Difference between revisions of "GCA vs GC"

Revision as of 17:10, 11 April 2007

Where should I list my cache?

A majority of Australian caches are listed on the Groundspeak site, at Geocaching.com but there is a strong and growing community of Australian cachers choosing to list their caches right here at Geocaching Australia. Geocaching Australia began listing caches to assist those who didn't like that Groundspeak was dictating how the game was played, or that Groundspeak were making money out of the game.

To help you make your decision, some pros and cons of each listing site are provided below.

Listing your cache with Geocaching Australia

Pros:

• Geocaching Australia freely provides GPX files with bulk cache coordinates and information, for easy uploading to your GPS.
• You're supporting the evolution of the game. Geocaching Australia doesn't have restrictive listing policies. Innovation is encouraged.
• More variety, some types of caches (moveable caches, locationless caches or virtual caches) are only able to be listed on Geocaching Australia.
• Swaggies, the Geocaching Australia version of Travel Bugs, are free.
• Your cache is immediately available on the website, no waiting for it to be published, and you can set up Future releases, to be made available on a date you choose.
• You're supporting Free and Open Geocaching. Free to play, free to access your data.

Cons:

• You won't have as many people finding your cache. Some cachers (especially international visitors) don't know about Geocaching Australia yet, and some cachers refuse to find caches listed on Geocaching Australia.
• Geocaching.com purchased and trackable Travel Bugs and Geocoins cannot be logged in or out of your cache.

Listing your cache with Groundspeak

Cons:

• Cachers have to buy a premium membership to download bulk amounts of cache information from geocaching.com.
• Restrictions on cache listings.
• No moveable caches, locationless caches or virtual caches.
• Caches must be reviewed by a volunteer community reviewer before it is listed.
• Trackable Travel Bugs must be purchased.

Pros:

• More people will know about and find your cache, including overseas cachers holidaying in Australia.
• The cache is listed amongst the global community of other caches.
• Travel bugs and Geocoins can be logged in and out of your cache.
• Publication (after reviewing) indicates that your cache conforms to Groundspeak's published listing restrictions, which gives finders certainty about some aspects of your cache.
• You're supporting the building of consistency, rules and guidelines within geocaching.

In summary

• If you have noone nearby who finds caches listed on Geocaching Australia (put your home coordinates in your profile and click the "Neighbours" link on your cacher page to check and see if any nearby cachers have found GCA caches. You could also use the GCA Cacher Network Link for Google Earth or ask on the Geocaching Australia Forum); or
• If you would be disappointed with not many finds (eg: you have children helping you put out the cache who want to watch lots of finds); or
• If you don't care about politics and just want to play the game...

...then listing your cache with Groundspeak might be better for you. Otherwise, try listing the cache on Geocaching Australia!