How Mahalo Answers Works

Mahalo Answers is a social networking community where users can tip each other for giving the best answer to their questions. The tips are given in the form of Mahalo Dollars (M$), which can be spent in the Mahalo Store. Users and the public can submit questions regarding any topic to our broad-based, well-informed community of users.

Anybody can sign up and participate in Mahalo Answers. Every expertise and viewpoint is welcome. Please allow the rest of this Mahalo page to inform you about how to participate and how to succeed on Mahalo Answers.

To get to Mahalo Answers, click here.

On Mahalo Answers we urge our users to only try to give the asker the best answer possible. The Mahaloian who offers the best answer is rewarded with the cash tip associated with the question. For pointers on how to get a best answer on Mahalo, click here. Good Luck!

Sources: We highly recommend that any factual answer be cited with a source. If you gather any information from any website, please provide a link to it within your answer.

If you provide the best answer, then you will win the tip. It will be added to your Mahalo balance. Read how to get a best answer on Mahalo for pointers.

Questions asked can be closed by the asker at any time. If the asker does not close the question before 4 days, then the question is moved to our Undecided Questions Queue, where community members will have 4 more days to vote for the best answer.

Each user on Mahalo has the option of voting answers "helpful" or "unhelpful." Mahaloians should use each button respectfully and understand when it is appropriate to use these buttons. Mahalo will be its best when these buttons are not used based on your emotional feelings towards a particular user or answer. Do not use these buttons just to show that you agree or disagree with a viewpoint.

Vote "Helpful" when you read an answer that adds accurate information that the asker requested.

Only vote "unhelpful" when an answer is off-topic and generates little to no-value to the answer that is being sought. If you do vote unhelpful on a user's answer, then do your best to provide a comment on the answer explaining how the answer could have been more helpful.

Answerers have 1 hour to edit and improve their answer. If your answer receives unhelpful votes, then consider fixing up your answer and leaving a comment explaining your changes. Perhaps the "unhelpful" voters will switch their votes to "helpful."

Once you are logged into Mahalo Answers you can ask a question by visiting this link. Go ahead ask anything.

• 1. Be specific and clear. It's difficult to provide a great answer to a vague question.
• 2. Be courteous and thoughtful. Do not ask questions that people may find insulting.
• 3. Offering a tip can help you get a more thorough answer. Consider giving a tip if you're asking a difficult question and are willing to pay for a well researched answer. If you do not get the answer you are looking for you can refund your tip by selecting "No Best Answer."

• You can also ask a question to our Twitter Account, we will automatically load your question onto Mahalo answers, any answers you get will be sent to your twitter account via an @ reply.

• No matter the type of question you answer, focus on providing helpful, well-written, well-researched and on-point answers, providing sources by posting reputable links is highly recommended by the community.

1. Basic knowledge or research questions.
   • For example: Who brews Mcsorley's Irish pale ale? and How many calories do you need to burn to lose 1 pound of fat?
2. Debate questions.
   • For example: Ethical Debate: You caught someone having an affair, would you tell on them?
3. Opinion questions.
   • For example: What's your favorite fast food restaurant, and why? and Would you buy one of these? The Ipod Human?
4. Community questions.
   • For example: What would you like to see in a Mahalo Answers iPhone application?

• Familiarize yourself with the rules, point system and community.

1. Read Mahalo's Terms of Service.
2. Avoid using Mahalo Answers solely as a tool for self promotion. Mahalo encourages users to link to their own websites within their profile, but we ask that you don't use your website as a "signature" on Mahalo Answers.
   • A violation of the terms may result in the suspension of your account.
3. Learn about Mahalo's Tip Guidelines. Here's what you should know:
   1. Users have the option of offering tips to reward the best answer to their question.
   2. Mahalo uses its own currency called Mahalo Dollars (M$).
   3. Each Mahalo Dollar can be purchased for $1.
   4. Once a user reaches 150 Mahalo Dollars he or she may request payment via PayPal.
   5. Each Mahalo Dollar is worth $0.75 when paid out to the user.Mahalo: Tip Guidelines
4. Learn how points work.
   • Points are not the same as tips and can't earn you money; however, the more points you have the more you will be able to do within the Mahalo Answers community.Mahalo: How Points Work
5. Learn more about Mahalo Payments and Mahalo Dollars

We do have a team of developers working around the clock fixing bugs and adding new features, if you do run into a technical problem. Please Report the Problem on our feedback site by clicking here. You might need to use your Mahalo sign on to sign in to the feedback forum.

In your feedback, mention:

1. When the Problem happened.
2. What you were doing when you experienced the problem.
3. What type of browser and connection you are using.
4. Do you have a screenshot or video of the bug? They help.

Thanks, as always, for your patience, the more people who report an issue, the more information we gain about the bug and the easier it becomes to fix.

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