When it comes to answering questions, the Internet can be a powerful, if not overwhelming, resource.  Today’s search engines are fast and amazingly accurate but still have one flaw - the majority of results are completely automated.

So where should we turn when specific advice is needed in a hurry?  Billing itself as the “collective”, Fluther gains its intelligence from a community of real people, answering real questions.  Fluther’s programming helps direct your questions to the best respondents but the real magic comes from folks who take the time to share their thoughts and personal knowledge with others.

Practical Uses:

• Find out how many hotel rooms are booked online every year
• Learn the best exercises for Carpal Tunnel syndrome
• Determine the risk of running into tarantulas on Mt. Diablo
• Find a trusted insurance company for your dog, Fido

Insider Tips:

• Keep your questions short, but specific
• Share your own personal expertise by responding to others’ questions
• Subscribe to a question (and its responses) by clicking on the “Follow this Question” link

What We Liked:

• Large community means faster and more accurate responses
• Ability to search for keywords and tags
• Fast-loading mobile version designed for iPhones available at http://iphone.fluther.com/

What We Didn’t Like:

• Not many options to tailor your email notifications settings
• Common questions tend to get asked repeatedly and can get annoying

Alternatives:

• Cha-Cha - http://www.chacha.com
• Yahoo Answers - http://answers.yahoo.com
• Ask Metafilter - http://ask.metafilter.com

Company Info:

• Launched in: June, 2007
• Privately Held
• Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
• Founders: Ben Finkel & Andrew McClain
• Web site: http://www.fluther.com

Costs:

• Free (supported by advertising)

Rating:

• 4 out of 5 (superb)