Waymarking.com Features & Functions

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

opinionate — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:23:12 GMT

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

chapterhouseinc — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:22:03 GMT

i think its on hold because of all the overwrites (someone else approved it after it was already approved).....
what about the votes that end before you can add your ballot......

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

silverquill — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:09:04 GMT

bootron:
We are still working on the updates. The points system is on hold for now. The "marks" (orphans) functionality and the ability to edit variable answers will be released in a week or two. Advanced search will be included in this release as well, along with many minor bug fixes.

Thanks for the update! We'll look forward to it, one way or the other.

Let us know if there's anything we can do to help on the points system, if you're still interested in implementing it at some point.

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

bootron — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:19:19 GMT

We are still working on the updates. The points system is on hold for now. The "marks" (orphans) functionality and the ability to edit variable answers will be released in a week or two. Advanced search will be included in this release as well, along with many minor bug fixes.

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

chapterhouseinc — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:54:59 GMT

how soon you forget that we really dont exist. only when they all focus their special powers are we visible.

(i think they forgot to check the visible in directory box)

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

silverquill — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:01:32 GMT

Any update on this?
Is it still under consideration?
Imminent? On the back burner? Abandoned?

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

silverquill — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:03:43 GMT

Any update on this? Is the idea still in the mulling stage, or under development for eventual implementation?

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

norstar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:48:50 GMT

OK, my US$/CAN$.02,

I'm a skeptic on the 'orphan' waymark. I view Waymarking.com as a scavenger hunt with defined categories that you try to list. On scavenger hunts in college (Greek Week fraternity competitions), we had a list of something like fifty things to get that matched an item on the list, for example, a shirt with a professional football team logo on it. A shirt with the Cleveland Browns -- er scheme (bad example - what's the logo?) or New England Patriots logo on it would qualify. A shirt with the Ohio State Buckeyes would not. It doesn't matter that the team is that person's favorite college team - it didn't fit a category on the list - too bad. On waymarking.com, the list is now over 900. Are there some great potential waymarks out there that still don't fit a category? Sure! I have a few. Am I losing sleep or miffed that I can't list them? Well, a little, but that's part of the game. I wish some categories were added, and I just posted a suggestion in the forum. I have a beautiful stone building that doesn't fit the cobblestone building category. That's the way it goes. I hope that a stone building category gets created some day, so that I can list it.

There is potential for waymarks on the site to be really useful resources. I'd like effort to go to better downloading options and sorting waymarks within categories by variables. That might get other people interested in waymarking. Otherwise, categories over a few hundred are cumbersome to go through if you are interested in one specific thing, like an architect in a building category.

The points - I see them like Drew Carey awarding points on "Who's Line is it Anyway?" - they don't mean very much except maybe to the points to me. I would like some kind of awarding of points to number of 'divisions' (supercategories) and to categories. I'm less concerned about the bingos - I look more at clusters. Visits should be some fraction of posting - I was thinking about half myself. I am also concerned about my responsibility to review and delete visits if people are going to be 'competitive,' but not if the numbers are for myself.

These are some of my reactions off the top of my head.

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

team farkle 7 — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 02:49:27 GMT

BruceS:
globetrotters.us:

chapterhouseinc:
bonus points for featured waymarks?

I think they quit making featured waymarks (toungue in cheek)

Featured waymarks are still added occasionally.

Hint Hint Pick Me Pick Me

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

BruceS — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:08:56 GMT

globetrotters.us:
chapterhouseinc:
bonus points for featured waymarks?

I think they quit making featured waymarks (toungue in cheek)

Featured waymarks are still added occasionally.

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

globetrotters.us — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:25:12 GMT

chapterhouseinc:
bonus points for featured waymarks?

I think they quit making featured waymarks (toungue in cheek)

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

chilehead — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:08:33 GMT

Interesting ideas.

Have you thought about treating this more like flickr, iphoto, gmail does, with the use of tags?   So rather than having all these different categories, you would submit a waymark into the orphan or generic category, with the option of making it private (nobody else can categorize it for you) or public (let the world at it!)

Then apply tags - predefined tags matching the current categories - to submit it to the group for consideration.   Application of a tag would automatically ask for the other variables for that category (optional or not, separate discussion.)

This then allows easy cross listing of waymarks, which I would find extremely useful.

Example:

- I drive by a NY historical marker, see it's also a cobblestone building, a former school house, and a current Masonic Lodge.
- I take a picture of the sign and building, grab the coords, and go home.
- I submit my "orphan" (or generic) waymark, and in this case I mark it private as I don't want anybody else trying to categorize this for me
- I then apply the NY Historical marker tag, which asks me for the marker text, county, nearest town, etc ...
- I then apply the cobblestone building tag, which asks for the year of the building
- I then apply the former school house tag, and it asks me for the year, current use, and history of use
- I then apply the masonic lodge tag, and it asks me for the lodge number

That's much easier than typing up the same waymark 4 times, which in fact I did for this very case.

It would be interesting to be able to then look for waymarks that are tagged with different combinations of tags (I wonder how many NY Historical markers are at churches, or how many churches are cobblestone buildings, ...)

As far as stats, I'd be interesting in some sort of integration with geocaching.com; if anything, a simple stat that would show what normally looks like:
     June 25 ChileHead (1772 found)
to
     June 25 ChileHead (1772 gc, 250 wm, ...)

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

chapterhouseinc — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:27:13 GMT

bonus points for featured waymarks?

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

silverquill — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:22:08 GMT

haggaeus:
I admit I've got mixed feelings about this proposed change.

If there would be one flat queue for all potential waymarks, I don't think there would be anyone browsing through it and helping with all submissions. The original poster should at least pick a broader group (Nature / Structures / Business / etc.), then the "categorizer" who is expert in that field could assign it to the right category and do some research on the variables.

Also maybe filtering the orphaned group by country would be useful: then it would be possible to help the local waymarkers with translations.

Anyway, the best thing I like about waymarking is that you can select your own niche and specialize in historical markers, bridges, architecture styles, or whatever you like. If you come upon a waymark in your favorite category, you probably know the info you have to collect. If you pass an object and think "hey, there is a category for something like this", you take photos and mark the coordinates, then at home you find the category and recognize that you didn't collect some necessary information - then it might make sense to submit an incomplete waymark and let the experts in that category do the research on variables.

Similar thoughts on the point system: a flat number mixing chain restaurants and mountain summits doesn't have any value. Badges for top contributors to the category would be cool.

Excellent thoughts!

I especially like the idea of orphan waymarks at least needing a Class heading. And, somehow being able to filter or sort them by County and U.S. state would be so helpful. Both of these features would encourage people to adopt the poor little orphans, feed and dress them up and find them a good home.

And, your take on waymarking is so true - something for everyone! So many ways to enjoy it.

Re: Next Site Update - Orphan Waymarks and Points

haggaeus — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:16:53 GMT

I admit I've got mixed feelings about this proposed change.

If there would be one flat queue for all potential waymarks, I don't think there would be anyone browsing through it and helping with all submissions. The original poster should at least pick a broader group (Nature / Structures / Business / etc.), then the "categorizer" who is expert in that field could assign it to the right category and do some research on the variables.

Also maybe filtering the orphaned group by country would be useful: then it would be possible to help the local waymarkers with translations.

Anyway, the best thing I like about waymarking is that you can select your own niche and specialize in historical markers, bridges, architecture styles, or whatever you like. If you come upon a waymark in your favorite category, you probably know the info you have to collect. If you pass an object and think "hey, there is a category for something like this", you take photos and mark the coordinates, then at home you find the category and recognize that you didn't collect some necessary information - then it might make sense to submit an incomplete waymark and let the experts in that category do the research on variables.

Similar thoughts on the point system: a flat number mixing chain restaurants and mountain summits doesn't have any value. Badges for top contributors to the category would be cool.