Riffs: Your Social Recommender

n. A clever or inventive commentary or remark.
n. A rant or a rave delivered in order to comment on anything and everything.
pl. The website. Where you find out what the community thinks about what you're interested in.
Music. A short rhythmic phrase, especially one that is repeated in improvisation.

1.2. What's riffing?

v. Riff, Riff-ing or Riff-ed

v. To deliver a brief and witty commentary, offer one's rant, rave, review, recommendation or riff.

Ratings are either rants (thumbs down!) or raves (thumbs up!). You can give any item an overall rating. You can rate specific features of each item (pros and cons). And you can rate other people's reviews of an item.
Recommendations are personalized suggestions. They either come from your recommenders, or from our recommendation engine. Recommendations can be positive (check this out!) or negative (stay away from that!).
Raves are things you've given a thumbs up. Raves in the Riffrs' Recommendations area of your page are items that your recommenders have rated with a thumbs up and reviewed.
Rants are things you've given a thumbs down. Rants in the Riffrs' Recommendations area of your page are items that your recommenders have rated with a thumbs down and reviewed.
Riffs are your one-line comments on an item. They can be witty, clever, serious, provocative, goofy, and informative: they are the quickest and most efficient way to express your opinion.
Reviews are extensions of riffs: start out with a one-line riff, and if you have more to say, add a full review of the item. This is where you can express your opinion thoroughly: write as much as you want about each item, and other people will rate your review.

Guidelines and ideas for riffs and reviews

1.3. What's a bliki?

A bliki is a combination of two popular internet interfaces: blogs and wikis. A blog is your online journal. A wiki is an application that allows users to modify any portion of a document. A bliki is a combination of these two things: the community, including you, decides on the content for any given item, whose reviews are the best, what things or topics are the most important to riff about, and how those riffs should be organized and annotated. At the same time, you have your own page, where you can organize your own riffs and record your commentary about anything you go to, read, watch, play with, or even think about, thus voicing your opinion to the community. A bliki leverages the power of many without reducing the power of one.

We have a lot of items in our databases. Millions of them. But it's possible that you'll want to riff on something that's not here yet. Good news: you can. Click here to see a demo on how to add an item to riffs, or here to learn more about adding items.

Click here to see a demo on modifying an item that's already here, or here to learn more about modifying items.

1.4. More demos: The Rifflet

It's easy to add a webpage to riffs with our rifflet. Click here to see a demo on how it works, or here to read more about it.

1.5. More demos: Importing from del.icio.us

It's also easy to upload all of your del.icio.us bookmarks. Click here to see a demo on that, or here to read more about it.

1.6. More demos: Chat live with other users!

Chatting on riffs is a great way to tap into the social side of the site. Click here to see a demo on chats, or here to read more about them.

1.7. More demos: Arranging your page

Your page on riffs is the place to store all your votes, to manage your tags, to set up your profile, and to get recommendations from us and from the community. Click here to see a demo on customizing that page any way you'd like.

2. The Homepage: Where all the riffing and recommending begins!

2.1. How do I get started?

You can search for items just to see what's out there. Just enter in a key word into the search bar, select a category, and take a look.
You can sign up, import your preferences, and start personalizing your experience. Register and complete a profile, and you'll start getting personalized recommendations right away!
Right on the homepage, you can see what other users love, and what they can't stand. You can see what the hot items and top tags are, and who writes the most popular riffs!

All you need to do is select a username and password, and give us an e-mail address if you'd like, which we'll ONLY use to send you a new way to log on if you forget your password (read our privacy policy). That way, you'll be able to start voicing your opinion right away, and getting personalized recommendations on your page.

Riffs offers a dynamic profile page that you can fill out. It will help you connect with other users who share your interests, and give you yet another forum in which you can express yourself.

2.2. How do I start searching for items?

You can:

use the search box at the top of the screen to search for any item on Riffs in any category.
see the most popular items in different categories on the homepage.
see the best reviewers on the home page
see the most common tags on the home page.

You don't need to be signed in or registered to search for items and see what the community is thinking and talking about. If you are signed in, you can also search your tags, from your page or from your tags page.

2.3. What if I can't find an item? How can I add an item?

If you've searched for an item, and have entered alternate spellings to make sure the item isn't there, you can add the item yourself! Just click add item from the home page, and you'll be taken to the add item page. For instructions on how to add an item, click here.

2.4. What kinds of items can I find on Riffs?

Riffs launched with 4,000,000+ items to riff on, including albums, movies, restaurants, events, consumer electronics, games, and books. You can add virtually anything to Riffs, so that you and the rest of our community can riff on it.

2.5. Don't I get a personal homepage? How do I get to My Page?

Once you've signed in, click on "My Page" just under the search bar. You can customize your page, and use it to navigate the rest of the site. Click here for more information on your page. Soon, you'll be given your very own Riffs URL, allowing you to go directly to your page: www.riffs.com/username. Chcek for this feature in the upcoming months.

2.6. What if I forget my username or password?

If you've provided us with an e-mail address on your profile page (or when you signed up), we can send you a link to reset your password. Just go to the sign in page, and enter the e-mail address that you gave us, and we'll send you your username and a link with instructions to log back in.

If you didn't enter an e-mail address, we can't retrieve your password.

2.7. How do items get to be featured on the homepage?

Items on the home page are the ones that are the most popular. We consider both the number of votes that an item has received, as well as how favorable those votes tend to be. Because they're determined by the community's collective opinion, these items will change regularly, so the home page is a great place to see what the hot topics and items are.

You can also see the top items in any category on the homepage by clicking on the icons under the "most popular riffs" banner.

2.8. What do the little icons under the "most popular riffs" banner do? How can I see the most popular items in a certain category?

Those icons represent the item categories on Riffs. When you hover over an icon, the category that it represents will appear in red in the bubble above the icon row. Click on one to see the most popular items in that category.

2.9. What are the scrolling quotes?

They're riffs! The quotes that change at the top of the homepage are the top real users' riffs. Clicking on the quotes brings you to the whole list of the Top 25 riffs. Clicking on any of these will bring you to the item page about which the riff was written. Check the Top 25 often, as it will change based on ratings of riffs, and also with new, popular riffs.

2.10. How can I get my riffs to show up in the scrolling riffs on the homepage?

The scrolling riffs are riffs that the community has voted positively; they are the most popular. If you want a riff of yours to show up on the homepage, write some great riffs! Encourage the community to read your riffs and give them good reason to give them a thumbs up. Click here for some guidelines for riffs and reviews.

2.11. What do the thumbs mean? How about the percentages next to them?

When you first see the thumbs, the one that is highlighted in color will represent the majority opinion on the given item. The percentages next to the thumbs tell you what percentage of people have rated the item thumbs up and thumbs down. The thumbs are the simplest way of letting the world know how you feel. If you like something, give it a thumbs up by clicking on the thumb that looks like this

or like this

. If you don't like something, give it a thumbs down by clicking on the thumb that looks like this

or like this

.
If you're signed in, clicking on the thumb will record your vote, or rating. The thumb will turn bright green (thumbs up!) or bright red (thumbs down!), depending on which one you click. If you're not signed in, you'll be prompted to do so, after which your vote will be recorded. Click here to see a demo of rating things!

2.12. How do I get more information about an item I see on the Homepage?

Every item in Riffs has its own page, where you can see its full description (created by the community!), vote and riff on the item, add a review, see others' reviews, and even purchase the item if it is available through one of our affiliates. From the homepage, you can reach an item page by clicking on its image or "riff on it" under the item picture. Or, of course, you can search for any item right from the homepage.

2.13. Who are the top riffrs?

The top riffrs are those who the community has decided do the best job riffing; their riffs are the most useful, relevant, and/or enjoyable. They are the users whose reviews get the most thumbs up votes. Want to be one? Write great reviews, and the community will anoint you a top riffr by voting on them. Remember, a great review can be positive, negative, or anywhere in between. Top riffrs can be different for each category, so click on the category icons to see the most helpful reviewers for different types of items.

2.14. What happens if I click on a top riffr?

Whenever you click on another user's icon, you'll go to that person's public page. There, in addition to the person's profile, you can see what that person has riffed, reviewed, ranted or raved about, contributed to the bliki, and tagged. If you like the person's riffs and reviews, you'll also be able to add him or her to your recommenders list. To see the top riffrs in any category, click on the category icon and see the top riffrs change! To see the top 25 riffrs, click on the "more" link in the top riffr box. You can look at the top riffrs overall, or by category.

2.15. What are the top tags?

Tags are an efficient and personal way to describe and organize items (click here to learn more about tagging). The top tags are the most commonly-applied tags. Whatever tags users enter most often will become the top tags. To see the top tags in any category, click on the category icon and see the top tags change to ones more relevant for the category. To see the top 100 tags, click on the "more" link in the top tags box.

2.16. What happens if I click on a top tag?

You will see the most popular items that have been given that tag. From there, you can narrow your search by clicking on additional tags. For example, let's say that Jazz is a top tag, and you click on it. You'll see all of the items that have been commonly tagged with Jazz, and you'll also have the option to narrow down your search by clicking on related tags, which will appear on the right. To narrow a search, click on the + sign next to a related tag. For example, once you have clicked Jazz, you can then click the + next to Saxophone, and you'll see all of the items that have been commonly tagged with Jazz and Saxophone.

2.17. I clicked on a top tag, but something that I'd tagged with it didn't show up. Why?

The top tags are determined by the most common tags. You may have used a tag that is commonly applied to other items (and thus a top tag), but the item to which you applied that tag may not have been tagged by others in the same way. Even if your tag is a common tag, the items that have been tagged the most often with a particular tag will be the first ones that people see when they click on top tags. You can still access your tags from your page or your tags page.

3. Navigating Riffs: People, Items, Tags, and Explore

3.1. How can I discover people and items on riffs?

There are many ways to explore riffs. You can search for items, browse through items in each category, find people whose tastes appeal to you, see how the community has labeled items, and check out the recommendations that we make for you based on your votes.

3.2. How can I browse through items?

There are several ways:

On any category page, you'll see the top six items displayed in a matrix. To see more items, click on the "See more popular items..." link to the bottom right of the matrix.
You can look at everything that a user has riffed on just by clicking on that person's image or name anywhere it appears. If you like what the person has to say, add him or her to your common tags, which are visible at the right of the front page, and also near the top of every item page (just under the item title).
You can monitor the realtime feature to see what people are voting on. The link is on the right, near the top of most pages.
The last, and perhaps best way, is through our new explore feature, which is explained below.

3.3. What is the explore feature?

The explore feature lets you browse through different items and vote on them all! Instead of seeing one item at a time, you can see 3, 6, or 9, and you can vote on as many as you'd like. You determine how many items you see in your matrix by setting your preferred number with the dropdown menu at the top of the page. Once you're finished voting on the items in your matrix, you can ask for another set my hitting the "next" button.

3.4. How do I get to the explore page

There's a link from the menu bar near the top of every page, just beneath the search bar.

3.5. Can I use explore in every category?

Yes! Cool, huh? Just select your category of choice from the dropdown menu at the top.

3.6. I don't want to vote on any of the items that I'm being shown. Can I skip them?

Yes. Just click the "next" button, and we'll show you a new set. You won't see the items that you skipped for the rest of your session (although they may reappear if you come back later, or refresh).

3.7. I want new items to vote on. Can I start from scratch?

Sure! Just click the "Ignore My Previous Votes" option. The explore matrix will show you 3 (or 6, or 9) items that you haven't already voted on. The items that subsequently appear will be based on your votes during your session only. Whether we ignore your previous votes or use your voting history as a guide, we'll give you items that have been voted on by people whose other votes are similar to yours.

3.8. I want to start my session again. Can I?

If you want to start over, click the "refresh" button, and your session will end. You'll be asked whether you want to save your votes, and once you reply, we'll start a new session for you. Please note that you may see items that you'd chosen to skip in your previous sessions.

3.9. Will my votes here count the same as my other votes?

Yes. However, if you don't want to save your votes, you'll have the option to discard the votes from any session at the end of that session.

4. The Item Page: Viewing, Adding, Reviewing and Modifying Items

4.1. How do I write a riff or review?

You can write a review of any item from its item page. Click on "Add" in the Riff on it! area underneath the description, and two text fields will come up. Write a riff in the top field: a quick one-liner about the item. Then expand on this by writing a full review in the larger box. Make sure to save your changes when you're done.

4.2. Can I comment on other people's reviews?

Yes! After you've clicked "show this review" to open the body of the review, click on the comments link near the bottom of the review. Read other people's comments, or click "Comment on this riff" to make one of your own.

When other people comment on your reviews, you'll get a notification in your inbox.

4.3. How are comments organized? What are threaded comments?

The comments are threaded, meaning that you can respond to any riff, or to anyone's comment on that riff. Comments that respond directly to the riff are all the way to the left. Responses to those comments form threads, and they're indented slightly. Any indented comment is a response to the nearest comment above it that is indented slightly less.

Comments within a thread will alternate colors, so that you can tell who said what. The username of the person who left the comment will appear beneath each comment, along with a timestamp.

4.4. How can I leave a comment?

If you want to start a new discussion on a riff, click on the "Comment on this riff" button just under the red "comments" banner.

If you want to comment on someone else's comment, click on the "Respond to [username]" link right by that user's comment (next to the timestamp). Any responses will appear slightly indented below the comment to which you're responding.

4.5. How will I know if someone has commented on one of my riffs or comments?

When someone comments on any of your riffs or comments, we send a notification to your inbox, linking directly to the comments page.

4.6. When and how do I add an item to Riffs?

When? If you have searched Riffs for an item and are sure it is not already on the site (be sure to search for alternative spellings and other potential names), then by all means add the item so that other users can riff on it as well! If the search does not turn up your item, click on "add item" at the top of the screen, just under the search feature, on any page.

How? Click "Add Item" from the menu at the top of the screen. You'll be taken to a blank item page, where you add a title, image, and description for your item, place it in a category so that other users can easily find it, and add your own features and riffs. Don't forget to give the item an appropriate title, so that other users will be able to find it easily.

Click here to see a demo!

4.7. What should I include in my description of the item?

When adding an item to Riffs, it is important to remember that the description should be an unbiased representation of what the item is (remember, you can riff on that description or item as much as you'd like). For instance, if you're describing a restaurant, include information on where it is, what kind of cuisine it offers, and whether there is outdoor seating, but save comments about the quality of the food or noise levels for the item features section, and save your nasty comments about the dirty silverware or your endless praise for the crème brulée for your Riff. Click here for some helpful guidelines for common Riffs entries.

4.8. Why is something I posted in an item page not there anymore?

Someone may have modified the information that you posted. This does not mean that the information was wrong or irrelevant, it just means that someone wanted to express it a different way. You can see previous version of an item page by clicking page history on the item page.

4.9. How do I modify items?

Once an item is added, anyone in the community can modify it. There are three things about an item that can be modified on any given item page: the description, the picture, and the list of features to vote on. To reveal the modifying tools on the item page, click on the "Edit" button in the upper right corner of the item page. This will allow you to do the following:

Modify the description Click on the "Edit" icon at the end of the current description (you may have to scroll down the page to see this). This will open up the text editing tools for the item description. Use the toolbars at the top to add links, anchors, and formatting. When you are finished, click the "save" button (to disregard your changes, hit "cancel"). Remember to hit the save changes button on the top of the item page any time you modify the item in any way.
Change the picture Click on the "Add/Edit Picture" icon underneath the current image. This will reveal the image modifying options: choose, upload, and cancel. "Choose" will allow you to browse your hard drive for a picture. Open the desired picture, and then click "Upload". You should now see the new image in place of the old one. Click "Cancel" to change your mind. Remember to hit the save changes button on the top of the item page any time you modify the item in any way.
Add pro and con features to vote on Click on the "Add features" icon beneath the current overall rating and features When you do, a text entry box will appear. Type in a feature you want to vote on. For example, in rating a restaurant, you may want to add features that an overall vote won't specifically convey, such as service or ambiance. Once you've typed in the new feature, click the "add" button to add it (or "cancel" to change your mind). Once the feature is added you can rate it as a pro or a con. Remember to hit the save changes button on the top right any time you modify the item in any way.
Click here to see a demo of modifying items!

4.10. Are there things I CAN'T add as items to Riffs?

Be respectful and keep it clean. At the moment, there is not automatic rejection of certain items, but if it comes to the attention of Riffs that an offensive or inappropriate item has been added, we may remove that item. Please observe basic internet etiquette.

4.11. What formatting does the wiki feature support?

It currently supports HTML and rich text.

4.12. How can I send items to my friends (who may or may not be members of Riffs)?

On every item page, there's an "Email this item" link. Click it, and instructions will appear. Please note that you can only use this feature if you have provided an e-mail address to us.

4.13. What if I don't want people to change my description?

The wiki nature of Riffs means that people can and will modify the descriptions of the items. Remember, there are still places (such as your page and your reviews) where the content that you create is unchangeable.

4.14. What happens if I forget to save changes when I've added something to an item page?

The changes will disappear! While you will be prompted if you try to navigate to another page on Riffs without saving your changes, please hit the "save changes" button that will appear on the top right of the screen after you've made any changes. Please note that you must hit this button in addition to hitting "save" after you've modified a portion of an item page.

4.15. What are Item features?

Item features are specific characteristics or attributes of an item. While an overall rating is useful, expressing your opinion about different attributes of an item is also important. Maybe the direction of a movie was great, but the script was awful. Maybe the food at the restaurant was the best you've had, but the waiter charged you three times for your dessert. Adding and voting on features of an item lets your ratings be as nuanced as you'd like.

4.16. What are Popular Features?

Popular features are those that have been entered by several users. When items are added, they also start with specific features to vote on based on their categories.

4.17. What are My Features?

Your features are those that you have added to a given item. Anyone can vote on your features (as pros or cons) in order to offer a more specific rating of a given item.

4.18. How do I add a new feature?

As with any part of the item page that is able to be modified, you must click the "edit" button at the top right of the item page to make any changes. When the "Add Features" option appears below the overall rating, click on the icon to reveal the text entry field for the features you'd like to add. After typing in the feature name, simply click "add" (or "cancel" if you've changed your mind). The new feature will appear beneath the overall rating, with pro and con icons next to it, ready to be rated! As with any time you modify an item page, don't forget to save your changes before leaving the page.

4.19. How do I rate a feature as a pro or a con?

The plus and the minus signs next to the features indicate whether the community thinks this feature is a good thing or a bad thing about the item. Was the acting in this movie good or bad? Simply click on the (+) to indicate that a feature is a pro or the (-) to indicate that the feature is a con. Just like the thumbs up, you can change your rating at any time, and the percentages next to the icons indicate what the community thinks.

4.20. Do my pro or con ratings count towards the overall item rating?

No. The overall rating is separate from the features.

4.21. Do my pro and con ratings on the features count towards an item's popularity?

No. Only the overall rating is taken into account when the lists of the most popular items are being determined.

4.22. Can I use a bot to modify items?

No. You may use a bot to index any page or pages on Riffs for inclusion in a search engine. You may not use a bot to edit, modify, post, rate, riff on, or review items on Riffs.

4.23. How do I see previous versions of the item page?

The history of any item page is accessible by clicking the "page history" button just under the item name. To see the differences between any two versions, click on the radio boxes to the right of the revision dates for the versions that you'd like to compare, and then hit the "difference" button. Differences between the versions will be highlighted.

4.24. How do I revert to previous versions of the item page?

You can cut and paste the text from previous versions by viewing the page history. There is a limit of three reverts / modifications per user, per page, per day, including photos. Please use discretion when reverting to previous versions; do not do it simply to restore something that you had posted. Please see the guidelines for wiki use.

4.25. How do I revert to previous photos?

After clicking the "page history" button, click on "view thumbnail changes." You can revert to a previous photo by clicking the box next to that photo and then clicking the "revert" button. You will be asked whether you're sure: if you are, click Yes. If not, click No.

4.26. Is there any way to change the category an item is listed in, if I think it's wrong?

Categories are fixed. Choose them carefully when you enter items. If you think that an item has been intentionally miscategorized, and that this miscategorization is harmful, please contact us. Be sure to include the exact name of the item, a detailed description of the problem, and the URL of the miscategorized item(s)

4.27. Is there any way to add a category?

Please use the categories that we have provided. The categories are meant to be very broad, but you can get more specific by using tags. Tagging an item is a good way to help organize things in ways that make sense to you. If you think that we're missing any critical categories, please contact us.

4.28. Can I change the title of an item?

No. Once an item is entered, its title cannot be changed. This is mainly because someone could create an item under one title, accrue a definitively positive rating for the item, and then change the item title and description entirely. (Click here for an example of switching the meaning of a document after getting support for it.)

4.29. Is it possible to remove an item from Riffs?

No. Because we feel it is important to let the community shape Riffs and riff about what is on the minds of our users, it is not possible to remove an item from the site. If you have a particular request for an item to be removed, please contact us. There are few legitimate grounds for removing an item. You may request removal of an item if someone has entered you into Riffs as an item, or if the item is intentionally mislabeled. If you feel that an item, description, image or riff constitutes abuse of the site, consult our abuse policy, and contact us if necessary.

4.30. Why don't my tags appear in the most common tags?

The community decides what's at the top. The most common tags for an item are tags that many users have attached to an item. If none of your tags are among the most common, then your tags are original!

4.31. Wiki Guidelines for Common Items

Books: author, title, genre, publisher, publishing year, brief synopsis (NO SPOILERS!), awards
Bookmarks: URL, services or information that a site offers, creators, subjects
Cars: year, make, model, mileage per gallon, features, price
Electronics (includes cameras, computers, music players, DVD players, etc): model, brand, type, specs
Events: year, description, people involved, historical background
Food & Drink: location, hours, cuisine, price, relevant people
Games: title, year, genre, easter eggs, system, release year, synopsis
Home (bed and bath, furniture, cookware, etc.): item, maker, materials, uses, notable features
Movies: title, year, genre, cast, director, brief synopsis (NO SPOILERS!), easter eggs (for DVDs), awards
Music: album title, artist, release year, genre, label, track list, awards
Office: item, maker, materials, uses, notable features
People: name, position (actor, musician, politician, pundit, author, historical figure, game show host, etc.), place of birth, year of birth and death, notable accomplishments, general biography (remember that opinions about people and their accomplishments should be saved for the riffs)
Places: significance, directions, attractions
Software: company/brand, uses, platforms, minimum hardware requirements
Sports: accomplishments, personnel, history
TV: genre, cast, director/creator, channel, brief synopsis (NO SPOILERS!), awards
Everything Else: self-explanatory, but keep it clean

4.32. Guidelines for reviews

Be opinionated: Make sure that you let users know where you stand. However, you can take a nuanced view of any item, discussing both positive and negative qualities in your review.
Be specific: General comments are helpful to some extent, but be sure to include some details. Saying "this is great!" doesn't add that much; saying "this is great because of the low price, the muted colors, or the terrific lyrics" provides more insight.
Be useful: Who is this item good for? What would you tell your friends about it? What would you tell your co-workers, or your family? What makes this item better (or worse, or different) from other, similar items? Think of you would want to read in a review, and include those things.
Be respectful: Criticize items thoroughly, but don't attack or insult other users. Also, don't use profanity.
Be truthful: Don't lie in your reviews. Don't mislead people as to your identity, or impersonate someone else.
Be considerate: Don't spam, post commercial reviews, or hide an association you have with a given item. Also, don't post copyrighted material.

5. My Page: Your personal portal to Riffs!

5.1. What is My Page?

My Page is your personal space on Riffs. You can

create a personal profile
add a photo or image to represent you
see your tags
see recommendations and riffs from other users on your recommenders list
get personalized Riffs music recommendations
access Riffs tools, and
keep track of items you've rated and riffed on.

Also, your page serves as your own unique Riffs homepage.

5.2. How do I make My Page look how I want it to?

You can organize the boxes, which contain information about your riffs, tags, and recommendations, any way you please by dragging and dropping the boxes into place. Simply click on the top bar of any box and drag it to where you want it. Tip: collapsing the boxes can make it easier to move them around. You can collapse a box, so that you only see the header bar but hide the contents, by clicking on the arrows in the upper right corner of any box. Click here to see a demo of moving things around on your page!

5.3. What if I don't want to see / want to hide features on my page?

The only way to hide features on My Page is to collapse them. You can do this by clicking on the upward facing arrows in the upper right corner of any of the windows

5.4. How do I add/change/delete my picture on My Page

Photos of any items, and your own image, are always modifiable. On My Page, as on the item pages in Riffs, you can add or change a picture. Scroll over the area where the photo will be and an "upload" button will appear. Click on the upload button to reveal the photo-adding tools, "choose" (browse your computer for the photo you want), "upload" (add the image to Riffs), and "cancel."

5.5. What is my profile?

Your profile is another chance for you to let the community know what you're about. You can tag yourself with adjectives, interests, and affiliations, you can write about your interests, and you can even provide ways for users to contact you (if you'd like). Your tags will be searchable, so you can find other users with similar interests. Fill out the profile page, and provide a complete picture of yourself to the community!

5.6. How do I see my own rants / raves / riffs / reviews / contributions?

On My Page there is a window called "My Riffs" with four tabs in it. By clicking on the appropriate tab, you can see your rants, raves, riffs, reviews, and wiki contributions.

5.7. How do I see my recommendations from the community?

On My Page there is a window called Riffrs' Recommendations, with three tabs. Clicking the appropriate tab will show you the items that your recommenders have given a thumbs up (raves), the items that your recommenders have given a thumbs down (rants), and your personalized Riffs Music Picks: those recommendations made by the Riffs recommendation engine based on your preferences. The top three will always be visible, and you can scroll down to see more recommendations from your community.

5.8. How does the personalized Riffs Music Picks feature work?

Every time you rate an album, Riffs Music Recommender uses that rating to understand your music tastes better. The more albums you rate, the better the recommender knows you and the more accurate your recommendations will be.

5.9. How do I change my rating? Can I remove my rating?

Simply click on the thumb that you want. If you have given something a thumbs up or thumbs down, but you did so accidentally or would like to change your mind, simply click the thumb you'd prefer and your vote will be changed. However, you cannot remove your rating entirely for an item once you've rated it.

5.10. How do I edit my riff or review?

You can always edit your riffs. Simply go to the item page to find your riff and click "Edit" in the upper right corner of the Reviews panel. When you're done making revisions don't forget to save your changes. We wouldn't want your hard work to be lost.

5.11. Can I delete a riff I've written?

You cannot delete a riff or review you've written, but you can always edit it. So even you initially gave an item a glowing review with a peppy riff title, you can always go back and change it to a snarky, critical riff.

5.12. Can I add a link to my blog from My Page?

Yes! When you complete your personal profile, be sure to add a link to your blog. Users who come to your public Riffs page will be able to access your blog through that link.

6. Riffs Shortcuts: iSuggest

6.1. How does the iTunes music ratings upload tool (iSuggest) work?: iSuggest is a downloadable application that connects your iTunes library to Riffs. It allows you to get music recommendations right where you listen to music (in your iTunes) and at the same time helps you keep your Riffs music preferences updated. There are two main functions of iSuggest: to sync and to suggest.
6.2. How do I install iSuggest?: Click on the "sync my iTunes music" link from My Page, and an install wizard will come up. Follow the instructions there.
6.3. Where does iSuggest go? What can it control?: iSuggest will be available from your startup menu and from the task tray (generally on the bottom right of your screen). You can control iTunes from the menu in your task tray as well.
6.4. How does the iSuggest feature access my Riffs account?: When the iSuggest window is up, click on the "Account" tab on the top right. Enter your Riffs username and password. You can have iSuggest remember the information, or you can enter it every time iSuggests syncs you iTunes library with Riffs.
6.5. What does it mean to Sync?: When iSuggest syncs, your music preferences in Riffs are updated based on any music you've added to your iTunes library. Riffs checks your iTunes to see if you've added anything new and automatically gives a thumbs up to any album that is both in the Riffs database and in your iTunes library. It can only add a thumbs up for albums that are already in Riffs (it won't create a new item), so if you've added an album that Riffs doesn't know about, be sure to add it as a new item!
6.6. What does it mean to Suggest?: Every time you run iSuggest, it first syncs, making sure Riffs is updated with your latest music, checking to see what you've rated and how. Then, iSuggest generates a new playlist right in your iTunes, filled with music the Riffs Music Recommender thinks you might like. From there, you'll be able to connect to the iTunes Music Store to listen to clips or buy the music, or save the playlist for future reference.
6.7. How do I download and setup iSuggest to automatically sync and suggest?: To download, use the iSuggest tool in the tools section on My Page. Simply click on the iTunes icon and follow the download instructions for your computer.

Once iSuggest is downloaded, you can set your sync and suggest preferences (by right clicking the icon in your toolbar on a PC, or clicking the icon in the menu bar on your mac). You can set iSuggest to suggest as often as you'd like.
6.8. What if there are albums in my iTunes library that aren't in Riffs?: Riffs can only record your preferences from iTunes if the album is already an item in Riffs. If there is an album that isn't already an item in Riffs, be sure to add it and rate it!
6.9. What if I only have one track from an album in my iTunes? Or more than one?: Just like with other items in Riffs, your rating of an album only counts once. Whether you have one song from that album, the whole album or any number of tracks in between, Riffs will give that album a thumbs up for you only once.
6.10. Does iSuggest take into account the ratings I have already given the songs in my iTunes?: Not yet. Riffs uses a binary rating system, thumbs up or thumbs down, so iSuggest simply looks at the albums listed in your iTunes, and does not take into account the ratings you've given them. Make your rating of an album in Riffs more nuanced by writing a review or adding item features!

7. Riffs Shortcuts: del.icio.us Import Tool

7.1. How does the del.icio.us Import tool work?: Importing your del.icio.us bookmarks is a fast and easy way of adding your favorite bookmarks as items, and adding your ratings as well. Click on "Import my del.icio.us links" in the tools menu on the top of your page. This will open a prompt for your del.icio.us login and password. After entering in your information, click Fetch (or Cancel to end the import process), and you will see the list of your del.icio.us links with their related tags. You can select which links to include, either by tags (on the left side of the screen) or individually. Hit save at the bottom of the screen, and all of your links will be saved as new items in Riffs with your tags already in place (and a thumbs up rating from you to boot)! If there are any links you do not want added as new items, you'll have to uncheck them before clicking save. Once your bookmarks are added, be sure to go and riff on your contributions.

Click here to see a demo of the del.icio.us import tool!
7.2. What if I try to import a bookmark that I have already imported or is already an item on Riffs?: If you import a bookmark that you have already imported before, Riffs will simply ignore it-remember your rating on any given item only counts once. If you import a bookmark that you have not already imported yourself, but already exists as an item on Riffs, your rating for that bookmark will be counted (as a thumbs up).

8. Riffs Shortcuts: Rifflet

8.1. What is the Rifflet?: Riffs is all about commenting on and rating things in which you're interested. The Rifflet is a tool that you can use to enter any URL (website) into Riffs with one easy click.

The Rifflet is available from the add item page. Drag the Rifflet from the "Post to Riffs" text and drop it into your bookmarks toolbar. Once the Rifflet is there, you can use it to enter web pages into Riffs by simply clicking on it when you're on an interesting page.

When you do this, you'll be asked to sign in (if you aren't already) and brought to a modified "add item" page. The page title and URL will already be entered for you, and you'll be able to add a review of the site as well. We assume that you want to give the site a thumbs up, but feel free to include sites that you hate (just be sure to change the default rating under the tags box).

Once you've finished, you can either go to the item page (and enter a wiki description, or other features to vote on), or back to the URL that you just entered. This is the best and fastest way to share sites you love (and hate) with the community. Click here to see a demo of using the Rifflet!
8.2. What if the webpage I add is already an item on Riffs?: If the site you are trying to post to Riffs is already an item, then Riffs will not add the item again. Instead you will be taken to the item page for that URL, where you can rate it, riff on it, or review it!

9. Riff Roll

9.1. What is the Riff Roll?

The Riff Roll is a tool that allows you to easily post your latest rants and raves to your blog in a style that suits you. Riff Roll updates on your blog automatically as you use riffs, and you never have to update it unless you want to change the way it looks on your blog. People who read your blog will be able to click on any of the rants or raves and be taken to the page for that item, where they'll be able to read your riff along with the commentary of other riffrs.

9.2. How do I use the Riff Roll?

You can find the Riff Roll in the Tools to Help You Riff section on your page. Clicking on the Riff Roll icon will take you to the Riff Roll page, where you can design how your rants and raves will appear on your blog. You can specify:

The Badge Type: do you want to display your rants or your raves?
Skin Style: Do you want to display the images of itmes you're riffing on? Just the text? Or both?
The size of the images.
Making the pictures square or keeping them in their original configuration.
The number of columns and rows: Do you want a grid of items, a header across your blog, or a column?
The font, size, and alignment of any text accompanying your rants or raves.

As you make changes and specify your options, you can click "update" to see how the Rill Roll will appear on your blog. The text box below the Riff Roll displays the code which sepcifies and creates it. Once you've specified just how you want your Riff Roll to look, simply copy this code and paste it into your blog. As you riff on new items, the Riff Roll on your blog will change to display your latest rants or raves.

9.3. What if I want a Riff Roll for both my rants and my raves?

Use the tool twice! Desgin one Riff Roll for your rants and another for your raves. Each will be updated separately as you riff on more items.

10. How can I put my riffs on my blog?

10.1. What is the blogging feature?: Our blogging feature allows you to put your riffs and reviews directly onto your blog. Enter your blog information once, and you'll have the option to put any item, complete with a picture, a description, and, most importantly, your riff and review right onto your blog!
10.2. How will riffs and reviews appear on my blog?: Every time you use the blogging feature on riffs, a new post will be generated on your blog, featuring the image of the item, the item description, and your riff and review. Once the post is created (which will happen instantly), you can edit it on your blog.
10.3. Can riffs link to my blog?: Any riffs post that you send to your blog will contain a link to your blog! Riffs will add your favicon to the bar at the top of your riff. It will link directly to your post, so it's a great way to drive traffic to your site. This will only happen with riffs that you specifically post to your blog (by hitting the "blog this" button), though.
10.4. How do I use the blogging feature?: To link your blog to riffs, go to the "edit my preferences" link from your page. About halfway down the page, there is a section called "Add your Blog." The blogging feature is slightly different depending on where your blog is hosted. For Blogger, Typepad, and LiveJournal, select the appropriate service from the pulldown menu. Enter your username and password for that site, as if you were logging into it. Then hit the "test + save" button. For Wordpress and Moveable Type, you'll need to add the Atom entry point for your blog in addition to your username and password.
Our system will check to see if it can access your blog, and if it can, you'll see a yellow box with "test successful" at the top. Use that box to enter your blog URL and a nickname for the blog (so you'll know where you're posting if you've registered more than one blog with us). If you have more than one blog on a given service, make sure to check the ones you want to register.

Then hit the "add" button, and you'll see a box saying "success!" with the number of blogs that have just been added to our system. Now you'll be able to put any riff or review directly onto your blog!

If you're having trouble using this feature, please contact us! Select "report a problem posting to your blog" from the menu on the contact page.
10.5. How can I edit or delete blogs that I've registered?: To delete a blog, click the "clear" button that appears to the right of each registered blog (then hit "OK"). To edit a blog, just add it again with any modifications that you'd like to make.
10.6. Can I choose which riffs and reviews go on my blog(s)?: Of course! After you write a riff or a review, a button will appear next to the riff that says "blog this." If you'd like the item and your review to appear on your blog, hit that button, and they'll appear on your blog instantly! If you've entered more than one blog into our system, you'll be able to select the blog to post to from a pulldown menu. Once a post is there, you can edit it or delete it from your blog just as you can do with any other blog post.
10.7. Can I post my riffs and reviews to more than one blog?: Yes! You can enter as many blogs as you'd like on your preferences page, and every time you post, you can select which blog to post to.

If you've added multiple blogs, every time you hit the "blog this" button, a pulldown menu will appear. Select the blog you'd like to post to from this menu, and the blog you select will be updated immediately.

11. Chat

11.1. What is the Chat page?: On the Chat page you can discuss items with your recommenders or with the whole Riffs community. You can ask for recommendations or simply riff in real time with other users. Click here to see a chat demo!
11.2. How do I enter and leave chats that are currently happening?: To join a current chat, simply click on the chat title in the left column and drag it into the right column. The chat will open up and you'll be able to enter comments right in the text field for that chat. To leave the chat, drag it back to the left column.
11.3. How do I start a chat about an item?: There are two ways to start a chat about an item. When you click "Chat about this Item" on the item page, you can chat right there, but the chat also appears on the general chat page (note that if a chat about this item is already active, it is that current chat that will appear on the item's chat page).

Alternatively, if you want to chat about a specific feature, riff, or review related to an item, you can begin a new chat by entering in the title at the top of the right column and click "send." Don't forget to check the "with my recommenders only" box if you only want this chat to be visible only to your recommenders.
11.4. How will my recommenders know that I have started a chat with them?: When you check off the "with my recommenders only?" box and send a chat, your recommenders will get an exclamation point alert alert at the top of their screens. When they click on this alert, they'll be taken to the chat page with your chat there first.
11.5. What is the exclamation point alert at the top of my screen?: This means users who have you on their recommenders list have started a chat with their recommenders: someone wants your participation in a chat! Click on the alert to go to your inbox, and check out who is asking you to join a conversation.
11.6. How do I start a chat just with my recommenders?: When you enter in the title for the new chat in the right column of the chat page, be sure to check off the box next to "with my recommenders only?" Now this chat will only be visible to your recommenders and not the entire community.
11.7. How can I start a chat from my phone? (link to mobile faq): Use the chat feature from your phone! See how.
11.8. How do I see only the chats I want to see?: Use the chat filter! Enter in any word that might appear in the title of the chat or the item name and click "add." Only chats that have that word in the title will appear in the list of chats. To clear the chat either enter in a new word and click "add" or simply click "clear." To filter by multiple words, enter them with spaces in between.

12. Tagging: Your personal way to search and use Riffs!

12.1. What are tags?: Tags are single-word descriptions that you can apply to any item. Label each item with as many tags as you'd like: use them to organize items that interest you, and also to help other users find certain items. For example, you can label your favorite restaurant with "dinner" and "mousse," if you usually eat there at night and like a particular dessert. That way, when you're looking for a good chocolate mousse for an upcoming evening, you can see what items you've labeled with the relevant terms.
12.2. Where can I see my tags?: Your tags are visible on your page, and they can also be viewed on the "My Tags" page.
12.3. What characters are supported in the tagging system?: Tagging currently supports alpha-numeric characters, underscores, and periods. Some characters on your keyboard will also work, but apostrophes, >, <, /, \, and {} will not.
12.4. What happens if I type in multi-word tags? How should I enter tags that are multi-word?: If you use spaces in the tagging box, each word will be entered as its own tag. Although there is no policy on multi-word tags, we encourage you to use an underscore to separate words. For example, you may want to tag Wrestlemania I with "Andre the Giant." If you enter that text, the item will be tagged with "Andre," "the" and "Giant" separately, so you'll have three useless tags. Entering Andre_the_Giant will give you one tag that is quite useful.
12.5. Can I un-tag items?: At this time, you can't un-tag specific items. You can, however, delete any of your tags entirely.
12.6. How do I delete tags I no longer find useful?: Hover over a tag on your page. An "edit" option will appear, with a trash can next to it. Click on the trash can. You'll be asked whether you're sure: click "yes" to delete the tag, and "no" to continue without deleting the tag.
12.7. How do I look at all the items I have tagged both "A" and "B", like "Book" and "Funny"?: You can't yet. Keep checking back here; you'll be able to soon.
12.8. Can I tag users?: No. Not yet.
12.9. Can other people see my tags?: Yes, they can see your tags on your public page. Soon, you will be able to set each tag to be either public or private.
12.10. Can I search for tags?: You can't search directly for tags yet. However, you can search for tags indirectly through the search bar. The search will return results based on item names, but you will then have the option to search for items that have been (commonly) tagged with whatever you typed in (by clicking on the link that will appear below the search bar).
12.11. Why don't my tags appear in the most common tags? What's the difference between my tags and common tags?: Tags must be applied to a specific item by a certain number of users before they become common tags. (see: item page). All of the tags that you've applied to a given item will appear as your tags, but only the most popular ones for any given item will appear as common tags.

13. Riffs Community

13.1. How can I find a certain user / riffr?: Use the user search menu item at the top of any page (except the home page). You'll be able to search by tags, interests, and location.
13.2. How can I send another riffr a message?: Just go to that person's page (by clicking on their name, or their picture), and then click on the "send this riffr a message" link at the top of that page, near his or her name. You'll be brought to the chat page, where you'll see a chat window open in the right-hand column. Type your message in the text entry box. We will alert that riffr that he or she has a message waiting by placing an alert in that person's inbox. When that person responds, you will see it in the chat window if you're still on that page, or get an alert in your inbox if you're not.

You can get back to the message and chat by clicking on the chat link (under the search bar in the center) or by clicking on the alert in your inbox.
13.3. What is my inbox?: Your inbox tells you if people are talking about you-- or to you! Any time that someone sends you a message or comments on a riff of yours, you'll get a notification in your inbox. When you see an exclamation point in a red circle just to the right of the inbox (on the top right of your page), click on the word "inbox" to open it to see your messages. You'll see a list of who has commented on your riffs (or on your comments), what messages you have, and how many riffs your riffrs have added. You can do this even when you don't have new messages.

Click on any line in the inbox to be taken to the relevant page. If you click on a message, you'll be taken to the chat page, and the messages will scroll down in the left-hand column. Drag them over to read and reply to them. If you click on one of your recommenders, you'll be taken to that person's profile page so that you can read all of his or her new riffs. If you click on a comment notification, you'll be taken to the comments section of the relevant riff.
13.4. How do I add someone to my recommenders list?: From the user's page (which you can access by clicking on their name or their image), click on the "add this user to my recommenders" button, located next to the person's username.
13.5. How do I remove someone from my recommenders list?: Scroll the mouse over the name of the recommender you'd like to delete, and a trash can will appear next to the recommender's name. Click on the can, and a dialogue box will appear, asking you if you are sure. Click yes, and the recommender will be removed from your list.
13.6. Can I block other users from adding me to their recommender's list?: No. Right now you can't block other users from adding you to their recommender list. Let us know if this is important to you, and we will consider adding it as a feature.

14. How can I use Riffs from my phone?

14.1. How can I use Riffs from my phone?: Riffs can be useful even when you're not sitting in front of a computer. You can send messages to your recommenders, receive replies, get a price quote, or find a restaurant anywhere by sending a message to Riffs from your phone!

(If you don't know how to send an SMS from your phone, click here for an external reference.)
14.2. How do I communicate with my recommenders from my phone?: First, you'll need to provide us with your cellular phone number and service provider on your profile page. If you've done that, send an SMS to sms@riffs.com. Your message will start a chat, and your recommenders will be alerted that someone is trying to reach them (with a flashing icon on the top right of their browser). The first five replies from your recommenders will be sent to your phone as text messages.

If you reply by sending a new message (to sms@riffs.com), a new chat will be started on Riffs, and you'll receive the next five replies. We do this so that your phone isn't flooded with messages; you control how many you receive.

So let's say you're downtown, and you want to know a good place to grab a cup of coffee. Send an SMS to sms@riffs.com from your phone asking for a recommendation ("Anyone know a coffee shop downtown?", and a chat will open up on the website. If any of your recommenders are on line, they'll be notified that someone has sent a message, and has asked for their reply. If they click on that notification from anywhere on Riffs, they'll see a chat bubble on the chat page that says "SMS message from [username]". When they drag the bubble over into the chat area, it will have the text that you've entered.

Let's say that one recommender of yours really likes the Grey Dog on Carmine Street. He types a line into the chat window ("Try the Grey Dog... it's great!"), and that line gets sent to your phone via SMS. If a long chat follows, you'll only get the next four messages, but if you reply (with another question, or to thank your recommenders), you'll get the next five messages that come in after your message. Keep in mind, though, that your message will start a new chat bubble, so only messages posted in that chat will be sent to your phone.
14.3. How can I find restaurants from my phone?: It's easy. You can look for restaurants by area, and you can even include one other thing to search for, such as cuisine. Send an SMS to sms@riffs.com that begins with "find rest" (no quotes). After another space, include your search term (e.g., italian). To specify your location, include another space, followed by the zipcode that you're interested in.

For example, if you wanted to find an italian restaurant in Flagstaff, Arizona, you would send an SMS to sms@riffs.com with the following text: find rest italian 86001. We would then send a text message to your phone with the top 5 results (based on general popularity and on your recommenders' opinions) that meet those criteria, complete with the name of the restaurants, the addresses, and the phone numbers.

Please note that the spacing has to be exactly as shown above (spaces between "find" and "rest", "rest" and your search term, and your search term and the zipcode), and that you can only use one search term per request.

We'll be adding other types of searches in the future, so check back soon!
14.4. Can I get price quotes from my phone?: Yes. Send an SMS to sms@riffs.com with a dollar sign followed by UPC code or ISBN number, and Riffs will search Amazon to find the lowest price at which that item is being offered. So if you're in a store and see a copy of the latest Harry Potter book, find the ISBN number (on the barcode), and send it to us. Your message should look like this: "$ 0439784549" (no quotes). We will send a reply with the lowest available price for that item on Amazon.com ("$9.90 is the lowest available price for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince").

15. Wiki Guidelines and Abuse

15.1. What are the guidelines for using the wiki feature, and the site in general?

Riffs provides forums to express your opinions on anything and everything. Writing reviews and rating items are two of the best ways to express yourself, and the discussion pages allow you to give your thoughts and opinions in real time. However, item descriptions should not be used to express your opinion; those should remain neutral. Please limit the content in those areas to facts about the item.

When making modifications to item descriptions, please consider why the item may have been described as it was. Consider whether your change is a factual one (changing "this album, released in 1998, was considered." to "this album, released in 1995, was considered.") or a stylistic one (changing "this album, released in 1998, was considered." to "Released in 1998, this album was considered."). Both types of modifications can be valuable, but while factual modifications are always helpful (assuming they're correct), stylistic modifications can cause users to come into conflict with each other. When making this latter kind of modification, please be considerate of other users, and of their styles and preferences. While we encourage you to modify often (and widely), we also encourage you to avoid conflicts over minor stylistic issues.

In other words, let your voice be heard all over Riffs, except in the item descriptions.

15.2. What constitutes abuse of the wiki?

Putting anything other than an objective description of an item in the item description area is a misuse of the system. Uploading pictures that misrepresent the item is also misleading, and prohibited. Some items may not be suitable for some populations, but we place no restrictions on images except that they must faithfully represent the item to which they are linked.

Any page whose title suggests that it may contain a provocative image may legitimately contain a controversial or provocative image. Please consider what images other users would expect given the title of an item, and use discretion in uploading potentially upsetting or offensive images.

Vandalizing pages involves deleting relevant information and possibly replacing it with nonsense, or irrelevant information. Any intentional misinformation that is added to the site will be considered vandalism as well. Vandals will be warned, and potentially blocked from making wiki modifications in the future.

15.3. What is not abuse?

Some people will make modifications just to see that the wiki feature really works. The wiki concept is strange to some people who are not familiar with it already, so new users may test the wiki by modifying an item, possibly by posting nonsense, simply to show themselves that they have the capability to do so. This is NOT abuse of the system, it is simply someone who is familiarizing him- or herself with the wiki process. Please be patient with new users, but feel free to correct their inappropriate modifications.

Changing content in general is not abuse, as we encourage you to change content often. If another user, acting in good faith, modifies your writing for stylistic or factual reasons, this is not an example of abuse.

15.4. What constitutes abuse of other sections of the site?

Placing any advertisement or piece of spam on any portion of the site is prohibited. This includes advertisements on your page, item pages, reviews, discussions, and any other areas of the site.

Riffs is about expressing opinions. However, this does not give users license to attack other users in any form or forum. Any threats or harassment directed towards any other user, or to any person who is not on the site, is strictly prohibited. Please keep your discussions civil. This does not mean that you can't disagree with other users, but when you do, please refrain from attacking those users personally.

15.5. What do I do if I think someone is abusing the system?

Try to resolve any disputes with other users about a particular item page in the discussion section. If you cannot resolve any disputes in this manner, ask for the opinions of other people who may have been following the disagreement. If a user is making threats, please contact us immediately. If a user is vandalizing pages, please revert to a non-vandalized version of the page, and let the offending user know, if possible, that his or her behavior is inconsistent with the spirit and policy of the wiki. If the vandalism continues, please contact us with a detailed description of the problem, including the name of the offending user, and any relevant URLs.

15.6. What will get me banned from the site?

Making threats against other users, vandalizing pages, and spamming any area of the site are all grounds for banning. We have no intentions to ban any user at any time, but we will if necessary. Banned users will be able to appeal their banning by contacting us.

15.7. Wiki Guidelines in Brief:

Express your opinion everywhere, except in the item descriptions (which should remain neutral).
Don't intentionally post any misinformation in the item descriptions.
Don't threaten anyone.
Don't spam any parts of the site.
Report major problems to us.

16. Riffs Privacy Policy

16.1. Will Riffs give out my e-mail address?: No. We'll never send you anything, either, unless you ask for your password, in which case we'll send you an e-mail with your login information.
16.2. What parts of my page can other users see?: Other users can see anything you put in your public profile except your phone number and e-mail address, any review you write, any recommender that you've added to your recommenders, and any tag that you make (or leave) public. They can also see how other users have rated your reviews, individually and on average. They can see anything you put in your profile page except your phone number and e-mail address, which will not be visible.

17. Working for ATTAP Technologies

17.1. It looks as if your company would be fun to work for! Are you hiring?: Thank you (it is!), and yes. Click here for more information.

18. New features, votes, and items on riffs

18.1. How can I find the newest stuff on riffs?: There are a few ways that you can keep up. First, see the latest votes from around riffs by going to the realtime page. The link is just below the search bar and on the right. You'll see votes as they happen, so you can see what other people are talking about.

You can also see the latest wiki changes by clicking on the Recent Changes link at the bottom of any page (on the right). This will show the latest wiki modifications, including added items, changes in descriptions, and changes in pictures.

Finally, read our blog! We post updates on things we roll out and things we're working on, and we also use the riff roll to highlight items that we've riffed on.

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