Cache rating System

[+The Spokes]

I have no idea if this has been discussed here before but I emailed GS and was asked to post this here as it concerned the whole community so here goes.

 

Wouldn’t it be nice it have an anonymous cache rating system when logging a cache.

The Cache would show the average only after say five logs.

This way we could search for caches above 50% rating or a rating of our choosing.

People who have caches below 20% may well consider archiving there caches.

This could be a guideline.

This way the quality of caches may well rise.

I said a few years ago, will it still be fun when there is a cache under every stone and pile of sticks.

We not there yet, but well on the way in the UK . Project caching for 4 or 5 years and things will get worse. Something has to be done to improve the slandered now before it’s too late.

A new cacher finds a cache. It has logs TFTC TNFN found easy. And so forth. They think this is the norm and put one out of the same standard.

Perhaps they would think twice if that cache had a lowly rating of 5% or 10% and would replicate a 60% or 70% rated cache instead. That way we would all benefit.

I spend longer these days trying to select the caches to do, than doing them. (well it feels like it) Reading the description and the logs.

 

When there were 50 caches in a 10 mile radius things were not too bad but now with hundreds and in four years there will be thousands. A rating system would make sense.

 

Any views?

[+tozainamboku]

Something has to be done to improve the slandered now before it’s too late.

Interesting typo. Is it a Freudian slip?

 

A lot of people object to a straight forward rating system where ratings from anonymous cachers are averaged to give the cache a single overall rating. The problem is that different people enjoy caching for different reasons. Some people actually like to find those TFTC easy to find caches. Others like caches that take them to interesting places. Still others enjoy puzzles or challenging difficult hides. I hope you can see that some people's standards may be someone else's slandered.

 

Still I agree that as the number of caches available to find goes up, people would like tools to help find the caches they would enjoy most. One way is to do what you already do - spend time reviewing the cache descriptions and logs to find ones you like. Premium members can create bookmark lists and can help other cachers by building list of caches they like (or didn't like). If you find someone who has similar likes to you and they have a bookmark list it can help you to select caches. There have been a few suggestion that have gotten a better response than a simple rating system and Jeremy has even posted positively about implementing some of these.

 

One would keep ratings completely hidden, but use them to make recommendations a la Netflix or Amazon - you might have link on each cache page of other caches that were liked by people who gave this cache a good rating. Or perhaps it could recommend caches by looking for caches liked by people who also liked some of the cache you rated high.

 

Another idea would be to allow premium members to designate one of their bookmark lists for their favorite caches or for caches they would recommend. The system could allow you search for caches that got several recommendations. You may or may not like this cache but you now know that several people thought it was exceptional. You could look a the descriptions and logs of these recommended caches first perhaps saving you sometime. This could be expanded by having favorites list for several categories - best cammo, best hike, best park 'n grab, etc.

[+Prime Suspect]

I have no idea if this has been discussed here before but I emailed GS and was asked to post this here as it concerned the whole community so here goes.

You would have, if you had bothered to used Search. Then you would have known that you're the 147th person to suggest a rating system. This year.

[+The Spokes]

Oh well! Perahps GS hardly every reads this forum ether or it was just a nice way to tell me to get lost and not too bother them.

 

Thank you for your feedback. Since this is a concept that affects all geocachers, I am going to suggest that you post this in the Geocaching.com Web Site forum. You can reach this forum at this link http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=8

[+flask]

GS reads the forum. they just don't comment on everything.

 

but yes, they threw you to the sharks. they know EXACTLY how much this gets brought up.