Concern for the Newbies.

How much concern should we have for those new to the letterboxing hobby? I know, that may seem like a startling question, but I don't mean it callously. 

As a new boxer, it must seem like a world of discovery - they have yet to experience the thrill of the find, the humbling realization that they may not follow directions as well as they thought, and the disarming sudden awareness that the box they are searching for is at an entirely different place or park. They have yet to try different types of packs, ink, and methods. They have, perhaps, hacked out their initial siggy from an eraser with an X-acto, and feel proud and a little embarrassed at the same time. But, they may also feel intimidated by old-timers on AQ who have thousands of finds and are quick to share the 'right' way to do every aspect of the hobby. 

I have often wondered why there is so much concern for the experience of new boxers. I understand that long-time boxers may be concerned about their planted boxes being mishandled, or that newbies won't find boxes and leave the hobby in frustration. Both these concerns may be valid in a few cases, but I am not convinced that this concern and attitude is respectful or fair. After all, if a planter doesn't want new boxers finding their boxes listed on AQ, there are other options (for example, find or plant restrictions, word-of-mouth boxes, mystery boxes, puzzle-coded clues, etc.). What's more, the assumption that more experienced boxers are better at closing containers and re-hiding is faulty. 

As far as the frustration of not finding boxes, well, that is just a fact of the game. (Spoiler: you don't have to be a newbie to be frustrated with abandoned boxes or haphazard clues.) If people trying out the hobby are frustrated enough to leave, then that is their prerogative - maybe it wasn't their thing after all. Experienced boxers cannot control who comes, stays, or leaves the hobby. And they shouldn't feel they need to, frankly. If you are concerned about new boxers leaving the hobby due to frustration, I would suggest increasing their odds of finding by maintaining and/or adjusting (your) clues and hides so they are more easily 'findable.' Or, like many boxers of the past, plant them and if they are found that's great, if not, no big deal. 

"Box owners should not be the ones deciding which boxes
are best for other people to find."

As far as the overly-discussed concern of identifying boxes as 'good for beginners,' well, again, I am wondering how valid that concern really is. Not to sound like an elder, but when I was a new boxer, dragging my three homeschooled junior boxers along for the ride, no one gave two-hoots for our level of angst at not finding a box. And most of the boxes available to find at that time were planted by the famed dvn2rckr, who did not skimp on historical details, longer hikes, and cryptic clues. No, there were not any special icons to denote whether boxes were intended for newbies. And yes, there were plenty of times we were frustrated. Did we stop searching? Nope. That was because it was the hobby of our choosing - not because it was easy, but because it got us out into the world exploring and hunting. 

My conclusion is that careful hiding and maintenance is the best way to support newer boxers. I don't think that an exaggerated concern for the experience of newbies, or a 'good for beginners' icon is warranted - they are not babies, just learning the game. The findability concept/icon, as it has been said, is not about how easy a box is to find (implying good for beginners), but the chance that it is still available to be found by boxers of all experience levels. The bottom line for me is that finders are finders regardless of their find count.

"Finders are the best judge of which boxes they should look for, not planters."