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Icenians
2nd August 2003, 11:00 AM
I have been asked, both on forums and by email, why I am here given my opposition to the GAGB. I have also recieved a considerable amount of flack for my views and obviously come across as something I'm not. I have decided to post this outlining my reasons for my actions and views. Please, if you agree or disagree keep it civil. These are just my reasons and views which doesn't make them right or wrong, just mine.

Now believe it or not, I don't actually know why people are getting so upset with me. I'm not deliberatly trying to cause all these problems as is, hopefully, evident from my recent few posts suggesting I'll agree to disagree.

I believe quite strongly that caches should be placed with owners permission.

I believe that caches should be listed on a site according to that sites rules or guidelines

I don't think the GAGB is needed at this stage but it is wanted by the members.

I don't think that 200 members of the GAGB shoud be able to dictate the guidelines on ANY listing site to the none members. If the listing site adopts the GAGB rules then that is different as they then become the listing sites rules.

I really don't like overblown events such as the HCC event and believe the hobby is growing at a steady rate without these events. I don't believe we need loads of publicity.

My decision to remove my caches from GC.com, they were already listed on Navicache so I wasn't moving them, was based on a combination of things. I was becoming increasingly unhappy with the way gc.com is run and the link between what should be an independant association and GC.com is far to close. (There is very little acknowledgment that the others even exist). And the final straw was the amount of personal abuse I recieved, both publically on the forums and privately by email, for holding and expressing a concern. I have been very careful in all my postings never to get personal but numerous people would not return that.

The decision to archive my caches from GC.com was not to spite any users but to provide a few caches on navicache that do not appear on gc.com. Like all businesses, if you do not like the service from a company then you vote with your feet and choose to use somewhere else instead.

My reason for joining the GAGB and continuing to read the GC.com forums was to keep an eye on the progress of the GAGB. I only joined when I felt the need to comment. As I wished to talk to the GAGB membership I had to become a member. As someone else said, it's better to try and change it from within.

I have been a supporter of Navicache for a lot longer than the GAGB affair and I feel that if we are to have an association that represents geocaching then that is what it should do, which covers the other two sites. The arguement that nobody uses it is partly due to the censorship of the name on gc.com forums. Navicache and gc.com provide much the same service with the exception that navicahce is run on less commercial basis and isn't as flash. It still provides details of caches. The number of these caches will be going up in the next few weeks :)

part 2 below

Icenians
2nd August 2003, 11:02 AM
Part 2

I seem to have painted a picture of myself in the forums as some kind of ignorant idiot that wants to cache without guidelines and to get the admins, etc to quit. This couldn't be further from the truth.

People have resigned their posts over the recent arguements on the various forums. This was their choice and is, it would appear, their normal reaction when things don't go their way. I understand that people have worked hard to further the hobby and they have tried their best. That does not mean all participants should agree or appriciate what they have done. If you want to put yourself at the top of something then you should expect to get some flack for your actions. I will not be responsible for other peoples fragile egos.

I'm sure the founders of the GAGB have all good intentions which is one reason I try not to get personal. But the world is full of good intentions that go wrong. On a number of issues they do seem to be a little out of touch with the feelings of the members.

It has been suggested that I change my username and go back to gc.com. This would open a huge pandoras box. There appear to be a number of these kicking around all of a sudden, some supporting my position some opposed. I'm sure there are a number of people that think some of these are me already. I have never posted as anyone other than the Icenians (Apart from the early days when I started under a different name and changed to this as we became a team)

In summary, I believe the GAGB is wanted but it only represents 200 cachers, that includes what appears to be false ones, and if it is to be a success it should concentrate on what it is good at, negociating with land owners. It should be truely independant of any listing sites, but activly lobbying them to improve, and the committee should be prepared to be critised for it's decisions. Only then can it truely be representative of it's members and not the listing sites.

These are just my views and that doesn't make them right or wrong, just mine. Please don't be upset with them and I hope they go some way to answering the questions that have been asked of me.

Kev (Icenians)

BugznElm'r
2nd August 2003, 12:13 PM
This is meant in a constructive way and perhaps we need to bear it in mind for the future ...

There does seem to be (IMHO) an attitude here that anyone with an objection or concern should "put up and shut up". Concerns are raised but few seem to want to acknowledge that they exist, especially this early on in the life of the association. It would be a terrible shame if the GAGB were to come out of these early stages with some of the ordinary members thinking that it is run by a "magic circle" of cachers who cannot appreciate and accept that some have different views and want to express them.

Icenians - I don't think you are anti-caching - at least I hope not. Certainly in recent posts I think you have demonstrated restraint and courtesy in your posts and I have no problem with someone who has different views ... after all, all we want to do is be able to geocache! Let's all pull together and actually start thrashing out how we want geocaching to be like in the UK 5 years from now.

Elm'r