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favourite points for basic members


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hi all

 

i would like basic members to have favourite points because i would like to award some cachers by giving them a favourite point without using dads.

 

i think basic members should have to get 100 caches before getting 1 favourite point then the 10 to 1 rate after the 100 because there some good and great caches out there that i want to give a point to.

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That sounds like a reasonable idea to me. In the meantime, one of the best ways you can thank a cache owner is to write a really nice log telling them about your adventure and how much you enjoyed yourself. A favourite point is a marker, but it doesn't tell anything about what made the cache your favourite. In some cases it will be the view, in other cases it may be the container or the challenge of the find or if it is a special milestone for you.

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It's good that you want to thank COs, but I'm fine with Favorites remaining a Premium feature. The idea, as I understand it, is that Basic members get listings and Maps to find and place caches, but the perks are for those who pay.

 

These days a good, long log is more of a reward to most COs than a Favorite; Favorites mostly help other seekers know what the best caches are.

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hi all

 

i would like basic members to have favourite points because i would like to award some cachers by giving them a favourite point without using dads.

 

i think basic members should have to get 100 caches before getting 1 favourite point then the 10 to 1 rate after the 100 because there some good and great caches out there that i want to give a point to.

 

I don't agree with watering down the PM benefits this way. Next, everyone will get bookmark lists, and pq's, etc. Then there won't be any point in paying for PM. I know if I got PM perks without paying for them, then I wouldn't. What would be the point?

 

While your father can award a favorite point, you can write some original logs under your username. Copy & paste logs are boring to read, so why not make the effort to reward the cache owner with original, interesting, individual logs?

 

Original, interesting, individual logs would be very appreciated by the cache owner and other cachers. The logs would tell a story much more effectively than another favorite point would.

 

B.

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It seems to me that there's little benefit for the person awarding a favourite point, whereas any benefit which is derived is either to the owner of the cache who receives one, who may get a warm glow of satisfaction in a job well done; or a benefit to subsequent cachers who may be able to use the favourite points as a filter to sort out the wheat from the chaff.

 

If there's no benefit in being able to award favourites then I don't see any good reason why the ability should be restricted to PMs, so I guess I'm in favour :rolleyes: of the proposal in the OP.

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It seems to me that there's little benefit for the person awarding a favourite point, whereas any benefit which is derived is either to the owner of the cache who receives one, who may get a warm glow of satisfaction in a job well done; or a benefit to subsequent cachers who may be able to use the favourite points as a filter to sort out the wheat from the chaff.

 

If there's no benefit in being able to award favourites then I don't see any good reason why the ability should be restricted to PMs, so I guess I'm in favour :rolleyes: of the proposal in the OP.

 

PM Benefits creep. First one thing, then another....

 

My favorite PM Benefits are bookmark lists and favorite points. Why should *I* pay for them, when they are no longer a PM Benefit?

 

What's the purpose of awarding a static number (favorite point) when the log is not informative at all? Copy & paste of all the other logs posted...but a favorite point? Why did one feel the need to award a favorite point, when the cache was so boring that it earns a log that says nothing more than "I was here"?

 

A well-written, individual-to-that-cache, log would be beneficial to everyone.

 

A cache that would earn a favorite point should be worth a more than a copy & paste log that does not distinguish it from all the other caches with the same copy & paste log, no?

 

B.

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I don't notice favourite points, but I always appreciate a detailed log.

 

I notice, and actively look for, favorite points. But i also make sure to read logs too.

 

For example, favs mean nothing to me if they were put on a cache soley because of it's age. A cache placed in 2000 or 2001 doesn't automatically equate to being a good cache. Many times the listing is the same but the cache has been replaced, moved, or changed in size and is nothing like it originally was placed.

 

What others have said,, writing up a good log with a few details on what you liked about the cache is probably a better way of showing gratitude. Doing this also gives useable information, along with a nice read, to future finders.

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I don't notice favourite points, but I always appreciate a detailed log.

 

I notice, and actively look for, favorite points. But i also make sure to read logs too.

 

For example, favs mean nothing to me if they were put on a cache soley because of it's age. A cache placed in 2000 or 2001 doesn't automatically equate to being a good cache. Many times the listing is the same but the cache has been replaced, moved, or changed in size and is nothing like it originally was placed.

 

What others have said,, writing up a good log with a few details on what you liked about the cache is probably a better way of showing gratitude. Doing this also gives useable information, along with a nice read, to future finders.

 

How do you know why someone put a favourite point on a cache?

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Well like all things ... if it ain't broke don't try and fix it.

 

The OP thinks he should be able to have something for free. He already has geocaching access. Why offer anything else. He wants it he contributes to its upkeep. Costs usually only go up. As something grows it will cost more.

 

You want it you help pay for it. Then you get that awe inspiring message "we think you're a real geocaching hero in our eyes your the tops"!

 

Be a hero and join the real cachers gang.

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I don't notice favourite points, but I always appreciate a detailed log.

 

I notice, and actively look for, favorite points. But i also make sure to read logs too.

 

For example, favs mean nothing to me if they were put on a cache soley because of it's age. A cache placed in 2000 or 2001 doesn't automatically equate to being a good cache. Many times the listing is the same but the cache has been replaced, moved, or changed in size and is nothing like it originally was placed.

 

What others have said,, writing up a good log with a few details on what you liked about the cache is probably a better way of showing gratitude. Doing this also gives useable information, along with a nice read, to future finders.

 

How do you know why someone put a favourite point on a cache?

 

Exactly - you don't. Unless you want to take the time to cross-reference the list of who favourited a cache and the logs they wrote, which might give you some inkling of the why. I have given away nine totally irrelevant favourite points - one for each 100 cache milestone. I know a lot of people will give a favourite point just because they are first to find.

 

The OP is suggesting that basic members can earn a favourite point for every 100 caches found (instead of every 10), which sounds reasonable to me and doesn't seem too infringing on PM benefits. However, maybe Pup Patrol has a point: What if the next request is one pocket query a week? I'm not sure that would concern me either, but I appreciate that it would bother others.

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I don't notice favourite points, but I always appreciate a detailed log.

 

I notice, and actively look for, favorite points. But i also make sure to read logs too.

 

For example, favs mean nothing to me if they were put on a cache soley because of it's age. A cache placed in 2000 or 2001 doesn't automatically equate to being a good cache. Many times the listing is the same but the cache has been replaced, moved, or changed in size and is nothing like it originally was placed.

 

What others have said,, writing up a good log with a few details on what you liked about the cache is probably a better way of showing gratitude. Doing this also gives useable information, along with a nice read, to future finders.

 

How do you know why someone put a favourite point on a cache?

 

I don't know, at first!

 

If i run a query, i usually sort for favorite points first. If i see a cache with favs, then i look at it more closely to see if it may be interesting to me. At this point, i most likely still have no idea why the fav was given so i then look at the cache description and the logs to see what information they provide. Doing this, it's usually easy to determine why the majority of points were given.

 

One example is this Cache. It's been faved over 1200 times but if you read the logs, it's easy to see why the favs were given. It's simply the oldest listing and that's important to alot of people. Not saying this is wrong or anything,,, it's just not a reason for me to give a cache a favorite point.

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I don't know, at first!

 

If i run a query, i usually sort for favorite points first. If i see a cache with favs, then i look at it more closely to see if it may be interesting to me. At this point, i most likely still have no idea why the fav was given so i then look at the cache description and the logs to see what information they provide. Doing this, it's usually easy to determine why the majority of points were given.

 

One example is this Cache. It's been faved over 1200 times but if you read the logs, it's easy to see why the favs were given. It's simply the oldest listing and that's important to alot of people. Not saying this is wrong or anything,,, it's just not a reason for me to give a cache a favorite point.

 

Oh, I see.

 

Honestly, when I notice a cache with a lot of points, I tend to assume that it won't be interesting to me.

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The OP is a kid. Cut him some slack. The advice for him to write meaningful logs is useful. The jibes about something-for-nothing and such are not.

 

Jibe? What on earth at you on about. To harmonise and agree? Anyway ..

 

If you meant he is a kid cut him some slack because he does not have enough money because he is a kid ... you should have jumped in to save the kid who had 11,000 finds but placed a vacation cache ... the forum tore him a new one.

 

Just because someone is a kid it does not detract from the need for rules of use to be followed. Apply this to any walk of life where you pay for services rendered and you get sorry no money no service.

 

Does he get his karate belts for free because he is a kid or like everyone else does he have to buy them.

Sweets?

Bus rides?

Computer game.

 

Anything at all that relies upon an organisation to survive through business means. No. They don't. They have to save or get it as a gift or work doing errands chores call it what you will. But at the end of the day it teaches that need, reauires some form of sacrifice. Has to be earnt. Be that by waiting. Or by asking for it as a gift for a birthday.

 

He may be a kid but the action would apply to ALL members. So the point stands kid or no.

 

This isn't a jibe it's a fact of life.

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hi all

 

i would like basic members to have favourite points because i would like to award some cachers by giving them a favourite point without using dads.

I'd like to see premium features stay with premium members.

Now, I'd bet it wouldn't take much coaching for Dad to realize a PM on your birthday or Christmas could replace something that would have cost him much more. :)

- If you were never a PM before, you've got a few points accrued.

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I think the OP has a good idea there. Especially if he is a kid that can't afford premium membership. It is really cool that he came up with a plan...Not just that everyone should get to have favorites like everyone else. He made it one for every 100. I also don't see where he said he would copy and paste a log for his favorites. I am sure he would write something special to say why that cache deserved his special favorite as he only gets to give out 1 for every 100 he finds.

I don't think this site will do it but I think he presented it in a good way and I don't necessarily think it is a bad idea. Keep on caching kid! Glad to have you playing!

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Not just that everyone should get to have favorites like everyone else. He made it one for every 100. I also don't see where he said he would copy and paste a log for his favorites. I am sure he would write something special to say why that cache deserved his special favorite as he only gets to give out 1 for every 100 he finds.

I don't think this site will do it but I think he presented it in a good way and I don't necessarily think it is a bad idea. Keep on caching kid! Glad to have you playing!

 

The OP actually wanted 1 FP for the first 100 finds, then the same 1:10 ratio that paying premium members get.

 

As others have said - writing a good log on a cache to communicate your enjoyment of it to the person who put it there for you to find is at least as meaningful as awarding a FP, and certainly a lot better than the same cut-and-paste log on every cache.

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It seems to me that there's little benefit for the person awarding a favourite point, whereas any benefit which is derived is either to the owner of the cache who receives one, who may get a warm glow of satisfaction in a job well done; or a benefit to subsequent cachers who may be able to use the favourite points as a filter to sort out the wheat from the chaff.

 

If there's no benefit in being able to award favourites then I don't see any good reason why the ability should be restricted to PMs, so I guess I'm in favour :rolleyes: of the proposal in the OP.

 

PM Benefits creep. First one thing, then another....

 

 

If anything, benefit creep is going in the other direction; that is, features available to basic members are being taken away.

 

One of the biggest complaints about hew new search engine is the difference in behavior between basic and premium members.

 

My sense is that GS is starting to redefine what it means to be a "basic" member and that features such as advanced search with more than the ability to discover caches more than 30 miles of a single location is more than "basic". It may be that a "basic" member only gets features which only give someone a taste of the game and not much more.

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There is a way round the 30 mile search results on a map. Maybe an easier way but

 

Go to one of those caches.

Find all nearby caches.

Map this location.

All caches on map again including those over 30 miles.

 

And as for membership as a taster - well that's just business. It's the peanuts on the bar, the tasters in the supermarket and 30 day free trial on downloadeds. If anything it was a good deal for free a while ago and it got better when they upped the free caches amount per day.

 

Yet still they left a back door way to log premium caches as well if you're a member. And you can still see ALL caches on the map, premium or otherwise, at certain magnifications. You could certainly blag quite a few.

 

They need to balance what would interest people, profits, gains for premium membership, value for money for the customer.

 

I would say that many people cache and have caches for years because the old system works just fine. If it's changing it is because numbers are down, profits are down, interest is down or all of the above.

 

That could be caused by many things:

 

Generation age flux

 

Cost

 

Landowner rules introduced and enforced. This increases roadside caches for certain. Who can be bothered to pay £30.00 for land registry searches per area to find out who the land owner is. Or traipse door to door and have to front up to people who have nothing to gain by it. Footpath rules do not include caching as an occupation though it's implied it isn't good enough. So it's approach land owner or pay. Well regardless of what anyone says on here, the majority will just not have the confidence to do that.

 

Falling foul of the local geocaching community because they have breached some rule they never knew existed. They never knew it existed because they are not forced to read the rules. Even if they do they still ignore them - TB hotels.

 

Lack of control we as end users have to force our wants and needs. You CANNOT have the tail wagging the dog but the farce over grounspeak dictating that a reviewer instruct a cache owner to order finders to NOT use a certain footpath to a cache. That they must use the other footpath to reach the cache on the landowners property who HAD agreed to have it there. The next door neighbour complained to grounspeak about people reaching it across his land via a footpath. The cache was archived. This is UK law but despite this becoming quite high profile it was pushed aside. Problem goes away. Reviewer goes away. Bad feeling perpetuates and people like me think pffffff it's just not worth it.

 

The three DNF's and its disabled rule. This is no good. It does not matter who looks for it even if they say 16 pairs of eyes looked. In reality it was 2 at most. You couldn't fit that many into a gateway. But all those that were present hit the DNF button. Cache disabled. Spend your fuel going to find it's still there.

 

Newbie cachers - rules say find 200 caches before setting your own. Whatever. How many times have you seen 30 finds 40 caches owned or some such.

 

These problems add to decline in interest. I'm not complaining. I'm stating what happens. It does not effect me. It does those I speak to. But if you start to erode what we already have as premium members you change things. If you change things people have to get used to new things. And inherently people do not like doing that really. Unless you give them something for free lol.

 

So members should be given a good taster - I agree with the more caches per day rule. Which imo should cut off after 30 days. That's usually enough to weed out the dross. But make premium membership cheaper. This would encourage more users. More user paying less is better than less users paying more and a load of freeloaders who find various ways to get more out of their free access.

 

Sorry but that's just business. Same as using the bus, buying a Berger, riding a rollercoaster, parking a car. Some can use the service and some cannot. Unfortunately someone has to pay for its upkeep and the people who run it.

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It seems to me that there's little benefit for the person awarding a favourite point, whereas any benefit which is derived is either to the owner of the cache who receives one, who may get a warm glow of satisfaction in a job well done; or a benefit to subsequent cachers who may be able to use the favourite points as a filter to sort out the wheat from the chaff.

 

If there's no benefit in being able to award favourites then I don't see any good reason why the ability should be restricted to PMs, so I guess I'm in favour :rolleyes: of the proposal in the OP.

 

PM Benefits creep. First one thing, then another....

 

 

If anything, benefit creep is going in the other direction; that is, features available to basic members are being taken away.

 

One of the biggest complaints about hew new search engine is the difference in behavior between basic and premium members.

 

My sense is that GS is starting to redefine what it means to be a "basic" member and that features such as advanced search with more than the ability to discover caches more than 30 miles of a single location is more than "basic". It may be that a "basic" member only gets features which only give someone a taste of the game and not much more.

 

I'm not completely positive but i believe that Jeremy himself stated a longggg time ago that geocaching would remain free to play forever. I have a feeling that he may now have regrets announcing that. There will probably always be free basic service but like you say, Groundspeak is gradually changing things to make it harder to for these members to play. It's a business strategy that may pay off.

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I think it is a reasonable suggestion.

 

The way I see FPs is they are (generally) good for the game. (I know this point can be debated, but let's assume they are).

 

As others have said, the main benefit of FPs is to the cache owners, and other cachers, not the person who gave it. I see this benefit being distinctly different from all the other premium features. All the others are generally about making it easier for the specific cacher to geocache.

 

There is an argument, that if FPs are a good thing, then having more cachers allowed to vote is a good thing for all.

 

To me, SEEING the number of FPs is the bigger benefit; as a tool in choosing caches to find. It would make more sense to me to let basic members award FPs, but not be able to see how many FPs a cache has. Of course then they couldn't find challenge caches based on number of FPs on caches they find.

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The OP is a kid. Cut him some slack. The advice for him to write meaningful logs is useful. The jibes about something-for-nothing and such are not.

 

Jibe? What on earth at you on about. To harmonise and agree? Anyway ..

 

If you meant he is a kid cut him some slack because he does not have enough money because he is a kid ... you should have jumped in to save the kid who had 11,000 finds but placed a vacation cache ... the forum tore him a new one.

 

Just because someone is a kid it does not detract from the need for rules of use to be followed. Apply this to any walk of life where you pay for services rendered and you get sorry no money no service.

 

Does he get his karate belts for free because he is a kid or like everyone else does he have to buy them.

Sweets?

Bus rides?

Computer game.

 

Anything at all that relies upon an organisation to survive through business means. No. They don't. They have to save or get it as a gift or work doing errands chores call it what you will. But at the end of the day it teaches that need, reauires some form of sacrifice. Has to be earnt. Be that by waiting. Or by asking for it as a gift for a birthday.

 

He may be a kid but the action would apply to ALL members. So the point stands kid or no.

 

This isn't a jibe it's a fact of life.

 

Ouch!! You are one tough cookie, aren't you? There are ways of saying things to a young person, and there are ways of saying the same things to an adult. I'm sure that neither K13, nor anyone else here was saying anything like what you are going on about. Let's try to be a little kinder here, OK?

 

Actually, limited favorite points sound quite reasonable to me, and I would hope that Groundspeak would consider it. Even limited PQs make sense from the standpoint of giving a member (non-PM) a taste of what PQs are like and what they can do for them.

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hi all

 

i would like basic members to have favourite points because i would like to award some cachers by giving them a favourite point without using dads.

I'd like to see premium features stay with premium members.

Agreed. Premium features like one favorite point per 10 finds should indeed remain with premium members.

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Not just that everyone should get to have favorites like everyone else. He made it one for every 100. I also don't see where he said he would copy and paste a log for his favorites. I am sure he would write something special to say why that cache deserved his special favorite as he only gets to give out 1 for every 100 he finds.

I don't think this site will do it but I think he presented it in a good way and I don't necessarily think it is a bad idea. Keep on caching kid! Glad to have you playing!

 

The OP actually wanted 1 FP for the first 100 finds, then the same 1:10 ratio that paying premium members get.

True... that is what the OP said. But that doesn't mean that is what it must be. I think a starting point of maybe 100 finds is good to keep the temporary cachers from messing things up. And then, perhaps something like one FP for every 50 finds. As Premium Members, we get one FP for every 10. Not that it is really up to us... its what Groundspeak thinks that really matters, of course.

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So basic members get FP if they were nice logs and are kids?!

Well I broke my arm just before Christmas so couldn't do any T5 caching do I get a refund for not using my premium membership to its full extent for 4 months? No I don't do why should someone child or adult get something free when others pay? Nice idea but same as getting a refund for something that isn't the owners fault,, would be nice to have this for free but there's a reason we pay for what we use.

geordiell

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The OP is a kid. Cut him some slack. The advice for him to write meaningful logs is useful. The jibes about something-for-nothing and such are not.

 

Jibe? What on earth at you on about. To harmonise and agree? Anyway ..

 

If you meant he is a kid cut him some slack because he does not have enough money because he is a kid ... you should have jumped in to save the kid who had 11,000 finds but placed a vacation cache ... the forum tore him a new one.

 

Just because someone is a kid it does not detract from the need for rules of use to be followed. Apply this to any walk of life where you pay for services rendered and you get sorry no money no service.

 

Does he get his karate belts for free because he is a kid or like everyone else does he have to buy them.

Sweets?

Bus rides?

Computer game.

 

Anything at all that relies upon an organisation to survive through business means. No. They don't. They have to save or get it as a gift or work doing errands chores call it what you will. But at the end of the day it teaches that need, reauires some form of sacrifice. Has to be earnt. Be that by waiting. Or by asking for it as a gift for a birthday.

 

He may be a kid but the action would apply to ALL members. So the point stands kid or no.

 

This isn't a jibe it's a fact of life.

 

I think the point was that a kid is asking a question and let's discuss the idea calmly and welcome the young cacher into the discussion. There have been recent threads where an OP felt attacked. It hasn't gotten to that here and I think k13 was basically saying let's not let it get to that.

 

Agreed that if premium perks start getting handed out to basic members then there's less reason to be a premium member.

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The OP is a kid. Cut him some slack. The advice for him to write meaningful logs is useful. The jibes about something-for-nothing and such are not.

 

Jibe? What on earth at you on about. To harmonise and agree? Anyway ..

 

If you meant he is a kid cut him some slack because he does not have enough money because he is a kid ... you should have jumped in to save the kid who had 11,000 finds but placed a vacation cache ... the forum tore him a new one.

 

Just because someone is a kid it does not detract from the need for rules of use to be followed. Apply this to any walk of life where you pay for services rendered and you get sorry no money no service.

 

Does he get his karate belts for free because he is a kid or like everyone else does he have to buy them.

Sweets?

Bus rides?

Computer game.

 

Anything at all that relies upon an organisation to survive through business means. No. They don't. They have to save or get it as a gift or work doing errands chores call it what you will. But at the end of the day it teaches that need, reauires some form of sacrifice. Has to be earnt. Be that by waiting. Or by asking for it as a gift for a birthday.

 

He may be a kid but the action would apply to ALL members. So the point stands kid or no.

 

This isn't a jibe it's a fact of life.

 

I think the point was that a kid is asking a question and let's discuss the idea calmly and welcome the young cacher into the discussion. There have been recent threads where an OP felt attacked. It hasn't gotten to that here and I think k13 was basically saying let's not let it get to that.

 

Agreed that if premium perks start getting handed out to basic members then there's less reason to be a premium member.

Well-put. Thanks.

 

Nothing wrong with giving out limited samples of premium perks. Seems like a sound business plan to me.

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Myself, i think everyone who caches should be able to contribute to our hobby by way of giving favorite points. Whether basic or premium, everyone has an opinion of what makes a cache more special to them. This would benefit everyone who uses favorite points to assist in finding more interesting caches.

 

What i would like to see, is a delay to when a cacher can start giving favorite points. Not that they don't have an opinion but, a newer cacher with say, 15 finds, might come across a cache that they think is awesome (lpc for example) and award it a fav. Chances are that they will change their mind about how great that cache really was if they stay with our hobby any length of time. B)

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Not just that everyone should get to have favorites like everyone else. He made it one for every 100. I also don't see where he said he would copy and paste a log for his favorites. I am sure he would write something special to say why that cache deserved his special favorite as he only gets to give out 1 for every 100 he finds.

I don't think this site will do it but I think he presented it in a good way and I don't necessarily think it is a bad idea. Keep on caching kid! Glad to have you playing!

 

The OP actually wanted 1 FP for the first 100 finds, then the same 1:10 ratio that paying premium members get.

True... that is what the OP said. But that doesn't mean that is what it must be. I think a starting point of maybe 100 finds is good to keep the temporary cachers from messing things up.

 

It would also keep those that don't have the luxury of living someplace with thousands of caches to find the opportunity to use that benefit. There are 150 countries in the world with fewer than 100 caches.

 

 

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I don't know, at first!

 

If i run a query, i usually sort for favorite points first. If i see a cache with favs, then i look at it more closely to see if it may be interesting to me. At this point, i most likely still have no idea why the fav was given so i then look at the cache description and the logs to see what information they provide. Doing this, it's usually easy to determine why the majority of points were given.

 

One example is this Cache. It's been faved over 1200 times but if you read the logs, it's easy to see why the favs were given. It's simply the oldest listing and that's important to alot of people. Not saying this is wrong or anything,,, it's just not a reason for me to give a cache a favorite point.

 

Oh, I see.

 

Honestly, when I notice a cache with a lot of points, I tend to assume that it won't be interesting to me.

 

Oh, come on, really? I swear most of your replies are just to incite the clashing philosophies here.

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Myself, i think everyone who caches should be able to contribute to our hobby by way of giving favorite points. Whether basic or premium, everyone has an opinion of what makes a cache more special to them. This would benefit everyone who uses favorite points to assist in finding more interesting caches.

 

I AM an elitist but I still agree wholeheartedly with this.

 

I do not consider favorite points at all when I renew my membership but I believe their importance is being underplayed here on the site. I like the 100 idea..

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Myself, i think everyone who caches should be able to contribute to our hobby by way of giving favorite points. Whether basic or premium, everyone has an opinion of what makes a cache more special to them. This would benefit everyone who uses favorite points to assist in finding more interesting caches.

 

I AM an elitist but I still agree wholeheartedly with this.

 

I do not consider favorite points at all when I renew my membership but I believe their importance is being underplayed here on the site. I like the 100 idea..

 

I'm sold on the idea too. With only 1 to give for every 100, the basic cacher will likely be quite choosy about which cache gets that FP. It would be good for cache owners too.

VP has a point though, it will throw a snag into the FP percentage calculation.

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With only 1 to give for every 100, the basic cacher will likely be quite choosy about which cache gets that FP. It would be good for cache owners too.

Okay, with a basic member having to be more frugal with points, that's not a bad idea.

Edited by cerberus1
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With only 1 to give for every 100, the basic cacher will likely be quite choosy about which cache gets that FP. It would be good for cache owners too.

Okay, with a basic member having to be more frugal with points, that's not a bad idea.

 

One hundred cut and paste logs in return for one Favourite Point?

 

I'd rather encourage decent logging standards with an extra special log for the favourite cache.

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Well like all things ... if it ain't broke don't try and fix it.

 

The OP thinks he should be able to have something for free. He already has geocaching access. Why offer anything else. He wants it he contributes to its upkeep. Costs usually only go up. As something grows it will cost more.

 

You want it you help pay for it. Then you get that awe inspiring message "we think you're a real geocaching hero in our eyes your the tops"!

 

Be a hero and join the real cachers gang.

 

No need to dump on the OP who is merely looking to make a contribution and would derive no benefit from being allowed to issue favorite points.

 

Favorite points serve only three purposes that I can think of: they show much needed gratitude to quality hiders; they offer a little (but not very effective) incentive to place quality hides; and they allow the general community a method to identify the few gold needles in an otherwise mundane haystack. I have not heard any good reason why it should be restricted to premium members.

 

By the way, paying money does not make one a "real cacher." Give me a person who writes quality logs and hides quality caches. That's a real cacher, a dying breed at that. In your case, your caches owned profile makes it clear that you are truly a member of the "real cachers gang," whether you are a PM or not.

 

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VP has a point though, it will throw a snag into the FP percentage calculation.

 

True enough. But what's the point here, to allow everyone to call attention to cool caches or to have the highest percentage possible over the next guy?

 

Very true. A bit of an issue with percentage points (which I rarely look at) shouldn't be an issue that nixes this idea. That is, if TPTB would take it into consideration.

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Favorite points serve only three purposes that I can think of: they show much needed gratitude to quality hiders; they offer a little (but not very effective) incentive to place quality hides; and they allow the general community a method to identify the few gold needles in an otherwise mundane haystack. I have not heard any good reason why it should be restricted to premium members.

 

Quality logs serve at least three purposes that I can think of: they show much needed gratitude to quality hiders; they offer a little (and hopefully ffective) incentive to place quality hides; and they allow the general community a method to identify the few gold needles in an otherwise mundane haystack. I have not heard any good reason why they should be restricted to premium members.

 

By the way, paying money does not make one a "real cacher." Give me a person who writes quality logs and hides quality caches. That's a real cacher, a dying breed at that. In your case, your caches owned profile makes it clear that you are truly a member of the "real cachers gang," whether you are a PM or not.

 

A dying breed indeed - and allowing people to express their gratitude with nothing more than Favourite Points in the absence of the quality logs to go with them doesn't really convey much of anything to anyone.

 

If someone has awarded a Favourite Point to a particular cache AND explained why in a sufficiently detailed log that has true value and utility for other cachers.

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With only 1 to give for every 100, the basic cacher will likely be quite choosy about which cache gets that FP. It would be good for cache owners too.

Okay, with a basic member having to be more frugal with points, that's not a bad idea.

 

Some could see the basic member FP as being 10 times more valuable than the PM ones. I would like to be able to see the basic (1 in 100) FP counted separate from the regular (1 in 10) FP...provided that this idea were to happen.

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

BTW, thanks to those who were nice to the kid (OP). And if you are one of those who weren't, think about how you would react if someone spoke to your child the way you spoke to the OP.

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Not just that everyone should get to have favorites like everyone else. He made it one for every 100. I also don't see where he said he would copy and paste a log for his favorites. I am sure he would write something special to say why that cache deserved his special favorite as he only gets to give out 1 for every 100 he finds.

I don't think this site will do it but I think he presented it in a good way and I don't necessarily think it is a bad idea. Keep on caching kid! Glad to have you playing!

 

The OP actually wanted 1 FP for the first 100 finds, then the same 1:10 ratio that paying premium members get.

True... that is what the OP said. But that doesn't mean that is what it must be. I think a starting point of maybe 100 finds is good to keep the temporary cachers from messing things up.

 

It would also keep those that don't have the luxury of living someplace with thousands of caches to find the opportunity to use that benefit. There are 150 countries in the world with fewer than 100 caches.

If that's all the caches there are in an area, there can't be much interest in geocaching in those countries. They're probably more concerned with survival.

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With only 1 to give for every 100, the basic cacher will likely be quite choosy about which cache gets that FP. It would be good for cache owners too.

Okay, with a basic member having to be more frugal with points, that's not a bad idea.

 

One hundred cut and paste logs in return for one Favourite Point?

 

I'd rather encourage decent logging standards with an extra special log for the favourite cache.

I don't see any mention of cut n paste logs in those two posts.

Sure you responded to the correct one? :)

- We get more than enough in our area from long-time pms on gottagetemall cache runs.

What makes someone just learning the hobby (and seeing those long-time pms logs) any different?

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I don't see any mention of cut n paste logs in those two posts.

Sure you responded to the correct one? :)

 

Quite sure thanks - you needn't concern yourself on that score :)

 

- We get more than enough in our area from long-time pms on gottagetemall cache runs.

What makes someone just learning the hobby (and seeing those long-time pms logs) any different?

 

In the context of this thread - one is paying for the service and PM benefits, one isn't.

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Favorite points serve only three purposes that I can think of: they show much needed gratitude to quality hiders; they offer a little (but not very effective) incentive to place quality hides; and they allow the general community a method to identify the few gold needles in an otherwise mundane haystack. I have not heard any good reason why it should be restricted to premium members.

 

Quality logs serve at least three purposes that I can think of: they show much needed gratitude to quality hiders; they offer a little (and hopefully ffective) incentive to place quality hides; and they allow the general community a method to identify the few gold needles in an otherwise mundane haystack. I have not heard any good reason why they should be restricted to premium members.

 

By the way, paying money does not make one a "real cacher." Give me a person who writes quality logs and hides quality caches. That's a real cacher, a dying breed at that. In your case, your caches owned profile makes it clear that you are truly a member of the "real cachers gang," whether you are a PM or not.

 

A dying breed indeed - and allowing people to express their gratitude with nothing more than Favourite Points in the absence of the quality logs to go with them doesn't really convey much of anything to anyone.

 

If someone has awarded a Favourite Point to a particular cache AND explained why in a sufficiently detailed log that has true value and utility for other cachers.

 

I agree with promoting quality logs but they don't benefit the seeker the way favorite points do. You can identify potential quality caches simply by looking at a list and noting those with high favorite points. Search every cache page for quality logs is a different animal, much more time consuming. The favorite points help you choose what pages to look at, then, hopefully, the logs offer more information.

 

Again, the issue at hand is why are non PM's not allowed to issue favorite points. I am sure there are many cachers who have much time and energy invested in placing and maintaining caches but who do not pay the premium. Who is more worthy of issuing points those veterans with serious skin in the game or some newbie who paid the fee?

 

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I don't notice favourite points, but I always appreciate a detailed log.

 

I notice, and actively look for, favorite points. But i also make sure to read logs too.

 

For example, favs mean nothing to me if they were put on a cache soley because of it's age. A cache placed in 2000 or 2001 doesn't automatically equate to being a good cache. Many times the listing is the same but the cache has been replaced, moved, or changed in size and is nothing like it originally was placed.

 

What others have said,, writing up a good log with a few details on what you liked about the cache is probably a better way of showing gratitude. Doing this also gives useable information, along with a nice read, to future finders.

 

How do you know why someone put a favourite point on a cache?

 

Exactly - you don't. Unless you want to take the time to cross-reference the list of who favourited a cache and the logs they wrote, which might give you some inkling of the why. I have given away nine totally irrelevant favourite points - one for each 100 cache milestone. I know a lot of people will give a favourite point just because they are first to find.

 

The OP is suggesting that basic members can earn a favourite point for every 100 caches found (instead of every 10), which sounds reasonable to me and doesn't seem too infringing on PM benefits. However, maybe Pup Patrol has a point: What if the next request is one pocket query a week? I'm not sure that would concern me either, but I appreciate that it would bother others.

It doesn't really take that long to read the logs of the people who favorited a cache. It's all linked right from the "Users Who Favorited This Cache" page.

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If you look at it from the viewpoint that favorite points benefit the cache owner and the potential seekers of that cache most, then it does seem rather silly to restrict the awarding of favorite points. Would it not make much more sense to allow awarding to everyone (perhaps restricted as suggested above) , but only make the results visible to premium members?

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