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Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65904 by Yachtygirl
Jan 23, 2007 5:31pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Why is it that so few people post their finds these days.


This is nothing new. There are approximately 30% of letterboxers that do not read the main LbNA chatlist, AQ, Newboxers chatlist or regional chatlists. They just go find letterboxes.

Unfortunately when some folks do list their find they believe that just 'listing' it is more important than actually writing a note to the placer. Communication has been lost to the listing process.

At one time letterbox found reports were common place on the main LbNA chatlist and now if you find one it is a rareity, and you might have someone else complain about having to read a report.

While we do not bother to log all of our finds on this or any other on line location , we do use the 'Contact the placer' functions, primarily at LbNA, just to thank the placer for their efforts.
Counting is not where it is at for us.

You can spread the word about listing finds , but unfortunately it will be very difficult to reach that silent 30%.

Don
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65920 by Don and Gwen
Jan 23, 2007 5:38pm
Thread (disabled) Board
That is one of the joys for me, actually. I like coming home and sending out little box reports. Some placers respond and that is great fun, and MANY OF THEM I don't hear from at all. So it disappoints sometimes both ways.

But most logs do indeed have WAY MORE finders than are ever listed on either site. It certainly isn't a requirement to enjoy letterboxing, and I'm sure it's a dreadful chore for many, so of course they're not going to take the time.

Mommo
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65924 by Mommo
Jan 23, 2007 5:39pm
Thread (disabled) Board
And whoo hoo! I just got my first little conversation star!!!

Mommo
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65926 by Mommo
Jan 23, 2007 5:44pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Just keep chatting and you'll get more.
Six Stars *trying to get more red ones, now!*
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65924 by Mommo
Jan 23, 2007 5:47pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Do you think that the 30% who do not log also do not plant boxes? I think as the 'mom' to a few boxes out there, I feel more like telling those who have planted before me how thankful I am that they are out there planting and respecting their work/artestry to tell them thank you and report on the box condition...
just a thought...
six stars
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65908 by Traveling Chicklets
Jan 23, 2007 5:56pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote does it talk about logging the finds?


Some do. I put in my boxes that the finders can log their finds at AQ. Whether the finder reads this and remembers to do so is beyond my control. There have been times that I haven't had the time to read a logbook and some boxers just don't, so they won't see my little note.

Other people aren't comfortable enough with computers or have a limited amount of time to use them, for example paying per hour at the library or something. Maybe they choose to hunt clues instead of log finds.

Unfortunately, the longer I box, I find myself slipping into the "oh, I'll get around to logging that find someday" category, even though I still do log the finds eventually. Maybe there are some people who only think of the logged find as an official record of their F-count and they couldn't care less. I find these are boxers who usually haven't planted themselves. They don't think of it from the angle that the main way the planter knows what's happening with a box is to get a finder's report.

Then there are those who don't log finds from the secrecy angle. They simply don't want the world knowing their business. However, I find these boxers are usually the most likely to send a find report to a planter even if they don't "officially" log their finds.

Knit wit
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65907 by joyfinder07
Jan 23, 2007 6:06pm
Thread (disabled) Board
It not just new boxer that don't log....I've had some that just logged a find and the find was back in October.
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65929 by six stars
Jan 23, 2007 6:06pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Do you think that the 30% who do not log also do not plant boxes?


Yep. If they do plant a box then their perspective might change, but until that time they may go about finding boxes and not even think about contacting the placer.

This 30 % group may be the cause of some of the poor rehiding, and lack of stealthyness that occurs right after a publication(newspaper, magazine, etc.) has a letterboxing article. Those folks (the 30%) never take the time to read some of the info on AQ, and LbNA, and thus do not get educated to the nuances in letterboxing.

No flames please, as if you are reading this then obviously you are not one of those 30% folks.

Don
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65920 by Don and Gwen
Jan 23, 2007 7:03pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Why is it that so few people post their finds these days.


When was there a day when people usually posted their finds? Back in the old days, AQ didn't exist and LbNA didn't allow people to "officially" record finds online, so it was never a priority. We got our clues online, but that was about the extent that letterboxing was online. PFX counts were always kept track of manually, not through websites. I used to have a board up on the wall in my apartment--what do you call those white boards that you can use markers on? I'd keep track of my F-count on that. Whenever I got back home from a day of letterboxing, I'd put my new count in the corner there for me to look at every day. =)

After a couple hundred finds, I largely stopped caring what my counts were. *shrug*

Nowadays, I let AQ keep track of my F-count. Not that I really care, but some people find it interesting. *more shrugging*

I usually record my finds on AQ just so the planters can know it was found recently. I don't always leave comments--they tend to be all the same anyhow (e.g. "Great time, thanks for planting the box!")--unless there's something wrong with the box and I'll report that. Or if I found a bunch of boxes by the same person, I might leave a comment with one of their boxes instead of all of them. Sometimes, though, I don't list my finds for a month or two after finding the boxes. (Not really a high priority for me.)

As for getting find reports--I don't get worked up about them either way. If people leave me a note, I'll usually reply to let them know I got the message and thank them for the update. If people don't leave me a note, I mentally thank them for the update and delete it. =) I figured if they didn't leave me a note, they're not feeling very talkative so I don't feel pressured to reply. Seems rude not to reply to a find report where someone leaves a note, though.

Anyhow, from an old-timer's perspective (old-timer from a letterboxing point of view, at least), recording finds online is a fairly new development and if there's a lot of people who choose not to, that's not surprising. That's the way things were done in the old days.

I'm kind of leery about the idea of trying to "encourage" people to record finds, though. It's a personal choice, and it should stay that way. I didn't implement the feature because I thought it was a better way of doing things--I did it because some people just like to keep track of their finds online.

As for that box idea about having someone contact the planter to get a bonus box--you might get more people to report their finds, but if you restrict boxes in any way, it will ultimately get fewer visitors. If the box is nearby and you can check it yourself often, you'll probably enjoy the extra finds by not restricting the box.

-- Ryan
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65947 by Green Tortuga
Jan 23, 2007 8:11pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote I'm kind of leery about the idea of trying to "encourage" people to record finds, though. It's a personal choice, and it should stay that way.


Thank you. While I do take advantage of keeping an online log, I do not expect everyone to. After all, IMHO letterboxing is what we do "out there" much more so than what goes on "in here".

MM/123Family
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65955 by She Runs
Jan 23, 2007 8:49pm
Thread (disabled) Board
I am always trying to get folks excited about letterboxing. And there is a flight attendant who I introduced to letterboxing on a layover. She has carved a signature stamp for herself and she has found many letterboxes while on trips. But she never logs onto LBNA or AQ to record finds or to chat. She is not interested in Yahoo Groups and she does not have any interest in attending a gathering. She just finds letterboxes and that is all.

I also was contacted by a family in NC who found letterboxing thru Family Fun magazine. I knew the Dad when I was living in NC and we used to hang out with the same people when we were in our 20's! He found one of my letterboxes and contacted me. The only reason they emailed me was to reminisce about old times. They go letterboxing about once a month with the kids. They do not record finds on LBNA or AQ and they do not chat on Yahoo Groups and they have no interest in attending gatherings. All they want to do is go out once a month for a little hike and maybe find a letterbox.

Every time I see these people, I gush about how wonderful Atlas Quest is and how they really ought to record their finds etc. But they just are not interested in that aspect of the hobby. I can't imagine why...but they are just not interested in letterboxing beyond what they already do. They find the occasional box.

There is no figuring out some people!

-amanda from seattle
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65947 by Green Tortuga
Jan 23, 2007 11:15pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote what do you call those white boards that you can use markers on?


Ummm, a whiteboard.

Janet, Blooming Flowers
Thinking she is so smart.
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65977 by Blooming Flower
Jan 23, 2007 11:33pm
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Ummm, a whiteboard.


Really? When did they start calling them that? I remember them being called something like "dry erase board" or something. I just don't think that's quite right.

-- Ryan, who grew up with chalkboards
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65979 by Green Tortuga
Jan 24, 2007 1:11am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Ryan, who grew up with chalkboards


Errr..... Do you mean blackboards, or is that just in England?

YT
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65985 by The Yorkshire Tortoise
Jan 24, 2007 1:14am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Do you mean blackboards, or is that just in England?


OH we called them that over here until SOMEBODY decided that sounded TOO racist. I'm not making this up.

Shiloh
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65985 by The Yorkshire Tortoise
Jan 24, 2007 1:16am
Thread (disabled) Board
he means blackboards you write on with chalk... only here in the US only some of them are black, most of them are green...so probably because they come in two colors, we call them chalk boards...because we write on all of them with chalk.

or we did until white dry-erase boards came along... now in the classrooms, they have metal, white, dry-erase boards that the teachers can use to write on, or stick stuff on them with magnets, or with tape. how cool is that?

night writer
Re: Chalkboards
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65986 by shiloh
Jan 24, 2007 1:27am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote OH we called them that over here until SOMEBODY decided that sounded TOO racist.


Oh no, not the PC police again! When I was a little girl we had a childrens TV programme called Andy Pandy. Andy Pandy's friend was Teddy and at the end of the program Andy Pandy and Teddy used to jump into a toy hamper and say 'Goodbye'.

Then..... some idiot decided Andy Pandy and Teddy were both boys and couldn't get into the toy hamper together. Ever after that Andy Pandy jumped into the basket and Teddy had to sit down outside it to say Goodbye!!!!!!!!

The thing is until they made the fuss about it I had always assumed Andy Pandy was a girl - even though he had a boys name and wore a blue striped jumpsuit.

Message for that idiot...they were TOYS being put away in the TOY BOX.

YT
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65979 by Green Tortuga
Jan 24, 2007 4:30am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Really? When did they start calling them that? I remember them being called something like "dry erase board" or something. I just don't think that's quite right.


Man, why you got to go making me look this stuff up? Sheesh :)

http://www.white-boards-and-more.com/sb/t1/ca2558/cl20/sb.htm

According to that site, we're both right, so it's a draw (I think that was a pun)

Quote -- Ryan, who grew up with chalkboards


Me too! And we called them blackboards. Why's it always got to be about color anyway? :P
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65987 by Romana
Jan 24, 2007 4:41am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote only some of them are black, most of them are green...


Yes, it was big thing when I was at school in the 70s. Most of our blackboards were replaced with greenboards because they were supposed to be easier on the eyes. Funny thing was that after a few years the greenboards were replaced with blackboards because they were easier to read!!

DM
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65986 by shiloh
Jan 24, 2007 5:01am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote OH we called them that over here until SOMEBODY decided that sounded TOO racist.

or they changed the color to green!
six stars
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65929 by six stars
Jan 24, 2007 5:54am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote Do you think that the 30% who do not log also do not plant boxes?


I believe there is a very good chance that the 30% of whom you speak do not plant.
I always logged my finds, but I'll admit that I did not always send a note to the placer before I started planting, especially if there was no problem with the box. Once I received my first note from a finder of one of my boxes, I realized what a thrill it is for the planter to hear from a finder. Since then, I try to make it a point to send a comment at the very least.

Unfortunately, for those of us who enjoy receiving word on our boxes, some folks aren't into the computer aspect of this hobby (I know my husband isn't). They just want to print clues and get out there. So I guess as long as they take care with the boxes that they find, I'll say box and let box:)

:) FreezyCat (who secretly wishes everyone would log and comment on their finds:D)
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65907 by joyfinder07
Jan 24, 2007 6:52am
Thread (disabled) Board
Now your talking!! Spread the word around!!
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65933 by Happy Daze
Jan 24, 2007 6:53am
Thread (disabled) Board
I agree with your comment. Lets share all our finds so that we can keep tabs on the condition of our boxes!!
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65926 by Mommo
Jan 24, 2007 6:55am
Thread (disabled) Board
you go girl!!!
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65929 by six stars
Jan 24, 2007 6:58am
Thread (disabled) Board
Great observation, I hadn't thought about that. It is a goodly amount of work to get a box together and hide it. People who have not hidden one may not realize all the time and effort, so it may not be important for them to pass on a status check..
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #65994 by six stars
Jan 24, 2007 7:09am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote OH we called them that over here until SOMEBODY decided that sounded TOO racist.


And White Board ISN'T racist? Maybe it should be a Caucasian Board? Ugh, a black board is a black board and a white board is a white board and who really cares what they're called?

Besides....back in the day of Black Boards....the board was black, the chalk was white....working together, a beautiful sight....
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #66021 by Jaxx
Jan 24, 2007 7:52am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote And White Board ISN'T racist? Maybe it should be a Caucasian Board?


I think dry erase board is sufficient. ;)

TG
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #66017 by Yachtygirl
Jan 24, 2007 7:55am
Thread (disabled) Board
I just put a little blurb at the bottom of my clues [and now I'm going to modify it slightly to something more] like:

"I would love to know if you find the box. If you don't mind, please log your find on www.atlasquest.com and/or www.letterboxing.org. In addition to making my day, it will also help others to know that the box has been recently found intact."

- MO UR4Me
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #66035 by MO UR4Me
Jan 24, 2007 7:58am
Thread (disabled) Board
Quote I just put a little blurb at the bottom of my clues [and now I'm going to modify it slightly to something more] like:

"I would love to know if you find the box. If you don't mind, please log your find on www.atlasquest.com and/or www.letterboxing.org. In addition to making my day, it will also help others to know that the box has been recently found intact."


I like this wording! Mind if I borrow it:-)

:) FreezyCat
Re: sending out box confirmations
Board: Traditional Letterboxes
Reply to: #66036 by Bikercats
Jan 24, 2007 8:00am
Thread (disabled) Board
Go right ahead, that's why I shared it.