Alternative Geocaching websites

[funkybro]

Hello all UK Geocachers!

I am aware that the "biggest" Geocache website is geocaching.com.

I was wondering if this was pretty much exclusively the only site used by cachers around here? Or do some people log their caches on more than one site?

The reason I ask is that I am investigating the possibility of creating an "open" or "free" equivalent of Geocaching.com -- one without advertising, without extra paid-for benefits, and a completely open developer's API. This would allow anybody to create their own free (or paid-for if they want) Geocaching apps. These apps would be able to make full use of live data (i.e. it would be far more robust and seamless than using pocket queries), and could run on mobile devices, desktop, or even interface to sites like Flickr and Twitter.

Would anybody be interested in making use of such a site? Or is everybody most likely to stick with Geocaching.com?

How do people feel about one company (Groundspeak) controlling, and making money out of, their geocaching data (and all their effort in hiding and finding caches)?

Any constructive feedback is welcomed!

Many thanks,
funkybro

[markandlynn]

NaviCache
Navicache.com started as a regional listing service around February 2001, but quickly gained popularity among those looking for a less restrictive alternatives to what was currently available. While many of Navicache.com's listings have been posted to other sites, they also offer many unique listings. Navicache.com also lists nearly any type of geocache (within reason) and does not charge to access any of the caches listed in their database. While all submissions are reviewed and approved, Navicache is more liberal in approving caches believing that the pastime belongs to participants rather than a governing agency.

TerraCaching

Terracaching seeks to provide high-quality caches made so by the difficulty of the hide or from the quality of the location. Membership is managed through a sponsorship system, and each cache is under continual peer review from other members. TerraCaching.com embraces virtual caches alongside traditional/multi-stage caches and includes many locationless caches among the thousands of caches in its database. It is increasingly attracting members who like the point system. In Europe TerraCaching is supported by TerraCaching.EU. This site is translated in different European languages, has an extended FAQ and extra supporting tools for TerraCaching.

There is also a ready made open source project titled opencaching which sounds the same as what you are proposing

All the above are revealed by a very quick search via your search engine of choice

[funkybro]

Yeah I had seen that OpenCaching however it seems to be completely in German which I can't understand personally! The others certainly don't seem to be particularly open or userfriendly, especially TerraCaching which requires two people to refer you to join!

[markandlynn]

As you are about to be banned on GC (USA waking up right about now) guess you had better keep an eye on this thread.

Id use it if it matched or bettered GC's functionality and was genuinely open source

[funkybro]

As you are about to be banned on GC (USA waking up right about now) guess you had better keep an eye on this thread.

Really? Do you know something I don't?

Not sure why that would be, I'm hardly trolling or spamming, just offering some constructive criticism.

Id use it if it matched or bettered GC's functionality and was genuinely open source

Interesting, thanks.

[markandlynn]

Really? Do you know something I don't?

Not sure why that would be, I'm hardly trolling or spamming, just offering some constructive criticism.



Interesting, thanks.

Hmm people have been banned for much much less

I think he caugh mtn-man on a good day

[studlyone]

: I was waiting for the sparks to fly, they must be mellowing out in their old age.

[jacobite]

: I was waiting for the sparks to fly, they must be mellowing out in their old age.

LOL

Too much domination in any market by one player is always a bad thing, I'd be really keen to see how this developes :cheers:

[funkybro]

Hi all!

Thanks for the (varying degrees of!!) support for the project. The idea of having an open caching site (i.e. making the caching data freely available to the people who created it) seems to have a very vocal opposition, but I just wonder how many people might actually be glad of some of the side effects of freeing it up. If GC.com themselves won't do it, I don't see why somebody else shouldn't have a go.

Anyway, as you probably saw on the other forum we do have a Twitter feed on the go with hopefully more to follow very soon, so if you'd like to find out more about the project, or maybe contribute with some technical expertise (or even provide details of your active caches to list on the new service!), it's a great way to get in touch. Don't forget to tell your friends!

http://twitter.com/opengeocaching

[Stokesy]

I've been reading these threads with interest this morning. I for one am happy with GC.com, and would take alot of convincing to "go elsewhere".

On a slightly different tack, there have been issues recently with "rogue cachers" destroying caches. This has been remedied to a certain extent by making caches "member only".

Making the information on caches freely available would give such people all the info they need.....or am I missing something?

[Bill D (wwh)]

I've been reading these threads with interest this morning. I for one am happy with GC.com, and would take alot of convincing to "go elsewhere".

On a slightly different tack, there have been issues recently with "rogue cachers" destroying caches. This has been remedied to a certain extent by making caches "member only".

Making the information on caches freely available would give such people all the info they need.....or am I missing something?

I don't think you're missing anything, but I also don't think making cache information freely available would make any real difference to cache theft.

Anyone can sign up as a Premium Member of gc.com for around two pounds a month, make their first payment, get all the information they want and then cancel their account.

Two quid to steal every Members' only cache you want seems pretty good value... h34r:

[keehotee]

Hi all!
Anyway, as you probably saw on the other forum we do have a Twitter feed on the go with hopefully more to follow very soon, so if you'd like to find out more about the project, or maybe contribute with some technical expertise (or even provide details of your active caches to list on the new service!), it's a great way to get in touch. Don't forget to tell your friends!

http://twitter.com/opengeocaching

I'm not too sure how many people you'll get to take their active caches off Groundspeak to add to a new list?

[studlyone]

Whilst I love the idea of challenging the current Status Quo, the biggest stumbling block with a site like the one you suggest is simply finance.

Servers and especially servers that can handle the high loads generated by MySQL processes as a result of lots of cachers don't come cheap as Groundspeak have found out.

They keep having to upgrade theirs to keep service levels acceptable and each upgrade means more outlay. They finance this through the use of google ads, their own internal ad system which retailers use and through paid memberships coupled with merchandise sales. As a reliable source of income all four need visitors and this will only happen in large enough quantities if you have the content.

As a business model that it going to be your biggest hurdle. Having a site that will finance itself without the above whilst still covering its expenses and being good enough to tempt people away from Groundspeak who contrary to popular belief is not run by millionaires.

Best of luck with the project.:cheers:

Ian

[Happy Humphrey]

The reason I ask is that I am investigating the possibility of creating an "open" or "free" equivalent of Geocaching.com -- one without advertising, without extra paid-for benefits, and a completely open developer's API. This would allow anybody to create their own free (or paid-for if they want) Geocaching apps. These apps would be able to make full use of live data (i.e. it would be far more robust and seamless than using pocket queries), and could run on mobile devices, desktop, or even interface to sites like Flickr and Twitter.

I think you're suggesting the impossible. There's a Catch-22 situation, in that people won't use such a geocaching app if it can't access any useful data (i.e. cache descriptions). As you clearly can't use gc.com's database, you'd have to get people to contribute to a new one. But without a few thousand cache descriptions already being in place, no-one will be interested enough to bother contributing. The only way forward that I can see is to pay people to contribute cache descriptions (say, £5 per cache, depending on an assessment of quality standards). Which would, of course, get you into another difficult area.

But geocaching is really about getting out and going places, and the actual listing mechanism isn't that important. That's why Navicache still survives even though the web site is so antiquated, and why many people log over 1000 caches per year despite the shortcomings of the favourite listing site.
I suspect that 90% of geocachers haven't a clue what Twitter is, for instance, and many simply print out a cache page, key the coordinates into their GPSr and set out.

In addition, as you've seen, there's always initial scepticism to overcome so you'd have to start in spectacular fashion to sell the concept to the doubters. That would cost quite a few thousand pounds, so you'd have to form a partnership with a couple of big companies (who would be even more sceptical, so you'd have to be prepared with all the answers!).

How do people feel about one company (Groundspeak) controlling, and making money out of, their geocaching data (and all their effort in hiding and finding caches)?

Any constructive feedback is welcomed!

Many thanks,
funkybro

As only a handful of cachers make a modest living out of Groundspeak, and there are hundreds of thousands taking advantage of their endeavours, I don't have a problem with that. At least having a big centralised repository of cache information means that you can travel almost anywhere and find caches on the same basis as near your home area (on average, I tend to go caching about 100-200 miles from home). And it's either free or low-cost, depending on your own choice.

[Brenin Tegeingl]

Sorry but maybe funkybro would care to be honest about what kicked his angst off at Groundspeak. So that his potential future clients, know where he's coming from.

Dave