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Must I require a photo to prove a visit to my waymark?


bumblebe

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I've geocached for years, but only recently started Waymarking. I've noticed that most waymarks require that visitors post a photo to obtain credit for visiting the site. I know many people use their phone's gps -- as I do -- and taking a phone photo, uploading somehow it to the computer, then uploading it again to Waymarking.com is a royal pain. Is a photo a requirement? Or can I ask visitors to tell something about the site that can only be obtained by visiting the site and forgo the photo?

 

Thanks for your help!

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I've geocached for years, but only recently started Waymarking. I've noticed that most waymarks require that visitors post a photo to obtain credit for visiting the site. I know many people use their phone's gps -- as I do -- and taking a phone photo, uploading somehow it to the computer, then uploading it again to Waymarking.com is a royal pain. Is a photo a requirement? Or can I ask visitors to tell something about the site that can only be obtained by visiting the site and forgo the photo?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Every category is different, but if a category requires a photo, then you should upload one. Many categories will ask for a photo or a GOOD detailed description (which means something more than "Visited while geocaching", or "Been there". Some categories state that a photo is optional. If you really don't want to bother with photos, I'd avoid categories that require them.

 

You, as a waymark POSTER, cannot require more than what the category asks for.

 

I hope this helps.

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I've geocached for years, but only recently started Waymarking. I've noticed that most waymarks require that visitors post a photo to obtain credit for visiting the site. I know many people use their phone's gps -- as I do -- and taking a phone photo, uploading somehow it to the computer, then uploading it again to Waymarking.com is a royal pain. Is a photo a requirement? Or can I ask visitors to tell something about the site that can only be obtained by visiting the site and forgo the photo?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

I find there is little difference if I take a photo with my phone or with my camera... I still have to transfer it to my computer and then upload it. Thus the fact that someone uses a phone is really not justification not to follow the requirements that are set by category.

 

In fact depending on the browser used on the phone a person can upload to the site directly from their phone.

Edited by BruceS
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I couldn't find this covered in the Waymarking FAQ at http://www.Waymarking.com/help/faq.aspx?f=1, so it appears to be allowed, but the hard part will be to find something only a true visit can get you. Information about the location can be found with Streetview or shared between visitors.

 

Thanks for the link, stijnhommes. I was thinking about asking for something that wouldn't be visible from Streetview or other easily accessible Internet info.

 

Liked your Sherlock Holmes quote, by the way! :)

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I've geocached for years, but only recently started Waymarking. I've noticed that most waymarks require that visitors post a photo to obtain credit for visiting the site. I know many people use their phone's gps -- as I do -- and taking a phone photo, uploading somehow it to the computer, then uploading it again to Waymarking.com is a royal pain. Is a photo a requirement? Or can I ask visitors to tell something about the site that can only be obtained by visiting the site and forgo the photo?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Every category is different, but if a category requires a photo, then you should upload one. Many categories will ask for a photo or a GOOD detailed description (which means something more than "Visited while geocaching", or "Been there". Some categories state that a photo is optional. If you really don't want to bother with photos, I'd avoid categories that require them.

 

You, as a waymark POSTER, cannot require more than what the category asks for.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Thanks Max and 99, that does help. I appreciate you taking the time to reply!

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I've geocached for years, but only recently started Waymarking. I've noticed that most waymarks require that visitors post a photo to obtain credit for visiting the site. I know many people use their phone's gps -- as I do -- and taking a phone photo, uploading somehow it to the computer, then uploading it again to Waymarking.com is a royal pain. Is a photo a requirement? Or can I ask visitors to tell something about the site that can only be obtained by visiting the site and forgo the photo?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

I find there is little difference if I take a photo with my phone or with my camera... I still have to transfer it to my computer and then upload it. Thus the fact that someone uses a phone is really not justification not to follow the requirements that are set by category.

 

In fact depending on the browser used on the phone a person can upload to the site directly from their phone.

 

Thanks for your thoughts, Bruce S. As far as I know my phone is not capable of a direct upload to my computer ... in my phone I have to click to "share" the photo elsewhere (for the sake of example, let's say Google+), then go to my computer, pull up the photo at Google+ and save the photo from there to my computer desktop, then upload to Waymarking.com. A lot probably depends on the type of phone each person owns, however, because it sounds like yours can do a direct upload. Definitely something to look for in my next phone!

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I use an android phone. If I want to transfer to my computer I just plug the phone into my computer via a USB cable. Then it goes into USB mass storage mode thus on my computer the phone is just listed as another drive. I can then just copy files on to my computer. Also can do it wirelessly using software like AirDroid which works great as long as you can connect your computer and your phone to same wireless network.

 

To upload photos directly from my phone I have good success using Chrome browser however using Dolphin does not seem to work.

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I've geocached for years, but only recently started Waymarking. I've noticed that most waymarks require that visitors post a photo to obtain credit for visiting the site. I know many people use their phone's gps -- as I do -- and taking a phone photo, uploading somehow it to the computer, then uploading it again to Waymarking.com is a royal pain. Is a photo a requirement? Or can I ask visitors to tell something about the site that can only be obtained by visiting the site and forgo the photo?ry

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Well, the whole idea of "proof of visit" for waymark logs is somewhat passe. Visiting a waymark is a lot different from logging a geocache find.

 

Requirements for logging a visit to a waymark are set by the category management team, so they are specific to each category. They are NOT set by the person who creates the waymark.

 

Visit log reports do go to the person who created the waymark, however. It is up to him to accept or delete the visit log.

 

When logging a visit to a waymark, do check for the requirements. A few still require photos, and some require specific information. It is just good practice always to take at least one photo of a waymark one is visiting.

 

Personally, for all the categories I request, but do not require photos.

I never delete log reports for lack of a photo on any of my waymarks.

 

Others vary in their approach to this.

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Good opportunity for cheaters if you don't ask for a visit photo.

I don't trust some WM members. I follow some a while. They only will score WM points.

Some of them have to many visits in a short time and mostly they are visiting WM's were a photo is not required.

Or they promise to post the photo later. Read this as NEVER.

This is 2012.

When you go outside for Waymarking you know that the importend equipment to take with you is a GPS & a camera.

 

But most posters of a new WM didn't control the visits. And if you don't delete the visit without photo the cheater is satisfied and goes on to another WM te visit at the same way. Scoring another point.

 

Take a look at Geocaching, totaly no control and some Cachers (cheaters) create an enormous score.

 

My opinion is that it must be a rule on Waymarking to ask for a photo in every new category.

If it's not ask in the description Groundspeak must decline the new category.

 

Correct me if i'am wrong.

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My opinion is that it must be a rule on Waymarking to ask for a photo in every new category.

If it's not ask in the description Groundspeak must decline the new category.

 

Correct me if i'am wrong.

 

Your opinion is never wrong since you are just expressing how you feel. That's how it works.

Edited by Max and 99
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@ Max and 99.

Thanks for your reply, maybe i had a bad day yesterday.

 

But.

If no one post a photo with his visit we can't control the condition of that WM.

And the visiter only said "visit it" or "seen ït when i drove by"

But if he or she post a photo with it we can see if somethings wrong with it.

 

For example.

In our Category ANWB Paddenstoelen we collect Mushrooms for bikers. So they can see the distance to a town nearby.

There are more then 6000 of them here in The Netherlands. Normaly they are white and have a unique number.

When a mushroom is stolen, broken, incomplete or you can't read them anymore AND we see that on the photo from a visiter

it will be a good help for us.

And if we have a question about the photo on location we contact the visiter for more information that can help us.

We report that to the ANWB and they take action about that mushroom to replace it.

But if they replace a new mushroom they will get another color, red and white and they get another new unique number.

So that means that the original posting is not relevant anymore. With the Photo information we can edit the posting.

So we keep the WM's up to date.

A Photo says more then words in a visit.

 

Thats not only for the Mushroom Catergory but also for Cycling Routes & RD Meetpunten.

We contact the authorities if we don't trust something.

 

This is just one example why i find a Photo so importent posted in a visit.

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I do see your point and your arguments are viable. But there are so many ways to play the game as there are waymarkers. It is difficult to reconcile all their needs.

 

I do not see a big problem with cheating. When I come across a cheat I delete it, but this rarely ever happens. Most logs I have to delete are mistakes, e.g. a similar object but at a different location. I always send a note and explain what was wrong. The ratio is low, maybe one out of 100.

 

Some waymarkers use visits to document their travels, also past ones. I see this as a legitimate approach. Retro visits can add a lot to the value of a waymark, additional information from a visit many years ago is fun to read and it makes Waymarking in general more attractive if you can add some old memories to a waymark you visited long ago and probably will never go back there again. These logs sometimes do not have pictures, but often I enjoy them even more than the regular ones.

 

Then, visits are not that important. In this respect the analogy between geocaching and Waymarking is wrong. A geocacher is a person who finds geocaches (and there are people who hide them); a waymarker is usually not someone who visits waymarks as a primary activity but posts them (and there are people who manage categories). So the visits are just additional small coins and I do not think it is a good idea to make them more complicated and restrictive than absolutely necessary.

 

The categories you mentioned as examples show well that your opinion makes sense there. But they are special interest groups that would not work well as prototypes for most average categories.

 

I wish that logging instructions would be clearly defined and more consistent throughout all categories, but I see that some categories have a demand for specific requirements, as the ones you mentioned. In general the soft picture requirement that many categories have looks like a reasonable compromise to me. Proof pictures (of yourself and/or your GPSr) just spoil the waymark gallery, I do not like them. Pictures of the site are always the best option, but I would not want to make them mandatory without exceptions.

Edited by fi67
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