember he wanted to be money.

 

It's funny though. Now, some people just assume a new hider in DFW is YOU until they actually show up at an event.

 

Some of your pseudonyms are real knee slappers. You set the bar pretty high.

Thanks dude! I try my best!

[+OzzieSan]

Why create a separate account? Just change the name in the "placed by" field. Much simpler.

 

 

Because if you click on the link behind "A cache by" it will take you to the real owner of the cache...

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...9a-b7db19a0e047

Edited August 7, 2008 by OzzieSan

[the unknown cacher1]

I created this name specifically to hide some caches. I have a friend who caches who seems is semi stalking my hides and finds (it's kind of weird actually) so I have a few caches I want to hide and I don't want her to associate them with me and maybe she'll let somebody else get the ftf on them.

[+larry739]

a long time ago we had a sockpuppet hide some very good caches.

 

i figured out who he was. the answer was a surprise to me, but once i'd figured him out he protested loudly and angrily that it wasn't him.

 

but i had (and still retain) evidence that would hold up in court.

 

i have never hidden a cache under any of my sockpuppet accounts, but i have found some that way.

 

i had one called "shen ku sockpuppet" that one of our area cachers pointed out loudly and triumphantly was *gasp* a sockpuppet!

 

good detective work there.

 

not the brightest crayon in the box. these days she signs all her logs in maroon, with a cute little saying that (since she obviously doesn't actually speak french) sounds even goofier in french than it does in english. doesn't get enough attention at home, i guess.

 

meow

[River Cacher]

There seems to be a certain amount of expectation from certain hiders. Some hiders you expect MORE from and some hiders you expect less. These are your local Brand Names. Some of these Brand Name hiders become very well known by word of mouth for whatever reason whether positive or negative. Usually positive though, in my experience. Some of these Brand Names are actually generic accounts used to misdirect attention/expectation from another user.

 

I've known for a long time that a few Brand Name cachers will hide a cache, or three, or ten, on a sock puppet (generic) account to throw the expectation off, to make an out of character hide, to start a NEW Brand Name, or just to have a little fun and keep people guessing.

 

Locally, there has been a lot of speculation an a NEW hider calling him/herself The Secret Agent. There has been a lot of speculation and a lot of fun over this account. At a local event I attended today, you had to check a box whether or not YOU were The Secret Agent as you signed in. More than half the names I saw had checked "Yes."

 

I may or may not have a generic account or two that may or may not have hidden a cache or two. I'm NOT the Secret Agent though.

 

So,

 

Have you done it?

 

Would you create a genaric account to hide a cache that is out of character for YOU?

 

Are there any local mystery hiders in your area like our Secret Agent?

 

Share your thoughts or a link to your local mystery hider(s).

I have not and will not make up a generic name to hide caches.

I do not like the idea of making a new account to throw off cachers or reviewers.

I Think if you need to do this then you have issues on what or how you are doing your hides.

I have published over 190 caches so far and I have had some issues on getting some published due to being under the .10 guideline. Even when there was obstacles and no direct routes to the other caches that fell just short of the distance. I could have got the cache approved if I would have had it under a different name but I will never do this so i moved it a little further to get it published. I have also been warned of saturation and if one gets turned down it is my own fault for putting it to close to a bunch of my others

Where I live in Idaho there is several cachers such as your Secret Agent that use different names on there cache listings to try and through cachers and reviewers off I know who some are but I will always plead the fifth because this is there choice to do as they want.

I think there is no reason to place any caches under another name because I think it is very challenging for me to change my caches around and hide them differently so it is not the same. I love to do a few in the same style of containers then use the same but in disguise it always throws cachers off.

I started out trying to hide all ammo cans because I could not stand micros and especially Nanos but as time went on and I discovered the challenge of finding them and that it is just to hard to hide ammo cans everywhere so I now do a mixture of them.

When I need to make a different name up to hide caches for cachers to find or reviewers to approve them i need to quit hiding them or move out further on placing them.

[River Cacher]

There seems to be a certain amount of expectation from certain hiders. Some hiders you expect MORE from and some hiders you expect less. These are your local Brand Names. Some of these Brand Name hiders become very well known by word of mouth for whatever reason whether positive or negative. Usually positive though, in my experience. Some of these Brand Names are actually generic accounts used to misdirect attention/expectation from another user.

 

I've known for a long time that a few Brand Name cachers will hide a cache, or three, or ten, on a sock puppet (generic) account to throw the expectation off, to make an out of character hide, to start a NEW Brand Name, or just to have a little fun and keep people guessing.

 

Locally, there has been a lot of speculation an a NEW hider calling him/herself The Secret Agent. There has been a lot of speculation and a lot of fun over this account. At a local event I attended today, you had to check a box whether or not YOU were The Secret Agent as you signed in. More than half the names I saw had checked "Yes."

 

I may or may not have a generic account or two that may or may not have hidden a cache or two. I'm NOT the Secret Agent though.

 

So,

 

Have you done it?

 

Would you create a genaric account to hide a cache that is out of character for YOU?

 

Are there any local mystery hiders in your area like our Secret Agent?

 

Share your thoughts or a link to your local mystery hider(s).

I have not and will not make up a generic name to hide caches.

I do not like the idea of making a new account to throw off cachers or reviewers.

I Think if you need to do this then you have issues on what or how you are doing your hides.

I have published over 190 caches so far and I have had some issues on getting some published due to being under the .10 guideline. Even when there was obstacles and no direct routes to the other caches that fell just short of the distance. I could have got the cache approved if I would have had it under a different name but I will never do this so i moved it a little further to get it published. I have also been warned of saturation and if one gets turned down it is my own fault for putting it to close to a bunch of my others

Where I live in Idaho there is several cachers such as your Secret Agent that use different names on there cache listings to try and through cachers and reviewers off I know who some are but I will always plead the fifth because this is there choice to do as they want.

I think there is no reason to place any caches under another name because I think it is very challenging for me to change my caches around and hide them differently so it is not the same. I love to do a few in the same style of containers then use the same but in disguise it always throws cachers off.

I started out trying to hide all ammo cans because I could not stand micros and especially Nanos but as time went on and I discovered the challenge of finding them and that it is just to hard to hide ammo cans everywhere so I now do a mixture of them.

When I need to make a different name up to hide caches for cachers to find or reviewers to approve them i need to quit hiding them or move out further on placing them.

I did change my name once from crabpod to River Cacher after a move and a divorce and had to use a River Cacher_old to straighten out some issues on name change and now it is a mess on the forum because River Cacher is linked to River Cacher_old somehow if you check my profile and I have to go find help to straighten this out LOL

[four wheelin fool]

I created this name specifically to hide some caches. I have a friend who caches who seems is semi stalking my hides and finds (it's kind of weird actually) so I have a few caches I want to hide and I don't want her to associate them with me and maybe she'll let somebody else get the ftf on them.

 

And as long as you don't post anything in these forums, you should be OK.

[+Snoogans]

I created this name specifically to hide some caches. I have a friend who caches who seems is semi stalking my hides and finds (it's kind of weird actually) so I have a few caches I want to hide and I don't want her to associate them with me and maybe she'll let somebody else get the ftf on them.

 

And as long as you don't post anything in these forums, you should be OK.

 

I've been thinking about this and given the subject matter, I think the mods would be leanient on SPs in this particular thread if they behaved themselves.

[4wheelin_fool]

I created this name specifically to hide some caches. I have a friend who caches who seems is semi stalking my hides and finds (it's kind of weird actually) so I have a few caches I want to hide and I don't want her to associate them with me and maybe she'll let somebody else get the ftf on them.

 

And as long as you don't post anything in these forums, you should be OK.

 

I've been thinking about this and given the subject matter, I think the mods would be leanient on SPs in this particular thread if they behaved themselves.

 

SPs?

 

What is that? Snoogan's People?

[Clan Riffster]

I have a sock, but it wasn't created for that purpose. So far it has no hides.

[+Mule Ears]

It's an interesting idea, hiding out-of-character caches under a different brand name or account. But then we'd miss out on comments like this one from our recent 1/1 cache:

 

A FTF on a Mule Ears cache without the 4star terrain, sweet!