This posting from October 2001 found by Robin in December 2012, so added here "for the record" :-)

Reply from Robin Lovelock
#1 Guest_Robin Lovelock_*
Group:Guests
Posted 12 October 2001 - 09:02 PM
A HREF="http://www.gpss.co.uk" TARGET=_blank>www.gpss.co.uk and many register it each day.

I let them use GPSS for free in return for their completing the "Quiz" registration questionaire which gives me valuable information on the changing Worldwide GPS marketplace. e.g. right now, 80% of people who have reached the stage of running GPSS "for real" with a GPS have not heard of Geocaching. This is born out by my recent discussions with senior members of the GPS industry: Garmin have "woken up" to Geocaching - but most of the other major players have not - but watch this space :-) Most of the people visiting geocaching.com are existing geocachers, but some are new recruits - many of whom have not yet purchased a GPS - hence my wish to support Geocaching.

Why has Robin planted so many geocaches in such a short time ? The quick, simple answer is that I wanted to do this while there were still leaves on the trees and sunshine, so I could include nicer pictures on geocaching.com - see discussion of "quality" below. These caches are designed to follow the excellent example set by our first find of "The Queen's Oak" - and serve as a good example to others finding their first cache after discovering Geocaching. Do I have a business motive ? Yes - some of us down south may play a small role in UK Television and other media taking an interest in Geocaching. I do have some track record of being "lucky" in this process - see the ASONTV Page. As someone once said, "the more practise I get, the luckier I get" :-)

But now the most important subject of all: QUALITY.

Jeremy Irish and his colleagues of Grounded Inc. in the USA do an excellent job of keeping www.geocaching.com running. It is a fantastic web site, but the quality of the information on it, and the places and geocaches that it leads you to, are completely dependent on us - those who plant the caches. Those who find the caches also contribute "value" to the web site, with their reports appended.

This is where I believe there is a big difference of opinion: what constitutes a "quality" geocache. I believe the three important aspects of quality are:

•CACHE LOCATION: no disputes here, I think.

•CACHE CONTENTS: practically all of the Lovelock caches include an instant camera, and numerous books, toys and "goodies". Yes, I included a GPSS CD - I'm curious to see how many get taken - but these CD can also be used as beermats :-)

•CACHE DESCRIPTION: on geocaching.com - I've tried to include pictures and information of general interest - particularly to those who are not yet "hooked" on the sport. I'm trying to draw families away from their PC and into the "open air".

Perhaps the best defence I have - in my opinion at least - is the geocaching.com website itself. My harshest critics in the last few days seem to be NORTHUMBRIAN and MOSSTROOPER - I suggest you take a browse through both their and my Cache entries, and see who you think is making the greater contribution. One of these is the moderator of the UK Newsgroup, I believe. Some people will want to treck miles, along muddy paths, to find a jar containing false teeth or a kidney stone :-) However, we all know how difficult it can be to get our "other half" to share our enthusiasm for a new hobby - let alone the children, who may prefer the TV or PC indoors.

Let's have a few more "easy but interesting" caches out there - please.

NORTHUMBRIAN Geocaches:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest_cache.asp?u=The+Northumbrian >www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest_cache.asp?u=The+Northumbrian

MOSSTROOPER Geocaches:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest_cache.asp?u=Moss+Trooper >www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest_cache.asp?u=Moss+Trooper

LOVELOCK Geocaches:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest_cache.asp?u=Robin+Lovelock >http://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest_cache.asp?u=Robin+Lovelock

There is, of course, space in the UK for ALL types of Geocache. I'm sure the handful of 140+(?) geocaches now in the field will be dwarfed by the numbers planted next year - and our recent contribution of caches will be seen as a tiny "blip on the curve".

The most important thing, I would suggest, is for us to do our bit of planting good quality caches, enjoy the sport - yes June and I will be doing more of that now - and perhaps spend less time squabbling amongst ourselves on the newsgroup ? :-)

I realise that this page of "defence" may do more harm than good to my relationship with my critics, including MOSSTROOPER and NORTHUMBRIAN, mentioned above - but I thought I owed it to my "defenders". I'm prepared to believe that my critics have "their heart in the right place" and hope that, with time, they will change their opinion of me. I'd very much appreciate direct contact, prefereably by 'phone on 01344 620775, or email on GPSS@compuserve.com from these particular critics, and I hope they will be happy to give me their real names - I always prefer the direct approach.

Many Thanks for taking the time to read this page.

Robin Lovelock, Sunninghill, Saturday 13 October 2001.

(full address and contact details on CONTACT page)

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Robin Lovelock
22 Armitage Court
Sunninghill
Ascot SL5 9TA