The worst thing about the new “Asks” feature in StepRep is the torrent of bad puns it has unleashed around the office. I’ll leave it to your imagination.

The good thing is, these Asks seem to really be taking off. If you take a look at your StepRep homepage (which I discussed last week) you’re going to see a whole ream of questions from all over the world. (So far I haven’t spotted any from outside North America, but StepRep does have quite a few users in Europe, so I’m sure it’s just a matter of time.) Just now – mid-afternoon, Monday June 22 – I can see Asks from Boca Raton, Florida; Vancouver, BC; Arroyo Grande, California; and Weddington, North Carolina, among many other locations. Many of these Asks have multiple answers, both from local experts and from helpful folks halfway across the country. It’s pretty cool:

Now, since these Asks are just getting started, we’ve got the filter set pretty wide, which is why you’re seeing questions pertaining not just to your area of expertise, but to every area of expertise – and not just in your local area, but everywhere. In the near future we are planning to give users the ability to filter the stream themselves, so you can look at Asks from your state alone, or in your profession alone. Give us a little time and we’re gonna make this thing really cool. We’re on our way.

If you haven’t logged into StepRep for a while, maybe it’s time you checked it out again. There might be somebody out there who can use your assistance.