Scrapper Kustom's Official Fubar Tech Tips Blog

Check out Scratchers on iTunes!

2011-06-15T07:39:44-07:00

If you have a mobile phone, check out Scratchers the latest creation from the team.

If you like lottory tickets but hate buying them, this is a super addicting game for your mobile phone.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scratchers/id426545070?mt=8&ls=1

Browser Update 101

2011-06-14T09:22:52-07:00

We get questions daily from user's who are having browser issues and blame these problems on fubar.

The first thing you should do when you are having trouble with using the site is to assume it is your browser.

I could write a book on reason's why and how this happens. To put it in fubaraian terms, browsers fail, browser addons can fail or overide normal browser functions, browsers need updating, browsers need refreshing, user's spy ware can overide functionality, running multiple tabs on a browser, slow connections and the list goes on. Browsers are not hard to understand, but if you think that something you downloaded two months ago is current, then you should read this closely. Browsers upate weekly if not more often. Getting the latest greatest is not always the best choice, but making sure you have a few things updated will help you avoid user error a.k.a browser errors......

The following tips should help you.

1. Dumping your browser history and cleaning your restarting your browser is the first step.

2. Also, make sure you update your browser, java and flash plugins. Most of this stuff will update itself, but in many cases simply updating your adobe flash plugin and your java will correct your problems. You can find this under your tools or settings. Each browser is different.

3. Make sure your anti virus, spyware or security settings are not filtering fubar.

4. Make sure you do not have 10 browsers open with 10 tabs. This will slow you down.

5. Make sure you are not running add-ons or some third party software that is conflicting.

6. If all else fails, download and reinstall the original browser and reset to the default settings. Make sure to restart your computer between uninstalling and reinstalling.

The best rule of thumb is to keep it simple. Use chrome, firefox, IE, Safari or whatever your personal preference. Download another browser as a back up and a sanity check for when you encounter problems. If you can't seem to figure it out, stop by the support lounge and have a bouncer walk you through.

You will save yourself a lot of frustration and heartache by keeping your browsers updated and having a back up browser.

What do you love or hate about the new level system?

2011-05-31T13:50:11-07:00

Please give us constructive feedback on the new levels?

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You know you want to be a bad ass motherfucker!

New Special Ability Ideas for fubar!

2011-05-25T14:08:02-07:00

We have five new levels about to drop. We want to add some cool special abilities. I know many of you have great ideas. Please post your special ability ideas on the comment thread.

Please also list any angel and demon abilities you would love to see.�

Thanks

How to screen grab?

2010-12-14T10:13:03-08:00

There are many programs ou to do this simple process. Some are better than other.

1. You can always use the "print screen" key and then paste it into whatever photo editing software you use. That is old skool.

2. You can find a zillion different screen grab programs, but some blow monkey chunks, some mine your data and some are just bootsy.

3. I have toyed with many for years. I have been using pixlr grabber on both Firefox and Chrome and love it. It is simple. It allows multiple options such as editing and annotating, link sharing, save option and you can copy and paste into an email.

Many people ask me daily how to screen grab stuff. Well....now you know.....and knowing is half the battle.

You can go into your firefox or chrome extension and search pixlr grabber or copy and paste this URL if it does not link to the page.

http://pixlr.com/grabber

Have you Douched your browser Lately?

2010-11-15T06:47:29-08:00

With all the new browsers out there, everyone seems to have their favorite. I use firefox and chrome and bounce to Opera and IE when I am testing stuff. I am not an engineer when it comes to browsers, but I do know they get jacked up often. It happens for various reasons. The following are are few of the things that can turn your browser upside down.

1. Make sure your frigging internet is up. I know it sounds stupid, but check your connections. It happens to the best of us.

2. Have you installed any software lately. Maybe the software you installed screwed the boot. You will have to uninstall the screwed up copy. Restart your computer and install the new copy. Restart your computer and see if that fixes it.

3. Addons are huge reason for browser malfunctions. I can't tell you how many times this is the culprit. Make sure you know your addons or extensions. There are some seedy companies out there who use them for not so nice reasons. Be sure to check out the history of any browser extension or addon you add to your browser. With that said, try disabling any new addon and restart and see if that helps.

4. Dump your browsing history, cache cookies often. Do NOT save shit in your browser unless you know it is in a secure place. I am not some technical engineer �who can explain scientifically the risks out there, but I do know they are there. Everything you do, see, download, etc is tracked or cached one way or another. You have heard of cookies. This is the "spyware" companies use to track your behavior. Not all cookies are bad, but some are. Another thing to note is there are many exploits with different browsers and programs such as flash. The bad guys always figure out ways to basically fuck you. I wrote this blog to give you a few tips on how to fight the good fight and keep your computer clean. I have used the typical tools>Options>dum history, but that is not always effective.

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There have been some add ons developed by various companies. You can search the addons and extensions and find dozens. I found this little gem and I have added it to both chrome and firefox and been impressed. I am into keeping things simple. Within in two clicks I can clean out my browser. It even dumps flash cache. http://www.hotcleaner.com/.

The download is simple. There is really no set up. You will see a little toilet paper icon after you install the the addon. Hit it and you will be�surprised. You can download firefox here. Download Firefox 3.6 List of Browser Cleaners for Firefox.� You can download chorme here. Download Chrome List of extensions for Chrome�(search for browser cleaners) I usually clean my browser daily. I am a heavy internet user. I would suggest at minimum once a week. The last thing I will leave you with is to make sure your local firewall or antivirus is not the culprit. I hope this helps.

HOW TO: Tell White Lies Online

2010-10-07T06:30:45-07:00

I thought this was funny. I found this on Mashables

HOW TO: Tell White Lies Online

We’re all big fat liars. Most of us spit out one or two intentional deceptions a day, and in a week we BS about 30% of those with whom we talk one-on-one, according to old but seminal research from the University of Virginia.

Here’s the rub: Those stats are from 1996, back when, beyond some basic e-mailing and AOL chat room chatter, the majority of our interactions happened in real life.

If you didn’t feel like going on date #2 with that nice but boring dude who couldn’t stop talking about his ficuses, or would in reality rather stick your pinkie in a meat grinder than attend your roommate’s French horn recital, all you needed was a quick one-time fib and you were in the clear.

Nowadays, you whip up a fabrication about your head cold and within hours you’ve been tagged in three Facebook () pictures gulping from a beer bong. Consequently, you completely forget your alibi and drunkenly check into that seedy dive bar on Foursquare (), broadcasting your true whereabouts to all of the Internet ().

So, the WWW’s making us all a bit more honest, right? Not quite: The UVA research found people were less honest over the phone than in person, probably because it’s easier to lie into a phone than to someone’s face. With texts, Gchats, FB messages, etc. usurping your vocal cords as communication media of choice, it’s not hard to imagine online falsehoods running rampant.

OK, that feels intuitive enough. We’re less truthful in writing than in face-to-face conversations — those increasing infrequent exchanges where people can, like, see you getting all squirmy as you stutter further and further into your clearly fabricated excuse.

But here’s the truly disturbing part: This spring, a new study reported that people tell 50% more lies via e-mail than in pen-and-paper missives. So this isn’t just a written-vs.-spoken thing.

That’s right, the Internet inherently turns us into unabashed Bill Clintons, probably because we feel like our online jottings are both impermanent and impersonal.

Bottom line: The net’s making it both easier to lie and easier to get caught. Read on for a few tips on using the web without getting tangled in your own web of deception.

And so begins my Netiquette column — which I write with my Stuff Hipsters Hate co-blogger, Andrea Bartz — this week over at CNN.

Why Games Are the Killer App for Social Networks! Check out this article with fubar in it!

2010-08-14T10:23:44-07:00

About 1 day ago Ravi Mehta 10

Why Games Are the Killer App for Social Networks

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Ravi Mehta is vice president of product for Viximo, where he drives the product strategy for Viximo’s social game distribution platform and helps social networks monetize via social games and virtual goods. For more information on virtual goods, visit his blog, Virtual Goods Insider, and follow him on Twitter.

In 2009, an estimated $2.2 billion in virtual goods were sold to consumers globally, and that number is expected to rocket to over $6 billion by 2013. Although virtual worlds and MMOs have historically driven the growth in virtual goods, today the fastest growing segment is social games.

Social games not only represent a lucrative new revenue channel for social media sites but they also signal a fundamental change in the structure of the social media industry. Social networks can no longer afford to rely solely on advertising revenue—they must master the intricacies of directly monetizing their users via virtual currency, virtual goods, and social games.

The Birth of Social Gaming

Social gaming got its start in mid-2007 with the launch of the Facebook Platform. Since then, Facebook has grown from 27 million unique monthly visitors to over 500 million unique monthly visitors, and over 70% of those visitors engage with applications every month. Last year, social games, one of the most popular forms of social application, generated over $500 million in revenue — the majority of which came from social games on Facebook.

Although Facebook holds the dominant position in the social networking industry, the site makes up less than 30% of worldwide unique visitors to social networks. There are nearly 40 social networks with over 10 million monthly uniques and nearly 150 with over 1 million monthly uniques. The companies that make up the “other 70%” of social networking traffic are just beginning to realize the engagement and monetization benefits of social games. Some sites, such as MyYearbook and Quepasa, have made social gaming a central part of their strategy and are seeing significant growth despite the fact that more and more users are still being drawn to Facebook.

Social Gaming 2.0: Beyond Facebook

When it comes to social games, smaller social networks, paradoxically, often have the benefit of size. Users of multiple social networks tend to split their time between Facebook and another social network. To these users, Facebook is an indispensable communication tool, but the other social network is essentially the local pub: A close knit community woven around shared affinities and experiences.

Social games are the perfect addition to these communities. They provide a lightweight, social form of entertainment that enriches the interaction of a site’s users. As a result, social games on smaller social networks often meet or exceed the ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) observed on Facebook. And, unlike advertising, which detracts from the social experience of a site, a successful social games strategy will simultaneously increase a site’s stickiness and significantly increase revenue.

However, implementing a successful social games strategy is not easy; new technology, new skills, and an ongoing commitment are required to succeed. There are three main pillars that anchor a successful strategy: The platform, the content, and the distribution. If any one of these pillars is weak or missing, the true potential of social games and the virtual goods sold within them will remain unrealized.

The Platform

The first step in a successful social gaming strategy is creating an application platform from which social games and virtual goods can be distributed to a site’s users. A great platform must enable social games to be well integrated into a site’s structure, have access to essential social information about a site’s users, and monetize a site’s users with the least possible friction.

It is essential for a site to have a private-label, site-wide virtual currency that is used as the coin of the realm. As Facebook is now discovering with Facebook Credits, a site-wide virtual currency has many benefits: It reduces friction by giving players a standardized form of payment across games, creates a barrier to exit for users that have stored value in the system, and gives sites an efficient and fair way to participate in revenue from third-party apps and games. By using this approach, sites can earn a revenue share of up to 30% for providing virtual currency and distribution to their developers.

Much like real products, virtual goods derive their value both from the utility they provide and the social value associated with owning or giving them. Although virtual goods got their start on social networks in the form of virtual gifts, selling virtual goods within social games has become the dominant business model on social networks. This is because social games can support virtual goods that combine gameplay benefit with social value.

A great example of this is Farmville’s most expensive item: the Unwither Ring. This $45 virtual good is priced far higher than the $1 and $2 virtual gifts sold on many social networks due both to its rarity and the powerful benefit it provides the owner — the ring forever prevents the owner’s crops from withering due to neglect. Even Facebook, which was a pioneer in virtual gifting, has decided to shut down Facebook Gifts in favor of positioning Facebook Credits (which was originally developed for Facebook Gifts) as a currency for social games.

A site’s platform need not be open to all developers, however, as is Facebook’s platform. In fact, for mid-tier social networks, an open platform can spread attention too thin and lead to an unwieldy experience for users. It is far better to have a curated portfolio of content that has been tailored to a site’s particular demographics and can be heavily promoted as a set of core site features. A great example of this is Fubar, a social network marketed as the “first online bar.” The site features a collection of flirtatious social games which are woven into every aspect of the on-site experience, including the login page, profile pages, communication channels and site structure. These apps succeed in attracting and retaining users because of how well they align with the site’s social context and how smoothly they integrate into the overall user experience.

The Content

A site’s content strategy must be focused on developing a portfolio of games that are the best fit for its users. The first step in creating a successful portfolio is to actually create a portfolio. One or two social games are seldom enough to transform a site into a virtual goods powerhouse. The sweet spot is to launch with at least five games and most smaller sites can support twenty or thirty popular games before attention gets spread too thin. Sites should deploy games that:

Appeal to the site’s core demographic.
Promote the behaviors that are key to the site’s appeal — whether that is flirting, keeping up with friends, or gathering around a particular theme.
Have already proven to be engaging.
Are continually optimized and refreshed to retain users.

Crafting an initial portfolio is often more challenging than expected. Great content takes significant skill and resources to build, and attracting quality developers can be difficult for smaller sites. In addition, it’s important to realize that many games have a limited shelf life, so new content must be continually added in order to keep a site’s social gaming ecosystem vibrant. For these reasons, content acquisition is a critical step that requires ongoing focus and commitment.

The Distribution

It won’t just work to simply add a “Games” tab to a site and call it a day. The goal is to get a site’s users so immersed in social games that some users are willing to pay to get ahead. To do that, social games must be promoted as a core element of the site’s feature set and the site must be proactive about driving traffic to the social games.

Social networks have three methods for driving traffic to social games:

Premier placement: Not only creating a dedicated section for social games, but also implementing hooks for those games into a site’s features such as profile pages, activity feeds, and the site’s main navigation.
Ongoing promotion: A site will dedicate high profile real estate to promote game launches, in-game events, and other calls to action that drive traffic into the games.
Viral notification channels: A site will allow social games to have reasonably unfettered access to a site’s communication channels including user-to-user messaging, invitations, and activity feeds.

A site must use all of these methods extensively in order to build its base of social game DAUs (Daily Active Users), which are key to driving revenue.

Conclusion

When it comes to social games, social networks often make the mistake of copying what Facebook is doing today without recognizing that Facebook has the benefit of massive success on its side and can afford to make decisions that dampen the ubiquity or virality of its platform.

Instead, sites should look to what Facebook did in the early days of its platform to make applications an ubiquitous part of its experience or take lessons from smaller social networks, like MyYearbook and Fubar, which have made virtual goods a central part of their strategy. Those examples will help companies understand how social games can transform the engagement and monetization potential of their social media sites.

More Business Resources From Mashable:

- Cubicle Spy: At Work with David Berkowitz of 360i [PICS]
- How Online Retailers Can Leverage Facebook’s Open Graph
- How Small Businesses Will Use Social Media In The Future
- 11 Free Services for Scheduling Social Media Updates
- 6 Online Tools for Expanding Your Video Strategy

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, alexsl

The new FireFox 4.0 beta is Sexy!

2010-08-01T21:16:28-07:00

By Ryan "Scrapper" Riccitelli

The new Firefox4 Stepped it up. The layout is nice and it feels faster. I provided links to the most important info. I will be testing and giving more feedback. The feature overview is impressive. Please feel free to leave comments.

Meet the New Firefox�http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/beta/features/

Download Firefox4.0 bet�http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/beta/

Make sure to check us out http://www.fubar.com/scrapper�or�http://fubar.com/blog/57

�How Do I Delete My Facebook Account� Search Volume Drops. Facebook Privacy Fiasco Over?

2010-08-01T20:42:23-07:00

I found this article and modified it a little. Read this blog carefully and lets get the cool people over to fubar.com�

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Is it time to officially declare the Facebook privacy fiasco over? While a record number of users were previously searching for “How Do I Delete My Facebook Account” as “Quit Facebook Day” approached, it appears as the number of users searching for this phrase has dropped back to pre-privacy fiasco levels. Facebook has officially failed to back down on their “Instant Personalization” program and it appears that users definitely don’t really care all that much. ****Scrapper Says use your facebook page and invite all your friends over here. Tell grandpa and grandma they can come too, but they better no lip off about NSFW. When you finish getting all your friends here from all your favorite sites, set the accounts on fire and let the fuckers burn*******

I even did the research to find you the link�http://www.facebook.com/deactivate.php

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