What is Finder's Free?

Finder's Free is a question & answer site, featuring moderated user-generated content alongside staff-written responses. FindersFree.com is free to use and to join, and is solely supported by advertising.

FindersFree.com is the only Q&A site that, alongside moderated member replies, also features a growing archive of researched responses delivered by our editorial staff. While we rely on the community to keep the site strong and diverse, we also know that high-quality, relevant and thorough answers are an important part of our mission to offer readers an intelligent and invaluable web resource.

How do I ask a question on this site?

Use the form on this page [click] to tell us what you want to find.

You will also definitely want to check out the FAQ post: Guidelines for writing a good question

If you don't want to join but still have a question to submit, you can send it to us via our contact form.

To submit a question to be posted on the site as "Anonymous," please don't use our "Submit a question" form, and instead use the contact us form here. In the subject line, please write "Anonymous question." On questions submitted with this method, your name and email address will not be published.

How do I answer a question?

Simply post a response using the form at the bottom of the page, below the question. (You will first need to join/login -- via a free membership here or using Facebook Connect.)

More information:

What is Finder's Free?

Finder's Free is a question & answer site, featuring moderated user-generated content alongside staff-written responses. FindersFree.com is free to use and to join, and is solely supported by advertising.

FindersFree.com is the only Q&A site that, alongside moderated member replies, also features a growing archive of researched responses delivered by our editorial staff. While we rely on the community to keep the site strong and diverse, we also know that high-quality, relevant and thorough answers are an important part of our mission to offer readers an intelligent and invaluable web resource.

Need help or have a question? Come post in our Help & Support forum!

To submit a question to be posted on the site as "Anonymous," please don't use our "Submit a question" form, and instead use the contact us form here. In the subject line, please write "Anonymous question." On questions submitted with this method, your name and email address will not be published.

Which questions get official answers?

The FindersFree.com team will regularly respond to questions -- ones that we think will be relevant to a large number of readers, are particularly timely, of which we have knowledge, or those that simply mesh with our own interests.

Our goal is to answer a minimum of 14 questions each week (an average of 2 per day).

Yes to both!

We're on Twitter: @FindersFree

Like us on Facebook, too: Finder's Free

"Can I add an answer to any question -- even if it's already been answered by someone?"

Absolutely, yes! Just because there are one or more answers already submitted doesn't mean that you can't offer your own ideas and suggestions. Another perspective is always welcomed.

Can I ask a question and then answer it myself?

Yes. And if you would prefer not to have your name on both the Q and the A, you can submit your question to us via our contact page.

How to write a good question

Because we want to make the site as helpful as possible, not every question submitted will automatically appear on the site. Some may be good to go as-is, others may be slightly tweaked, and others just might not make the cut.

Here are a few guidelines for how to make your question stand out -- in a good way.

1) Be concise

Keep the title of your question short and sweet -- about 45 characters (including spaces) total. Get to the point, and ask it in a way that other people who wonder the same thing might phrase it.

Yes: Where can you find American dolls from the early 1900s?

No: My mom used to have this kind of ugly antique doll that her great-grandpa gave her, and I'm wondering where you can buy these nowadays.

In the content section of the ask a question form, tell us whatever else may be relevant: background details, other facts, things you want respondents to be address, etc. In the case of the ugly doll (as above, for you skimmers out there), mention any specifics you do have -- materials, location, approximate age, etc.

2) Phrase your question to help other members

As small of a world as it may seem sometimes, we think it still holds true that on the web, you're never alone. In our case, that means there's always at least one other person who wants to find the same thing you're looking for. Therefore, we want you to try to phrase your question so other people who are wondering the same thing as you will be able to find your query.

This is actually easier to do than it may sound: Simply think of how you have searched the web for an answer to this question already, and consider that kind of phrasing in your question title and in the details section.

Guidelines for writing a good answer

Our goal is to be as hands-off as possible and to allow our community to self-police. However, we reserve the right to edit questions and replies for length, clarity, language and links -- and also reserve the right to remove or not publish answers.

Linking out

From what we have seen so far, the best answers often link to additional information -- whether that is a specific type of product, news report or study, discussion, etc.

However, if you provide a link in your response, you should try to provide at least two different links/product or service mentions, to offer a more complete answer to the question at hand, and to avoid any suggestion of bias or spamming.

Also see: Can I add a link to my own site?

Do I need to add images to my answers?

If you have a particular picture or graphic you'd like to share (and you own the rights to the image), you are welcome to add it -- but it's not expected or required.

Why are member questions & answers moderated?

All questions and answers are moderated -- meaning they must be approved by a human before they will go live on the site. This is done to protect the site and its readers from spammers and other stuff that doesn't fit the context of the site.

Approved contributions will appear after no more than 48 hours (but we try to be much faster than that).

Also see: Why wasn't my question or answer posted?

Report a post

If you notice a post that is problematic or otherwise does not meet our guidelines, please click the "Report this answer as inappropriate" link in the bottom of right corner of every answer, or contact us via this form.

How long will it take for my question or answer to appear?

It may take up to 48 hours for questions and answers to be reviewed and posted.

See the FAQs below for more information about our moderation process and what might keep your content from being published.

Why wasn't my question or answer posted?

Just because a question or answer isn't added to the site doesn't mean it was "bad" -- it may not comply with our guidelines or met our standards.

Depending upon the type of submission question, some possible reasons content may not be posted might include:

1. Duplicate content
2. Answer too short or too basic
3. Off-topic or otherwise not relevant
4. Quality issues
5. Opinion stated as fact
6. Unsourced or unverified information
7. Issues of legality
8. Could be construed as medical or legal advice
9. Possible bias or conflict-of-interest
10. Advertising or spam

Can I add a link to my own site?

Several people have asked if they can include a link to their own website, in the context of an article or in a sig (signature) file at the end of their answers.

For now, the answer is yes... but that is conditional on the privilege not being abused.

• Links are allowed in answers (comments) only, not in questions.

• If you're linking to your own site in an answer, disclose that fact and make sure it's adding something to the topic -- not simply there for self-promotion.

• If you provide a good, publishable answer that meets or exceeds our guidelines, at the end of your reply, you may put a single link to your site (along with your site's name). No other marketing or ad copy may be included.

• Any URLs that link to spam content -- including those that are misleading, contain spyware/malware, excessive popups, inappropriate products, etc. -- will be removed, and the member posting such links may be banned. (See this information about "spamdexing" if you need a primer.)

Report a post

If you notice a post that is problematic or otherwise does not meet our guidelines, please click the "Report this answer as inappropriate" link in the bottom of right corner of every answer, or contact us via this form.

All questions posted remain open indefinitely -- people can respond a day, week or even year after it was posted. Our philosophy is that just because someone doesn't discover your question at FindersFree.com within a short fixed period of time, that doesn't mean they don't have something valuable to add to the conversation.

Answers provided are not posted exclusively for the member who originally asked the question. We hope to serve as a repository of knowledge, so other people who wonder the same thing will be able to find the answers they need, too.

For publicists

If you represent a product and would like to have it mentioned in an answer on Finder's Free, we are open to suggestions... with some caveats:

1. Providing a product or sample to us does not oblige us to feature it on the site.
2. If you'd like to write a site answer which features a product you represent, please understand that the content you provide must be topical and helpful to our readers, and should not include marketing copy or advertising claims. Please use other accepted answers on this site as your guide.
3. You must disclose your affiliation with the product or service.
4. Please also review the guidelines here.

Need help or have a question? Come post in our Help & Support forum!

Groups are where like-minded collaborators can go to discuss a specific topic -- including questions being asked, answers being provided and anything else that comes up.

New groups will be added as requested or as demand suggests. :-)

FAQ: What do the stars mean?

The stars shown on the right of the answers are based on the number of times that member has had a response rated as the "best" answer by the question's author.

more than 1 best answer: 1 star
more than 5 best answers: 2 stars
more than 10 best answers: 3 stars
more than 20 best answers: 4 stars

Note: This is not the same system that is used by readers to vote an answer up or down.