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Roger Caffin Bushwalking FAQ

Sat 21 Jun, 2025 6:04 pm

Many years ago I recall using an excellent (perhaps the best I found) bushwalking information source.
I feel pretty confident it was a FAQ created and maintained by Roger Caffin starting when aus.bushwalking was a newsgroup.
When I use a search engine to try and find this resource I get results, but all direct me to bushwalkingnsw.org.au where I am given a 404 error.
Does anyone have a working link to this vast array of excellent information?
Thanks,
Justin.

Re: Roger Caffin Bushwalking FAQ

Sat 21 Jun, 2025 6:31 pm

I have the same problem, I went to look up something on the Roger Caffin pages, only to be redirected like you. I contacted Bushwalking NSW who told me they no longer supported the FAQ because it was out of date and the links no longer worked. Further discussion went nowhere - Bushwalking NSW simply have no interest in keeping the FAQ going. A valuable resource has been lost.

Re: Roger Caffin Bushwalking FAQ

Sat 21 Jun, 2025 6:35 pm

Thanks for the info. I find it almost impossible to believe. I understand some things change over time, but the utility and value held in that FAQ was outstanding, and certainly still so useful today. What a loss.

Re: Roger Caffin Bushwalking FAQ

Sat 21 Jun, 2025 6:43 pm

In the short term the Wayback Machine has a working copy of the FAQ for those that are interested.
It seems it was available as recently as March on bushwalkingNSW.org.au .
It would be interesting to hear from Roger if he has plans for this information if it really has been dumped by BushwalkingNSW.

Re: Roger Caffin Bushwalking FAQ

Sat 21 Jun, 2025 6:48 pm

Roger is a member here and posts something occasionally, so it may be worth asking him.
He may read this and respond, or you could try sending him a private message.

Re: Roger Caffin Bushwalking FAQ

Sat 21 Jun, 2025 7:54 pm

Roger was listed as the maintainer of that FAQ and his email was given there for contact re. issues. The FAQ on gas stoves was very useful.

Re: Roger Caffin Bushwalking FAQ

Sat 21 Jun, 2025 8:26 pm

Pm him via his membership here - and fyi, I've also left a pm to his address on the US backpackinglight site where he has been more active (last post an article in feb) about his myog inverted stove.

Re: Roger Caffin Bushwalking FAQ

Sun 22 Jun, 2025 9:36 am

It costs money to maintain stuff like that, but I'd be prepared to kick in for a copy as I'd not cloned the pages.
A lot of good information was there and most of it still relevant

Re: Roger Caffin Bushwalking FAQ

Sun 22 Jun, 2025 11:10 am

I will send a PM to Roger, check that he knows the content is gone.

Moondog, storing this information locally might be infringing Rogers copyright, I am not sure. But if you did want to store it locally and your computer is linux, you can easily clone the FAQ (or any other website) from the way back machine, with working links and content stored locally with the following command:
Code:
wget --recursive --no-clobber --page-requisites --convert-links --domains web.archive.org --no-parent https://web.archive.org/web/20250318062544/http://www.bushwalkingnsw.org.au/clubsites/FAQ/FAQ_Index.htm

Not sure if you can use wget on windows or mac?

Re: Roger Caffin Bushwalking FAQ

Sun 22 Jun, 2025 11:51 am

I know, I know.
Me, I suspect a sort of turf war in the NSW Confederation. It has happened before when someone tried to take it over.
I was TOLD that the Vic Confed has a Bushwalking Manual, whih is now being recommended. But I think thatt has many errors of fact.
One day, maybe. Right now I am making UL mountain stoves.

Cheers
Roger

Re: Roger Caffin Bushwalking FAQ

Sun 22 Jun, 2025 3:19 pm

Roger I'd not clone it without your permission but certainly happy to pay your permission costs

Re: Roger Caffin Bushwalking FAQ

Mon 23 Jun, 2025 11:25 am

juz wrote:I will send a PM to Roger, check that he knows the content is gone.

Moondog, storing this information locally might be infringing Rogers copyright, I am not sure. But if you did want to store it locally and your computer is linux, you can easily clone the FAQ (or any other website) from the way back machine, with working links and content stored locally with the following command:
Code:
wget --recursive --no-clobber --page-requisites --convert-links --domains web.archive.org --no-parent https://web.archive.org/web/20250318062544/http://www.bushwalkingnsw.org.au/clubsites/FAQ/FAQ_Index.htm

Not sure if you can use wget on windows or mac?


'wget' is not installed on macOS by default, but can easily be installed using any of the popular macOS package installers.

'curl' is included with macOS and can be used instead (although the arguments and command format are different, of course).

(Not necessarily condoning making copies of any particular page/site. However, there should be no problem taking a copy from a legitimate source for personal use, so long as it is not distributed to anyone else without permission from the author/copyright-holder.)
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