Yes, Joe, you are right. It's too bad these threads have to dive so deep
into such depths of negativity. :-[ I suppose to an outsider we
probably sound like a bunch of screaming pre-schoolers. >:o
I'm blaming it on a case of mass cabin-fever, brought on by hot weather
and high gas prices.
Joe Brekke wrote:
> Given the recent posts on this list serve, I just wanted to share
> something with the members of this list.
>
> I met recently, a couple who were new to Geocaching at a cache here in
> the Portland area. It was a multi-stage and we were walking out as
> they were starting it. I noticed them and struck up a conversation.
> After talking for a few minutes, I said goodbye, and we went on. I
> was contacted by them because they did not find the cache. I told him
> where he went wrong and this opened up several e-mails between us.
>
> Their team name is Bandmaster. He has retired as a Bandmaster in the
> US Army. He had several questions of a technical nature on his Garmin
> 60CS and PDA's. I don't profess to be anything of a technical guru
> but know that several on this Listserve are:
>
> The following are exerts of our recent e-mails.
>
> Bandmaster:
>
> I remember that you and I have the same Garmin gps. Right? How do you
> like it? Any tips on its operation? I've been looking for someone
> who knows how to download clue sheets to a PDA.
>
> My Response:
>
> I love my 60C.
>
> I do not have a PDA, so I have never downloaded them I just print it
> to a piece of paper just like you have done. I'm just not good with
> PDA's, so I don't use them. For people that do use them there is a
> way to do it, as long as you match software. I can probably put you
> in touch with some people that can tell you how to do it. I subscribe
> to a geocaching listserve...in Arizona where I used to cache. _They
> can be a great source of technical information...often really
> terrific_. They do have their quirks, but a lot of them are great
> technical sources. The link to this site is:
>
> ttp://www.azgeocaching.com/index.html
> <http://www.azgeocaching.com/index.html> you can check out the
> site there. If you subscribe to the mailing list then you can post
> a question. I've never had any viruses or any problems with spam due
> to this list, so it's pretty safe. You can ask anything and get some
> pretty good answers. Usually you will get a 3 or 4 responses, and
> then you can just privately e-mail the person you choose to
> ask...usually the post from the person will give you a link to their
> e-mail. I can tell you that a really good source for information on
> the Garmin 60C is a guy named Brian Casteel. There are several
> sources that can help you with the PDA question as well. Occasionally
> the posts can get quite childish, sometimes people get their feelings
> hurt, _but the technical information from some of them can't be beat
> and is a lot better than I can give you_. You can check it out, and
> if the infighting gets too much for you, just unsubscribe from the list.
>
> Bandmaster:
>
> Great info Joe! My model is the 60cs, probably an added feature I
> haven't used yet. You gave me good resources too.
>
> My point is that these e-mails between he and I started on the 22nd.
> If he joined on that day you all know the type of messages he has
> received from this list. In light of this, I truly hope that he
> didn't take my advice and join...even though I warned him that the
> possibility existed that he would come across some thread like this.
> I don't think that is something that is ever thought through when
> e-mails are posted to this list. Think of someone who was a new
> subscriber and they came right into this yet again unproductive toxic
> thread - usually off topic that gets started from an e-mail...though I
> do realize this wasn't totally the case here. The point is that
> something like this continually occurs. The AZGeocaching.com web site
> says there are 300 members on this list. I'm pretty sure that close
> to 90% of the posts come from less than 20 of these members.
>
> One of the threads on this Listserve in the last few years has dealt
> with extending a hand to new Geocachers and acting as mentors and
> inviting them to this list so that they can see what a wonderful
> community we have. Ok, can anyone say that the discussions they have
> seen the last couple of days on this Listserve has in any way served
> as an ambassidorship or helping hand to new Geocaching members? Have
> these threads been something that we as mentors to new members should
> be proud of? I have to say that I'm not, and Bandmaster if you did
> actually subscribe to this list, I apologize. My intent was not to
> get you involved in this mess.
>
> Joe - TeamBlunder
>
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