Other members in your area

Here's a neat feature that will help in planning local get-togethers. You can now find other subscribers that are close to you (regionally speaking).

Go to the Extras page and from there, click on "Find other DG subscribers in your area" The results surprised me!

dave

Thanks Dave--pretty cool.
Debbie

Thanks Dave - - that's a great idea!

Only problem is ( from my point of view) it doesn't like anything but USA postal codes!

Yeah. I second that concern. Another place I would like to see the ability to use Canadian postal codes is in PlantFiles for reporting where something grows. Non-U.S. members are basically barred from that complete portion of functionality.

Edited to add: Dave, if the issue is that you load these items from post office or government agency files and you do not have a "supplier" for Canadian postal codes, I can probably do some research and find out where I could get this data for you. I would most certainly be both willing to try and to send periodic maintenance files for updates.

--Ginny

This message was edited Jun 29, 2006 3:52 PM

Very nice. :-)

I love that new feature. It will be a very special tool for planning roundups and plant swaps for particular regions. Thanks Dave.

Sure would be nice if members were differentiated from subscribers.

George, I think it's only subscribers.

Then WOW! There are some five pages of subscribers within 30 miles of me.

Really nice...I live in the middle of nowhere...and there's someone just 10 minutes from me!!! I think I'll say hello!!! ; )

Thanks Dave!
What a fantastic feature.

Was this feature in your mind last month? You couldn't get it ready before I had to go through 30 pages of subscribbers to find local members for our SoCal RU? Thanks a lot Dave....lol

This is a wonderful feature and I just checked it out. Fantastic!!

I hear I might be speaking to you real soon too. :-)

Thanks ever so much for always thinking of great ways to make things easier and better for all of us. You ROCK!.

Donna

You are all very welcome. :-) I was planning the feature for some time, but you know how it goes...

dave

it is a great new feature, it just keeps getting better.

Just in time for the Mid-South Fall RoundUp.

Thank You,

Judy

Wow! That is incredible! Doing a happy dance! Thanks x a billion.

Um...

I seem to be the only one with this problem...

Exactly where is the "Extras" section???

Bolino, click on your "Home" tab, and you'll see the link (it's in the bar of links, just beneath the main feature tabs.)

Ginny,

If you found a database of postal codes in Canada, then I will be happy to incorporate it.

I need:

Postal Code
City
Province
Latitude and Longitude (these are critically important)
timezone and DST info is nice but not necessary.

Think you could get that?

dave

Found it! Thanks!!!

Thank You! It makes searching much easier!

Hi Dave. I can sure try. I work for a university - I'm sure someone on campus has need of this type of information that would tell me where I can get it too :-) If not, I'll have to polish up my research skills and see if I can find it all on my lonesome. I'll get back to you probably near the end of next week. Thanks for even considering this for us.

--Ginny

Ahhhhhh. I think I'm beginning to get it now. Apparently, while there are free US zip code databases available, there do not seem to be any for Canadian postal codes. Similarly, while there are very reasonably priced US zip code databases available, the average price for a similar Canadian postal codes database is about $599.00 (CDN) for a one year subscription (and only $200.00 or so for a one month subscription).

This is one of my pet peeves. While US businesses generally tend toward making profit on volume, for some reason, Canadian businesses seem to want to do it more quickly on margin. I call it scrape and gouge marketing.

Anyway, I assume that any database you use will need to be free, Dave, so you do not run into licensing issues on the site - is that a fair assessment? As noted in my previous post, I will check with my colleagues at work and a few other resources and get back to you.

--Ginny

Hope this helps:

http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/fsamaps/default-e.asp

Be sure to use the ZOOM feature, and good luck.

LOL, it must be done by chronological membership too since Jeremy is closer to me than I am.
;)

Mahnot, thanks for the link. I must be missing something really obvious here though :-(

I can see where this would be useful for an individual to perform their own lookups outside of the DG site, but the Canada Post site appears to me to be a series of "smart" PDF maps, not available data files. All mention of postal code based data files that I can find on the Canada Post web sites come with $1200.00-and-up one year subscription figures as well. Did you find something out there that I'm looking right past?

Thanks.....Ginny

Ginny,

Thank you for your looking. Yes, I'll need it to be free. The zipcode (US) database I have is freely available and that's what I'd need.

best,
dave

Hiya Dave,
Great feature~ just in the nick of time,too! Now maybe I can find a friend or two out here in the high desert! :)

This place is awesome.

MsC

Dave: A quick note just to let you know I'm still looking. I haven't given up yet! --Ginny

Okay.....I have officially given up :-( Even my sources at various public libraries can't find one for me. There seems to be no such thing as a free Canadian postal codes database. I'll shut up about this lack of functionality now and slink off with my tail between my legs.

Sorry Dave. I really thought I might be able to do this for you --Ginny

When I click on the Extras Tab for "Find other members in your area" this is what I get.

Error
It looks like '' is not a valid zip code.

Deb

It sounds as though you don't yet have your ZIP in your profile, so the member locator can't help you.

1) Go to "manage your preferences"
2) Click on "Your location" from the links on the left.
3) Add your ZIP code in the appropriate field.
4) Press submit.

Then return to the member locator to try again ;o)

Silly me.....thanks Terry.

Janett_D to the rescue! She sent me a dgmail with the following (cut and pasted here with her consent - thanks Janett, you're an angel):
_____________________________________________________________
Mabe this can be some help
This site is not totally free but it costs merely $ 5 to download any scripts from it and I cant find ANY subscription cost or any sort of additional costs added. and from what I can gather its free to use at sites like DG
http://www.tufat.com/
Here is from their message board on the topic
http://www.tufat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19892
Here is my google on the topic
http://www.google.se/search?q=canada zip codes free&hl=sv&lr=&start=0&sa=N
I know that you and I get different hits when google from different google servers.
Hope this helps to resurrect your self esteem a bit :0)) Never give up :))
Janett
_____________________________________________________________

I downloaded the files from the hyperlink on the tufat message board. They are standard CSV files in the format Postal Code, Lattitude, Longitude, Province Code. The City is not present - is that an absolute requirement Dave?

--Ginny

I'm download the zipfile right now (36 seconds remain). I'll look at it when it's here.

dave

Wow, I was surprised too! This is a fantastic feature, thanks! Makes me giggle a little to know there are so many people so close to me. It feels kinda like we're all members of a secret club.

This message was edited Jul 7, 2006 7:39 PM

Yea it is a cool feature. There is a bunch of people listed right near me!

Though I am not quite sure how SalmonMe in Springboro, Ohio shows up as only 16 miles from me. I wonder if she plugged in the wrong zip code. I will drop her a D-mail.

- Brent

I found a new member from Cambria! Now there are two of us. I've talked to lots of folks in town about DG and I'm wondering if this is someone who actually listened and sought it out. Very cool feature Dave.

WOW about a hundred people close to me !