Geohashing Day

The Algorithm as shown in xkcd comic #426, published on 21 May 2008.

The Algorithm that defines the sport of geohashing was first published on 21 May 2008. The anniversary of that date is approaching, and begs to be celebrated. Definitely we should geohash, but ...

• Should it be celebrated on May 21st, or on the nearest Saturday?
• How should it be celebrated?
• What should it be called? Algorithm Day? xkcd Day? Geohashing Day?
  • Sor far, the overall opinion seems to be "Algorithm Day".

    I think that "Geohashing Day" is the better option to communicate geohashing to others. Inside our community, we understand what The Algorithm is, but for anyone else we celebrate the creation of geohashing. -- relet 20:19, 16 April 2009 (UTC)

Discuss here, then when we have either a consensus or a joyous riot of ideas, we'll organize them here and move the discussion to the associated talk page for posterity. -Robyn 20:29, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Whoa, hive mind. Just this morning I thought about this and added a new geek- holiday to my calendar (following Pi-Day, Pi-Approx.-Day, Towel-Day, ...). I simply named it Geohashing Day, but I also like Algorithm Day. I'd opt for celebrating it on May 21st, not on Saturday. If we make an achievement ribbon for this, the next Saturday might qualify for a honorable mention. Besides, another day coming up to celebrate, is Towel Day (May 25th). Someone should make a ribbon for knowing where your towel is while Geohashing. Koepfel _talk 21:26, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

I would recommend the nearest Saturday (May 23rd), because the original intention of the comic was that "Game Day is Saturday," and many people can't geohash on weekdays. -Robyn 21:37, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

The intention of the comic was to visit certain coordinates on a certain day. The saturday meetup was just the mouse-over text ;) I do see the point of people being busy (I myself probably won't have the time on that day), but the anniversary is on May 21st. This is why I thought of a honorable mention, maybe also for retro-expeditions on Saturday. Koepfel _talk 21:46, 14 April 2009 (UTC)

Indeed. Not only was 'Saturday is game night' only the mouseover text, but the example given in the comic is for a Thursday. -- Benjw 05:09, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

Heh. Maybe May 21st (Algorithm Day) to May 25th (Towel Day) is now the Geek Week (tm) holiday? I should take that as an excuse to take those days off and go hashing :D --dawidi 22:20, 20 April 2009 (UTC) (with the towel over my shoulder, of course)

Maybe "Algorithm day" the 21st, and "Algorithm day (observed)" the next (or nearest?) Saturday, to mimic moveable statutory holidays, with either counting as attending the anniversary celebrations? -- Rhonda 03:35, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

I was already planning on creating a "Geohashiversary" achievement for making an expedition on the 21st. I like the idea of getting the achievement by just making an effort, because that's the spirit of geohashing: getting out there and doing something you wouldn't normally do, it doesn't matter if you make the coordinates as long as you have an adventure! Thepiguy 05:00, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

I agree with adventure trumping just reaching the coordinates, but you should have to do something, perhaps tell three non-geohashers about it, perhaps`something zanier. -Robyn 05:12, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

Bear and I like the idea of a "Algorithm day" on the 21st, and "Algorithm day observed" (or an honorable mention-type) on the Saturday. We are also drooling over both suggestions here - attempting a unique adventure and trying to involve non-geohashers. Perhaps a special ribbon? :-) -- NCBears 16:21, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

I don't think we should add any other requirements. Dragging people along is always a win, so there's no need to specificially do it on this day. For the honorable mention, chould it also be acceptable to retro-hash to the 21st's coordinates on the next Saturday or should they use Saturday's coordinates? Koepfel _talk 21:52, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

Oh, I'm liking this, that's the hook for Algorithm Day: you can geohash the May 21st 2009 coordinates on May 21st, the May 21st 2009 coordinates on the Saturday, or the the May 21st 2008 coordinates on either May 21st or the Saturday. Also, why are there only four people involved in this discussion. Is the Main Page announcement box not as visible as I hoped? -Robyn 22:07, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

Regarding the visibilty, did you read my idea to put it at the Recent Changes page (see the template's talk page)? Koepfel _talk 22:22, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

Yes, it's a great idea. I'll ask Joannac. -Robyn

Or for bonus points, do both 2008 and 2009 hashpoints :-) -- Rhonda 00:06, 16 April 2009 (UTC)

I really lik ethe idea of a 2008-05-21 retrohash, either on the 21st or the follwoing saturday. it would be fun to go back to the saem point and possibly find a marker someone left from the year before. Also in keeping with tradition, I'm notfixing spelling errors :-P -- Jevanyn 19:03, 16 April 2009 (UTC)

You're gonna be jealous: The Newark, New Jersey geohash for 2008-05-21 is three-four blocks from Sesame Place. -- Jevanyn 19:39, 16 April 2009 (UTC)

I am against the retrohash idea on its own, as my graticule, Palm Beach, Florida, has an inaccessible hashpoint for that day. Also, while it is great to relive a good moment from the past, the entire point of geohashing was to go out and do something new, go somewhere new. One possible idea, which I would support, is to meet up at (or as close as possible to) the retrohash, and do a mass-migration to the new point for the day. Sort of a reliving the past, but also moving towards the future kind of thing. *shrug* --aperfectring 22:59, 16 April 2009 (UTC)