Boy, I am so out of the loop lately. Here I am continuing to curse the forums and they are actually working now!! You guys could have told me! Well, Bruce actually did tell me.
I browsed through a few different threads and it didn't seem like there were any crazy Web-battles going on, which was nice. The constant grousing was really getting on my nerves. It seems like actual debate is an art that has been lost, at least online.
I also missed out on the town hall that Groundspeak held last Wednesday. My plan was to re-learn how to connect to the damn thing because I am hopeless with those types of things and then join in. However, time got away from me and by the time I remembered it was 6:30pm and well into the conversation so I didn't bother.
So, what have I missed in the forums over the last 4-6 months since I've been a regular there? Any major discussions? Any threads that I should take the time to go back and read? Any that I shouldn't read? ;)
Hope all is well with the waymarking masses and that there are good things coming in the near future as far as Website functionality goes.
Showing posts with label town hall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label town hall. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Friday, September 21, 2007
Say Goodbye to Visit Requirements
Last night was the 2nd official Waymarking Town Hall and I am officially no longer an IRC virgin. I have been initiated into the world of IRC and I quickly learned that I need to brush up on my typing skills. What a great tool, though! A conversation that would have taken a week on the forums took an hour in the town hall (give or take a few minutes for Canadian jokes. :)
Anyhow, the main topic of the night was whether or not there should be requirements to log a visit to a waymark. I was surprised because it was pretty unanimous that the visit requirements be done away with. How many shots of a McWaymark are really necessary and who's going to visit said McWaymark if they have to photograph themselves in front of a fast food establishment? It's not just about the business/commerce waymarks though. Do we really need to be waymark police? Will it kill us to have to put up with a few "TFTW" logs? I don't think so. If someone feels the need to be an armchair visitor, who has lost out? - you, who had the experience of being there, or the person who missed that chance and is lame enough to lie that they were there. When all is said and done, people will get out of the game what they put into it and no requirement is going to force them to have more or less fun. Sure, it's nice to hear what other people think about a place that you took the time to create a waymark for, but I'm guessing that for a cool, unique waymark you will still hear all about what people think. I realize that waymarking games might still need some requirements, but that's different, so if you disagree with me, don't start bringing up games to support your argument.
I'm offering up an alternative to the requirements that are currently out there: Visit "suggestions". There's no reason that you can't ask people to let you know how their visit went or to upload a picture they might have taken, just don't MAKE them do it. Let them know that the information from their logs gives a waymark a wider perspective and makes it a better waymark. Thank them in advance for helping out and bettering your waymark with their information. Kill them with kindness and I bet most of your visitors' logs will be even better than when you required them to spit out specific information.
If everyone out there who agrees with me takes steps to promote this change to visit logs then we have the power to make a difference. State your opinion (WITHOUT YELLING) in the forums. Post about it on your own blog. Most importantly, go back and edit all of the categories that you lead so they now have "visit suggestions". For groups that you're an officer in, not a leader, email your group leader and ask them if they would consider changing the category's visit requirements. Make it your waymarking mantra and before you know it, visit requirements as we know them will be a thing of the past. At the end of this post is some standard text that most categories could use as visit suggestions. Feel free to copy it and use it to edit the categories that you currently lead or to offer it to leaders of groups that you're an officer in.
I think that for waymarking to grow outside of the geocaching, gps-toting world this change is important. If you agree PLEASE take the initiative to start today and go change the visit requirements in your categories. And for those at Groundspeak who read this, PLEASE change the "Visit Requirements" text on the category creation page to something different. It doesn't have to be "suggestions", maybe just "Logging a Visit", but taking away the word "requirement" will jump start this change.
Go forth and "suggest". :)
Here's that text that I offered:
Anyhow, the main topic of the night was whether or not there should be requirements to log a visit to a waymark. I was surprised because it was pretty unanimous that the visit requirements be done away with. How many shots of a McWaymark are really necessary and who's going to visit said McWaymark if they have to photograph themselves in front of a fast food establishment? It's not just about the business/commerce waymarks though. Do we really need to be waymark police? Will it kill us to have to put up with a few "TFTW" logs? I don't think so. If someone feels the need to be an armchair visitor, who has lost out? - you, who had the experience of being there, or the person who missed that chance and is lame enough to lie that they were there. When all is said and done, people will get out of the game what they put into it and no requirement is going to force them to have more or less fun. Sure, it's nice to hear what other people think about a place that you took the time to create a waymark for, but I'm guessing that for a cool, unique waymark you will still hear all about what people think. I realize that waymarking games might still need some requirements, but that's different, so if you disagree with me, don't start bringing up games to support your argument.
I'm offering up an alternative to the requirements that are currently out there: Visit "suggestions". There's no reason that you can't ask people to let you know how their visit went or to upload a picture they might have taken, just don't MAKE them do it. Let them know that the information from their logs gives a waymark a wider perspective and makes it a better waymark. Thank them in advance for helping out and bettering your waymark with their information. Kill them with kindness and I bet most of your visitors' logs will be even better than when you required them to spit out specific information.
If everyone out there who agrees with me takes steps to promote this change to visit logs then we have the power to make a difference. State your opinion (WITHOUT YELLING) in the forums. Post about it on your own blog. Most importantly, go back and edit all of the categories that you lead so they now have "visit suggestions". For groups that you're an officer in, not a leader, email your group leader and ask them if they would consider changing the category's visit requirements. Make it your waymarking mantra and before you know it, visit requirements as we know them will be a thing of the past. At the end of this post is some standard text that most categories could use as visit suggestions. Feel free to copy it and use it to edit the categories that you currently lead or to offer it to leaders of groups that you're an officer in.
I think that for waymarking to grow outside of the geocaching, gps-toting world this change is important. If you agree PLEASE take the initiative to start today and go change the visit requirements in your categories. And for those at Groundspeak who read this, PLEASE change the "Visit Requirements" text on the category creation page to something different. It doesn't have to be "suggestions", maybe just "Logging a Visit", but taking away the word "requirement" will jump start this change.
Go forth and "suggest". :)
Here's that text that I offered:
To help give a different perspective and to better the waymark for future visitors please tell us about your visit and upload a favorite photograph you took of the waymark. Although visiting this waymark in person is the only thing required of you to receive credit for your visit, taking the time to add this information is greatly appreciated.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Waymarking Town Hall
So, I just finished reading the chat log from Waymarking.com's first "town hall" meeting that took place a couple days ago. The whole time I was reading it I kept wanting to jump in and add my opinion and then would remember it was over. :) Wow! What a great tool for brainstorming about ways to improve the game.
For those of you who don't frequent the waymarking forums and missed out on the chat announcement, there was a live chat meeting this week to discuss the Website and also some new ideas of future upgrades, etc. The plan right now is that these live chat sessions will take place every two weeks or so, and each session would have a specific topic that would be focused on. It's a great opportunity to share your opinion with the folks at Groundspeak who are shaping the future of the game.
My only worry has to do with the fact that I am a technological moron. I have never in my life participated in a live chat session and will first have to set up the software etc. on my computer. On the off chance that I am able to muddle through this (or that my computer savvy sister comes up from Portland, Oregon before the next chat session) I will definitely be joining in the next chat. (I can't believe that I missed an opportunity to complain about GPS photo requirements!)
For those of you who don't frequent the waymarking forums and missed out on the chat announcement, there was a live chat meeting this week to discuss the Website and also some new ideas of future upgrades, etc. The plan right now is that these live chat sessions will take place every two weeks or so, and each session would have a specific topic that would be focused on. It's a great opportunity to share your opinion with the folks at Groundspeak who are shaping the future of the game.
My only worry has to do with the fact that I am a technological moron. I have never in my life participated in a live chat session and will first have to set up the software etc. on my computer. On the off chance that I am able to muddle through this (or that my computer savvy sister comes up from Portland, Oregon before the next chat session) I will definitely be joining in the next chat. (I can't believe that I missed an opportunity to complain about GPS photo requirements!)
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