Profile security can be set by you, see below for a list of current information security settings.
- How do I create a list?
To open an account and set up your list, please click on the "Sign Up Now!" button or the "Get a free Hintbug Account" link. This will open a short form that will ask you to enter your name, email address, screen name, city and password. No other personal information is required. The next two pages that open are purely optional (but you should take a look at them, they will make your account much more useful).
- Why do you need my city?
We may have more than one person with the same name as yours in our system. Your city will help your friends and family figure out which list is yours.
- Why do you need profile data?
The profile data will help your friends and family get the right size and color gift for you. You can control who sees this information by using the privacy settings.
- How do I add items to my list?
There are three ways to add hints to your list:
- Manually. After logging in to your account, click the "Add" tab next to the "Hintlist" tab. Add as much information about the hint as you can in the text boxes. Be as clear and specific as possible in order to help out the people shopping for you (and to guarantee that you get what you really want).
- Hintbug bookmarklet. If you have found something that you want on a retailer's Web site, then click into the details of the item and then click the "ADD HINT" link from the Favorites > Links folder in your browser. (See more info about the bookmarklet in the next question and answer.) Click here for even more info about the bookmarklet.
- Cloning. No controversy about cloning here--it's ok. Just search around other users' Hintlists and if you find something that you want, simply click the "Add item to your Hintlist" link. The item will be copied to your list. (NOTE: you may want to pull up the hint on your list and edit some of the information to make sure it's customized to you and not the person who originally had it on their list.)
- What is a bookmarklet?
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This word is a combination of 'bookmark' [a link or icon on a computer that serves as a shortcut to a previously viewed location (a favorite Web page)] and 'applet' [a short application program especially for performing a simple specific task].
The Hintbug bookmarklet is a tool that is stored in the favorites>links area of your browser and helps you automatically add hints to your Hintbug account. Click here for even more info about the bookmarklet.
- What are tags?
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Tags are a new, cool way to categorize things on the Internet. Instead of us offering you a drop-down list of the usual categories, you can add any key words to your hints that you want. These tags can later be used by you to filter your list (i.e. Click on 'Electronic' to filter your list for JUST those hints that you tagged with that key word). You will also be able to use tags to shop and add even more hints to your list. If you find something you like and want, simply "clone" the item and add it to your list.
- What if I want to be surprised and don't want to see what people bought me?
The quantity purchased is only visible to you (if you are logged into your account) in the details of each item. Make sure that your list is up-to-date several weeks before your special occasions (birthday, anniversary, graduation, etc.) and then don't go into the details of any item until after your big day.
- What is Friends and Family?
Friends and Family is the list of the people you designate as your close friends and family members. These people will not only have access to all of your public hints and information, but they will also have access to any information/hints that you mark with a privacy setting of "private".
Plus, you will have an option to receive email reminders of the special occasions that these guys put in their Hintbug accounts.
- What is my Network?
The network is sort of an extension of the Friends and Family list. There are two types of people that will show up in the Network: people who have placed YOU on THEIR Friends and Family list (they appear at the top of the list with the special icon) and all of the Friends and Family members of the people that YOU have placed on YOUR Friends Family list. (We are guessing that since you put these people on your Friends and Family list, that you probably know some of THEIR Friends and Family members as well.) Use the Network to add more people to your Friends and Family members. (NOTE: People in your Network have NO special permissions and can ONLY see your public data.)
- How do I edit my account information?
From just about any page in Hintbug, you can click the "Your Account" link (usually found in the upper right-hand corner of the pages). From here, you can add or edit any of your account information.
- How do I edit my Size and Preference data?
You can either use the "Your Account" link (see question and answer above) or you can click "edit" in the Sizes and Preferences area of your Hintlist.
- What if I forgot my password?
Click on the login button and below the user name and password there is a link to receive a new password via email.
- Can a family with young kids use this service safely?
We are very concerned about the privacy and protection of kids online. Children under 13 may not register for a Hintbug account. Parents can set up accounts for their children.
Hintbug can be a great way for you to make sure that you approve of the gifts that your children receive.