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Oops. How To Log A Subscriber-only Cache


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So I went caching out of my normal caching area.

 

I took a local newbie cacher with me. She is brand new to caching, so we used my GPS. We found a few caches during the day, and both signed the logs in the caches.

 

When I got home to log my finds, I see one that we found was a "subscriber-only" cache. I am a subscriber, so the cache was loaded into my GPS. I didn't even realize it was a MOC.

 

How can she log her find online? Sucks that she found it (I made her do all the work including locating the area and finding the actual cache) and she can't even see the cache page to log it.

 

Ed

Edited by The Badge & the Butterfly
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The only thing a MO cache does is prevent non-members for viewing the page.

 

As a member, if you click on the "log your visit" button and send the link of the next screen to the non-member, they should be able to submit their log.

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A couple of months ago, in this thread Jeremy acknowledged the logging loophole and said there was no reason to close it. Since then I have been inundated with emails asking how to do it. I am now posting the steps publicly, as I fully believe that the purpose of MO caches is to prevent non-members from viewing the page, as WH said. I see no reason to prevent non-members from logging those caches.

 

Go to any cache. Click the link, "log your visit."

That will take you to a page with a url such as http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?ID=89885

 

If you know the numeric ID of the MOC cache you want to log, just change the number at the end of the url.

 

If you don't know the numeric ID, change the "ID=" to "WP=" and replace the number with the GC code so you get:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?WP=GCGTAE

 

From there just log as usual.

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The loophole, and Jeremy's acceptance of it, are nice to know about! We lost a cacher, two really, last year when a member and his non-member girlfriend found one of my MOCs and wrote asking how / if she could log it. When I told him the best he could do was enter her name in as a note he was dissappointed, and I haven't seen either find anything since.

 

I have had a number of muggles find my caches, and seen this in other's logs, where non-cachers found it and wrote a nice log note - if there were some mechanism for these accidental finders to log the find online I suspect we'd soon recruit them as member geocachers!

 

Thanx for the info, and thank you Jeremy for leaving it open!

Ed

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A couple of months ago, in this thread Jeremy acknowledged the logging loophole and said there was no reason to close it. Since then I have been inundated with emails asking how to do it. I am now posting the steps publicly, as I fully believe that the purpose of MO caches is to prevent non-members from viewing the page, as WH said. I see no reason to prevent non-members from logging those caches....

 

Just to clarify:

 

After logging you can view your log by itself, but you won't be able to see the cache page. It will show up in your finds and life and balance are maintained.

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So I went caching out of my normal caching area.

 

I took a local newbie cacher with me. She is brand new to caching, so we used my GPS. We found a few caches during the day, and both signed the logs in the caches.

 

When I got home to log my finds, I see one that we found was a "subscriber-only" cache. I am a subscriber, so the cache was loaded into my GPS. I didn't even realize it was a MOC.

 

How can she log her find online? Sucks that she found it (I made her do all the work including locating the area and finding the actual cache) and she can't even see the cache page to log it.

 

Ed

It's been a year. Is your local newby still caching?

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I'm indeed grateful for the loophole. I'm a PM and use the facilities that gives me. But this past week I've had my young son staying with me and we've been out caching - he was sorely disapointed not to be able to log one of the caches we'd found as he isn't a PM himself.

 

Thanks for bumping this thread, since I was similarly disapointed after finding a cache at an event last summer, and not being able to view the cache.

 

This loophole is good, but not really the best solution in my mind. It still creates two classes of geocachers, and hence the game is not equal for free .vs. paid members.

 

I appreciate these instructions all, and GC.com for not closing the loophole !

Edited by Dino Hunters
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This loophole is good, but not really the best solution in my mind. It still creates two classes of geocachers, and hence the game is not equal for free .vs. paid members.

I appreciate these instructions all, and GC.com for not closing the loophole !

 

To be honest, is there a better solution? Being able to log an MO cache if not a PM is a good thing! Even better that Jeremy supports this. I think we should be greatful that this site has an option where you can use it for free. And the small fee helps with the maintenance of the site, giving you some "extras" in appreciation

 

(PS I'm not a PM, so this is not me sounding "high and mighty" about supporting the site, it's just the facts).

 

I wonder if the degree of member only caches varies by region. I live in the NY metro area, and big as it is with lots of caches, I know of only 2 or 3 MO's in a 50 mile radius of my home (the search will tell you if a cahce is MO); they are both in Long Island and were hidden by the same person.

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The loophole, and Jeremy's acceptance of it, are nice to know about! We lost a cacher, two really, last year when a member and his non-member girlfriend found one of my MOCs and wrote asking how / if she could log it. When I told him the best he could do was enter her name in as a note he was dissappointed, and I haven't seen either find anything since.

 

I have had a number of muggles find my caches, and seen this in other's logs, where non-cachers found it and wrote a nice log note - if there were some mechanism for these accidental finders to log the find online I suspect we'd soon recruit them as member geocachers!

 

Thanx for the info, and thank you Jeremy for leaving it open!

Ed

 

If you want your caches to help in attracting new cachers, why are they menbers only in the first place? In my opinion members only caches send a negative message to newcomers.

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If you want your caches to help in attracting new cachers, why are they menbers only in the first place? In my opinion members only caches send a negative message to newcomers.

 

Some could be in areas that, while you have permission, may not be good to have a high volume of traffic. Some are placed so that members have something a bit more special. With the hundreds of thousands of caches available, I don't think the small percentage of members only caches really would be that limiting. Granted, the number of members only caches could be huge. :D I dunno, as I'm not a premium member (yet).

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A couple of months ago, in this thread Jeremy acknowledged the logging loophole and said there was no reason to close it. Since then I have been inundated with emails asking how to do it. I am now posting the steps publicly, as I fully believe that the purpose of MO caches is to prevent non-members from viewing the page, as WH said. I see no reason to prevent non-members from logging those caches.

 

Go to any cache. Click the link, "log your visit."

That will take you to a page with a url such as http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?ID=89885

 

If you know the numeric ID of the MOC cache you want to log, just change the number at the end of the url.

 

If you don't know the numeric ID, change the "ID=" to "WP=" and replace the number with the GC code so you get:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?WP=GCGTAE

 

From there just log as usual.

 

Thanks thhat got me to where it shoulda been. Alas, no dice. It said I can't log on it

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[This loophole is good, but not really the best solution in my mind. It still creates two classes of geocachers, and hence the game is not equal for free .vs. paid members.

 

I appreciate these instructions all, and GC.com for not closing the loophole !

 

I continue to be astounded by this logic!

Groundspeak is a for-profit business!

Paid members get more benefits, else they wouldn't pay!

 

It IS nice of Groundspeak to leave the workaround.

Ed

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A couple of months ago, in this thread Jeremy acknowledged the logging loophole and said there was no reason to close it. Since then I have been inundated with emails asking how to do it. I am now posting the steps publicly, as I fully believe that the purpose of MO caches is to prevent non-members from viewing the page, as WH said. I see no reason to prevent non-members from logging those caches.

 

Go to any cache. Click the link, "log your visit."

That will take you to a page with a url such as http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?ID=89885

 

If you know the numeric ID of the MOC cache you want to log, just change the number at the end of the url.

 

If you don't know the numeric ID, change the "ID=" to "WP=" and replace the number with the GC code so you get:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?WP=GCGTAE

 

From there just log as usual.

 

Thanks thhat got me to where it shoulda been. Alas, no dice. It said I can't log on it

 

When did it say you couldn't? I haven't used the workaround for a few months, but just tried it and all was OK up to the "submit" stage. Didn't submit it because I hadn't done it....

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I think you shouldnt be such tightar$e$ and should be able to afford the few bucks a week to be a member....

 

and thus, have full access to the M.O.C's as well!

So, Donald, have you purchased a membership for Mum (Daisy) and each of the five kids then?

 

The workaround is left there for families like yours, as much as anything else--so that you won't have to purchase 7 memberships just so the wee ones can log a MOC they find with you. Does the youngest really need his/her own set of PQs?

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I think you shouldnt be such tightar$e$ and should be able to afford the few bucks a week to be a member....

 

and thus, have full access to the M.O.C's as well!

So, Donald, have you purchased a membership for Mum (Daisy) and each of the five kids then?

 

The workaround is left there for families like yours, as much as anything else--so that you won't have to purchase 7 memberships just so the wee ones can log a MOC they find with you. Does the youngest really need his/her own set of PQs?

No, we actually have have 7 kids, with another on the way but we only have one user identity, and we log our finds as the team, even if only 1 or 2 members did the cache.

 

If the kids decided to do caching by themselves then they would either be free members or pay, according to their personal choice and expenditure ability.

 

I DO see what you are saying using the example you provided but like I said, its still only a few bucks a week.

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I think this loophole should be closed. MO caches are there for a reason. We want people to subscribe to make sure geocaching.com continues to exist. Right?

I am a Premium Platinum member, and always have been, and our household supports at least one other Premium member account as well, and almost all of our geo-friends are PMs, and even most of my imaginary friends on the Other Side are PMs, and most of our caches are Premium member-only (or Platinum member-only) caches, and yet it does not bother me at all that an occasional non-PM will log a find on one of our Premium caches or on a PM cache owned by a local cacher. My personal reaction is on the order of "ho-hum" and "so what?"

Edited by Vinny & Sue Team
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I think this loophole should be closed. MO caches are there for a reason. We want people to subscribe to make sure geocaching.com continues to exist. Right?

It has been left open intentionally. It only allows non-members to log them; it doesn't let them know where they are. It's probably not used often enough to justify the cost of closing it anyway.

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I think this loophole should be closed. MO caches are there for a reason. We want people to subscribe to make sure geocaching.com continues to exist. Right?

 

Truth be told, probably MOCs should be done away with. The only useful purpose for them is the audit feature, which could easily be moved to the real caches.

 

MOCs do nothing to encourage membership, there just simply is not enough of them to make a difference. Caches are meant to be found.

 

Maybe if you hide a MOC, listing directions on thw paper log how to log it for non-premium mebers m

ight be a good temporary solution.

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I think you shouldnt be such tightar$e$ and should be able to afford the few bucks a week to be a member....

 

and thus, have full access to the M.O.C's as well!

My mom is "interested" in geocaching and enjoys going caching with me, but she doesn't have her own GPS. She does have her own acct b/c she likes getting the weekly notifications (I think she said she gets those) and enjoys logging her finds that she finds when she's with me. I think she's got 7 so far :D

 

Since she doesn't even have her own GPS, she doesn't run PQs and never goes out except when she's in town visiting me, or I'm in town visiting her (12hr car ride).

 

We have found 1 or 2 together that I didn't even realize were MOCs until she went to log them and couldn't. Thanks to the loophole, I was able to send her the link and let her log her find.

 

I think it's nice that the loophole has been left in place.

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I think this loophole should be closed. MO caches are there for a reason. We want people to subscribe to make sure geocaching.com continues to exist. Right?

 

Truth be told, probably MOCs should be done away with. The only useful purpose for them is the audit feature, which could easily be moved to the real caches.

 

MOCs do nothing to encourage membership, there just simply is not enough of them to make a difference. Caches are meant to be found.

 

Maybe if you hide a MOC, listing directions on thw paper log how to log it for non-premium mebers m

ight be a good temporary solution.

I disagree. I like the concept of PMOCs for a number of reasons, all of which I have elucidated in past forum posts. Although using MOCs as an incentive to prompt "regular" members to become Premium members is not a big deal in my book, I can give you one very brief example illustrating that PMOCs do indeed work as an incentive:

 

All of my Psycho caches are PMOCs, and I have heard from a small number of local cachers (i.e., within a hundred mile radius) and from a larger pool of cachers worldwide that they became PMs just so that they could read the cache listing pages for my Psycho caches, and, in the case of some of the local cachers, so that they could not only read the pages, but also seek them and log them.

 

I like Platinum member-only caches (PLMOCs) even more, but I am not allowed to talk about that kinda stuff on the forum. :ph34r:B)

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All of my Psycho caches are PMOCs, and I have heard from a small number of local cachers (i.e., within a hundred mile radius) and from a larger pool of cachers worldwide that they became PMs just so that they could read the cache listing pages for my Psycho caches, and, in the case of some of the local cachers, so that they could not only read the pages, but also seek them and log them.

But you have no way to determine the exact number of people your MOCs got to become PMs, nor is it easy to compare to the number of people that were ticked off, or completely turned off geocacher because they couldn't see some of the cache they may have hunted.

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I think this loophole should be closed. MO caches are there for a reason. We want people to subscribe to make sure geocaching.com continues to exist. Right?

 

Truth be told, probably MOCs should be done away with. The only useful purpose for them is the audit feature, which could easily be moved to the real caches.

 

MOCs do nothing to encourage membership, there just simply is not enough of them to make a difference. Caches are meant to be found.

 

Maybe if you hide a MOC, listing directions on thw paper log how to log it for non-premium mebers m

ight be a good temporary solution.

I agree, and have suggested a change like that before.

In a post, And as a topic.

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I don't think this is a big deal.

 

There are fees for premium cable channels. If I don't pay extra to have certain premium cable channels I don't get them. It's a choice. I don't begrudge the people who pay to see the shows, or the people who paid lots of money to create the shows.

 

Costco and Sam's and BJ's warehouse stores have a membership fee. If I don't pay it, I don't shop there. It's a choice. We face this concept every day in the real world. We make choices.

 

If a non-premium member goes caching with me and while we're out we find a members only cache, we might look up the workaround for her to log it. Maybe not. So far this hasn't come up because it never occured to me to take a non-member to a members only cache. My caching buddy doesn't seem to care either. There are still plenty of caches to hunt.

 

In the grand scheme of things, I just don't think its that important for people to see MOC's if they haven't paid. And yes, I realize that it's a money issue for some who might choose to pay if they had an extra $30 a year to spend, but when I was a broke college student I had to go without things I might have liked, but gosh, who hasn't?

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Caching every great once in a while with a non-premium friend is a very different thing than having a family that caches together. I don't think any (many?) of us really think a family of five ought to have to pay $150 just so they can all log the rare PMOC they run across. They don't really need the extra PQs and other fdeatures that money gets them, they just want to log a cache they fiund. No big deal. I'm glad the workaround is there too.

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Caching every great once in a while with a non-premium friend is a very different thing than having a family that caches together. I don't think any (many?) of us really think a family of five ought to have to pay $150 just so they can all log the rare PMOC they run across. They don't really need the extra PQs and other fdeatures that money gets them, they just want to log a cache they fiund. No big deal. I'm glad the workaround is there too.

 

I completely agree about the family thing. The workaround is a good idea for that. And even caching with a buddy, there's a workaround. Great. But someone posted that they want to do away MOCs. To me, it's kinda like people not liking micros. If you don't like them, ignore them. No need to get rid of them. No big deal. :laughing:

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The original reason I became a paid member was to assist in locating MOC caches so I could more easily hide my own caches. MOC's don't show up on the maps unless you are a paid member. Before becoming a member, I would hide a cache, upload the listing, then be told it was not approved because it was too close to another cache I didn't know about (MOC). Now that I'm a member it's not an issue.

 

Now I use the MOC feature for my special caches that I want the experienced cacher to find and protect, rather than the newbies who may not be as respectful or caring for its condition.

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It appears that this workaround no longer works. I had been using it for a few years quite successfully for my wife and family, but as of the last month or so, it appears to be impossible to sign a members only cache if you are a non premium member. It was nice whilst it lasted.

 

See ya'

Edited by guitarlizard
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It appears that this workaround no longer works. I had been using it for a few years quite successfully for my wife and family, but as of the last month or so, it appears to be impossible to sign a members only cache if you are a non premium member. It was nice whilst it lasted.

 

See ya'

 

Yes, it's fairly common knowledge that the tried and true method of getting non premium logs on to premium caches doesn't work right now. The latest official word that this functionality would be restored was right here: http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...t&p=3727435

 

Farther down in that same thread is a post by a user who has found another work around that still works. I would wait a little longer and see if Groundspeak will or will not give this back to us now that the holidays have passed. We have learned that it's easy for Groundspeak to make promises, but the recipients must have considerable patience.

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I'm really really really disappointed that I don't have tickets to the Super Bowl too. Can, somebody show me a way to get them? I just might stop watching Football, I'm sooo disappointed!

 

It don't cost that much to become a PM, the bene's are sooo worth it! It'll make you want to keep on caching! :ph34r:

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Super Bowl? False syllogism.

 

I cache with my kids. They have their own accounts. There is no need for me to pay for multiple PMs just so we can all log the caches we find together.

 

Please bring back the workaround. So far my girls have 10 caches between them that they cannot log.

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Super Bowl? False syllogism.

 

I cache with my kids. They have their own accounts. There is no need for me to pay for multiple PMs just so we can all log the caches we find together.

 

Please bring back the workaround. So far my girls have 10 caches between them that they cannot log.

Ahhh GrassHopper,,,,exactly...thats why they can't log it....they aren't PM's....that's one of the things that is wrong in this country...always looking for something free. They know they found it with you....just move on and teach them of the benifits of rules. Have Fun!!!!!

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I'm really really really disappointed that I don't have tickets to the Super Bowl too. Can, somebody show me a way to get them? I just might stop watching Football, I'm sooo disappointed!

 

It don't cost that much to become a PM, the bene's are sooo worth it! It'll make you want to keep on caching! :lol:

Super Bowl? False syllogism.

 

I cache with my kids. They have their own accounts. There is no need for me to pay for multiple PMs just so we can all log the caches we find together.

 

Please bring back the workaround. So far my girls have 10 caches between them that they cannot log.

Ahhh GrassHopper,,,,exactly...thats why they can't log it....they aren't PM's....that's one of the things that is wrong in this country...always looking for something free. They know they found it with you....just move on and teach them of the benifits of rules. Have Fun!!!!!
Logging an MOC is not a perk that's only for PMs. Being able to view the cache page is the perk. There is an obvious difference between the two that has been recognized by the community and TPTB. Edited by sbell111
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Super Bowl? False syllogism.

 

I cache with my kids. They have their own accounts. There is no need for me to pay for multiple PMs just so we can all log the caches we find together.

 

Please bring back the workaround. So far my girls have 10 caches between them that they cannot log.

Ahhh GrassHopper,,,,exactly...thats why they can't log it....they aren't PM's....that's one of the things that is wrong in this country...always looking for something free. They know they found it with you....just move on and teach them of the benifits of rules. Have Fun!!!!!

 

Okiebryan, workaround being sent via email.

 

Logging PM's is a feature that is available to all members. As stated by TPTB. Also stated by the TPTB is that it was inadvertently broken and will be fixed.

 

Subscriber-Only Caches

Some caches are only available to premium members. This has been a request of many geocachers who want to put more energy into designing a cache for dedicated geocachers. As the cache owner, you can make any of your caches "subscriber only," so folks will need a subscription to seek it out. (Note: member only caches may not be any better than public geocaches. Each cache is managed by their cache owner.)

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<snip>

I disagree. I like the concept of PMOCs for a number of reasons, all of which I have elucidated in past forum posts. Although using MOCs as an incentive to prompt "regular" members to become Premium members is not a big deal in my book, I can give you one very brief example illustrating that PMOCs do indeed work as an incentive:

 

<snip>

 

I have not followed up on all the reasons for listing a cache a PM only so am not fully informed. I am a PM and the reason I do that is for the Pocket Queries. I can make no sense in placing a MO cache. (note that I have not fully researched the topic). I would appreciate some pointers.

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<snip>

I disagree. I like the concept of PMOCs for a number of reasons, all of which I have elucidated in past forum posts. Although using MOCs as an incentive to prompt "regular" members to become Premium members is not a big deal in my book, I can give you one very brief example illustrating that PMOCs do indeed work as an incentive:

 

<snip>

 

I have not followed up on all the reasons for listing a cache a PM only so am not fully informed. I am a PM and the reason I do that is for the Pocket Queries. I can make no sense in placing a MO cache. (note that I have not fully researched the topic). I would appreciate some pointers.

 

Premium member cache questions.

 

Deleting Logs of Premium Members -- is this allowed?

 

Should more caches be made members only?

 

Economics 101

 

Premium Membership Exclusivities

 

Member only caches and why I hate them

 

Caches for premium members only

 

Why have the premium membership?

 

Members only caches

 

Subscription Only Caches--grrrrrrrrrr!

 

Member Only Caches, Should I or shouldn't I?

 

Caches for Premium members only

 

Members only caches

 

"members only" caches rant

 

The First "no Members" Cache

 

Change Moc Suggestion, need only normal account to view

 

Northeast Premium Member Only Caches, What are your thoughts?

 

When To Hide A Premium Member Cache, What is the culture of Member Only cache

 

Members Only Cache Hides, Members Only Cache Hides

 

Members Only, Premium Member Cache

 

And from across the pond

Members Only Caches, Is there a point anymore ?

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Logging an MOC is not a perk that's only for PMs. Being able to view the cache page is the perk. There is an obvious difference between the two that has been recognized by the community and TPTB.

When I said almost the same thing, someone yelled at me and said, something like "really, show me where it says that, how do you know what Groundspeak intends, do you work for them..."

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Logging an MOC is not a perk that's only for PMs. Being able to view the cache page is the perk. There is an obvious difference between the two that has been recognized by the community and TPTB.

True, true, true! I have a hard time believing the amount of discussion and controversy that the OP's simple initial question has caused in this thread!

 

And, as an owner of a great many PMO caches, it never bothers me twhen it an occasional non-PM logs a find!

 

.

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