FAQ

 

What is Fugaboo?

Fugaboo is a vibrant new communication platform that empowers people who live near to each other to interact in friendly and mutually beneficial ways so they can get more out of their everyday lives. Fugaboo is hyperlocal, meaning it focuses on the neighborhood you live in, the nearby places you go and the people you want to know there.  You can use it to exchange information, coordinate activities, buy and sell goods, make new social connections and lots more!

 

Who is it for?

Everyone!  We designed Fugaboo to be super-flexible so that it will work for people no matter where they live.  Whether you’re in a dorm or apartment building, a neighborhood, downtown, or in the ‘burbs, you’ll be amazed at all the cool things you can do on Fugaboo.

 

When is Fugaboo coming to my hometown?

At present we’re doing a closed beta test of Fugaboo in Austin, TX. We plan to launch in other major cities in the spring of 2012. Click on this link to make your town one of the first in our nationwide launch…Request Fugaboo

 

GETTING STARTED

 

What is this location thing all about?

When you first sign into Fugaboo, we generate a list of neighborhoods based on your current location. You can select both the neighborhood you live in as well as other ‘hoods you want to keep up with.  With this information, we will be able to give you the best content for your particular areas of interest.

 

Do I have to reveal my home address?

No, you are never required to share your address with anyone using Fugaboo. Keep in mind, though, that addresses are sometimes necessary when posting certain types of flyers. For example, it's common to list the address of the site where a garage sale is taking place. Be aware of these situations, and judge for yourself whether you're comfortable using your actual address.

 

You've got my location wrong. How do I change it?

We try to determine your city using Google location and IP lookup information. In some instances, the location provided to us is that of your internet service provider, instead of your computer, and you’ll have to change it manually. Just go the very top navigation bar where it says, “You’re neighborhood in…” Click on the city listed and you will be given the opportunity to drag the pin on the map to the actual city in which you are located. Once you've selected the correct city, we'll remember it for your next log in.

 

What's the difference between ‘hoods, spots, and groups?

A ‘hood is a defined part of town. We use Zillow.com and census information to determine these. By belonging to or following a ‘hood, you gain the ability to see and post flyers there as well as interact with members of that community.

 

Spots are specific locations, such as nearby commercial businesses or sites of public interest like parks or libraries. You can follow the ones you care most about in the same way you do with ‘hoods.  Doing this allows you to post and comment on flyers and interact with other people who frequent the very same place.

 

Groups are for people who share a particular interest or a more narrowly defined location like a specific building/block. A group could be something like Zilker Park Moms, Residents of The Austonian, Roller Derby Girls or YMCA Youth Soccer Teams. Groups are created by members, and may be public or private.

Once you create or follow a ‘hood, group or spot, and it will automatically be added to your main location dropdown so you will always have fast and easy access to it.

 

My neighborhood isn't listed. How do I get it listed?

You can contact us to suggest a neighborhood that you would like to see added to Fugaboo. In some cases, we may need to aggregate certain neighborhoods into a parent zipcode until there is sufficient membership activity to support a division into smaller ‘hoods.

 

How do I invite more people to join?

You can invite people to join any hood, group, or spot you follow by clicking on the text link that says “Invite A Friend” found in the upper left hand corner of the information area underneath the follow/unfollow toggle.

 

How do I send a message to another person on Fugaboo?

Anytime you see a member listed and there is a little expression bubble you can select it to message that member. Alternately, you can click on the member's name to view their profile page. Once you are there, just click on the expression bubble next to where it says “Send A Message” to open the dialog box. Once you've finished composing a message, click “Send.”

 

Can I import my email/Facebook/Twitter followers to Fugaboo?

Not at this time. We’re not big fans of automated emails that go out to everyone in your contact list every time you join a new site, so we’re going to start by having people invite each other the old fashioned way…one-to-one. We realize we may have to change this at some point and reserve the right to do so.

 

What is AmigoMagic! ?

AmigoMagic! is a proprietary people-matching system. It uses a complex algorithm find people in your area that you might like to meet. Results are generated based on other users who share the greatest number of uncommon interests with you. So, the more specific, unique things you share with another Fugabooster, the more likely you are to be matched with them. We think it’s really fun. Trying adding some more detailed interests to your profile and give it a whirl!

 

FLYERS

 

What are flyers?

Flyers are virtual messages, announcements, requests or ads. For just about anything you want to communicate to other people on Fugaboo, the best way will usually be to create a flyer.

 

What's the Fugaboard?

The Fugaboard is an interactive wall of flyers. It's like an electronic version of what you might find on the bulletin board of at your favorite coffee shop or library along with the kinds of messages you’d see in the neighborhood newsletter or listserv. At Fugaboo, it's the main means of viewing the events, questions, items for sale, and services offered in your ‘hood, group or spot. The default Fugaboard you see generally is based on your last visit, but it is always easy to select the board of any ‘hood, spot, or group you follow from the main drop-down selector.

 

Do I need to join Fugaboo to post a flyer?

You can always view flyers for any public area of Fugaboo, but if you would like to post a flyer, you must join Fugaboo and then follow the hood, spot, or group in which you would like to post. We’ve made it super easy to join Fugaboo, and once you do, creating a flyer usually takes about thirty seconds.

 

How do I see flyer locations plotted on a map?

Go to the “View as” text-toggle in the upper right part of the Fugaboard (by the search window) and select “MAP” You can always return to the previous view by going back to the “View as” text-toggle and reselecting “BOARD”

 

How do see ALL the flyers and people from my ‘hoods, spots, and groups?

Use the main location drop-down selector to choose “Everything I Follow.” This will let you view all your ‘hoods, spots, and groups combined together on one Fugaboard.

 

How do I sort the flyers on a Fugaboard?

Use the “Sort by” function just to the right of your main drop-down location indicator.  Select the view that makes the most sense for you. New flyers are ordered by most recently posted. Active flyers have the most comments. Faves are flyers you've marked as personal favorites or want to keep special track of. Note that you can also use the “Sort by” button to see all flyers of a certain type such as housing, items for sale, help wanted, or event planning. This is really handy if, for example, you want to see all the flyers for nearby yard sales on a Saturday morning.

 

Can I look at flyers in ‘hoods that I don’t follow?

Yes. The only flyers you may not view are those from private groups.

 

How long do flyers stay up?

When creating a flyer, you choose the length of time the flyer will be up: 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, or forever. You can take a flyer down before its expiration date by clicking on a flyer you created and then clicking “Remove.”

 

How do I get the flyer I’ve posted to the top of the Fugaboard?

You can’t. Flyers are randomly placed on a users’ Fugaboards based on their proximity to your flyer location and the date it was posted. There are no controls for getting flyers higher on the Fugaboard. Sorry Charlie.

 

How do I report an offensive flyer?

To report an offensive flyer, click the title or image on the flyer. Then click “Report” and tell us why you'd like the flyer removed. We will do our best to follow up with removal requests as quickly as possible, in the order they're received.

 

GROUPS

 

What are groups?

Groups are for people who share a particular interest or a more narrowly defined location like a specific building/block. A group could be something like Zilker Park Moms, Residents of The Austonian, Roller Derby Girls or YMCA Youth Soccer Teams. Unlike neighborhoods, groups are created by people just like you. Groups may be public or private, depending on how you'd like to restrict membership.

 

How do I start a group?

There are several places on the site where you can create a group.  You can click “Create Group” at the top, next to the sign in area on your main Fugaboo page or select it from the Groups part of your main drop down location selector. Be sure to take care when choosing to make your group open to the public, or private. If you make it public, anyone will be able to join and if you make it private only group members will be able to see and comment on flyers. Once the group has been created you will have the opportunity to invite other people to join. As the administrator of a group, you have exclusive use of tools to help you manage the flyers and membership of that group.

 

How do I create a spot?

Select “Create a New Spot” from the main location dropdown menu, fill out the form, and you’ll be good to go. After creating your spot, be sure to invite your staff, customers, and friends to join your spot.

 

How do I join an existing group?

Select “Explore Other Groups” from the main dropdown location selector. You can then use the Search box to find a specific group you’re looking for or try browsing nearby groups in your area by dragging the map.  Once you find the group you'd like to join, just click on + symbol to join or click the name of the group to go to that group’s profile page and join from there. If it's a public group, you will be automatically added to the group. If it's a private group, a request will be sent to the group administrator for permission.

 

 How do I invite people to join a group?

You can invite other people to join any public group you belong to. Just look in the upper right hand corner of that group’s information area of their Fugaboard and click on “Invite a Friend”. Enter their email address and hit “Send Invitations.”