Virtual Geocaching

[+FraZzledSu]

I don't get it. I'm new to this and trying to understand. I made some TBs this week and took a picture of each and placed on the TB web page. Well within 24 hours I had no less then 75 emails that there were people that have Discovered them. I asked one people why would I be getting these emails that they were discovered and they were not released yet. They said cause we are sitting behind a desk and can't get out to physically gwocaches and that is how we do it. The next person said, then don't put the number on your photo of the TB then. Does that mean I shouldn't name it either, cause you could find it with just the name? What fun is that when you don't even get up and leave the desk? I have since pulled all my photos.

[+narcissa]

The code on your travel bug is the key that lets people discover it or move it. If you don't want people logging it virtually, don't post it online.

 

Travel bugs are not geocaches. Whether or not people discover your TB virtually is entirely up to you.

[knowschad]

The pictures you posted have the TB# written on them. People can use that number to log them. I'd suggest you remove those pictures and replace them with pictures that don't show the number.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

You should anticipate more Discoveries, even though you pulled the photo(s).

Once posted, they are oftentimes passed along, amidst these groups that enjoy to post Discoveries just because they can.

 

Just so you know, each and every Trackable page "default" photo is listed and accessible to anyone that has that address. They usually stay posted for a couple of weeks, ultimately to scroll off the end of the page as new ones are posted.

You can bet, those who like posting those "Discoveries" have and check that address daily.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I don't get it. I'm new to this and trying to understand. I made some TBs this week and took a picture of each and placed on the TB web page. Well within 24 hours I had no less then 75 emails that there were people that have Discovered them. I asked one people why would I be getting these emails that they were discovered and they were not released yet. They said cause we are sitting behind a desk and can't get out to physically gwocaches and that is how we do it. The next person said, then don't put the number on your photo of the TB then. Does that mean I shouldn't name it either, cause you could find it with just the name? What fun is that when you don't even get up and leave the desk? I have since pulled all my photos.

 

I looked at a couple of your TBs and saw that on at least one of them that you had posted a photo which showed the tracking number. Each TB is assigned a TB number (which starts with TB) but every TB has a tracking identifier (for example, one of yours has at tracking ID which starts with WX). That's the number that those that "grab" *or* "discover" can use to post a "grabbed" or "discover" log. The purpose of a discover log is for someone to "discover" the trackable item where it might be (it could be in a cache, or in the hands of someone that has grabbed it) to let the trackable owner that the item is still in play but without having to take it from a cache. However, some people that play the TB game like to discover as many trackable items as possible. You should see the crowd around the cache at Groundspeak HQ as people are writing down the tracking numbers of all the items located in the large treasure chest in the lobby. Unfortunately, once the tracking id for an item is discovered people will share it with others and it becomes much easier if a photo of a TB with the tracking number exposed is posted on the web site. I know that it doesn't make much sense to "discover" at item when all you're seeing is a picture but that's how some people play the game. About the only thing you can do at this point is to remove every photo on your TB pages which shows that tracking number and eventually the discovery logs will die down.

 

 

[Keystone]

I am moving this thread from the Geocaching Topics forum to the Travel Bug forum.

[+FraZzledSu]

Thanks for all you that helped me understand my mistake. Too bad I still don't get why someone would want to geocache in this way...yes I don't get it. Have a great day.

[+Walts Hunting]

Because they get credit for it and for more and more cachers it is all about the numbers.

[+dprovan]

Thanks for all you that helped me understand my mistake. Too bad I still don't get why someone would want to geocache in this way...yes I don't get it. Have a great day.

You're not alone. I think most of us don't get it. It's just something we have to live with. The biggest thing that caught me by surprise was the fact that there's a way to look at new TB pictures from all over the world, and people use that mechanism to watch for pictures with the numbers showing specifically so they can log a discover on them. That's the trap you stepped into. I can't help but think those people should get a life.

[the3gmen]

Thanks for all you that helped me understand my mistake. Too bad I still don't get why someone would want to geocache in this way...yes I don't get it. Have a great day.

 

Logging your travel bugs virtually is not geocaching.