How are the home page and the Forum organized?

• The Kitchens Forum home page lists 30 thread titles, starting with those that don't yet have a response. After the unanswered threads, threads are listed in order of most recent response. That first page displays the last 2 hours or so of activity.

Below the thread list are page numbers 1-67 for the 67 pages of threads available -- capturing two to four months or so of threads, depending on how busy the Forum is.
Below that (and at the top of the thread list as well) is a space for you to switch to the Conversations or Gallery "sides" - these are set up similarly but are not nearly as active.
Next down is a Search box -- very important! This is also the Search box you should use (not the one at the top of the page.)

• Always refresh the page two or three times before assuming a thread has disappeared right after starting it.

As to searching...a thread may not be found doing a GW search for up to 24 hours after it has been started. This may seem too technical, but...GW searches are done against what are known as "indexes". Indexes use key fields/words to find things. iVillage only indexes threads once a day. So, that means that until your thread is "indexed", it won't show up in a search. If you start a thread just before the index is taken, you will be able to retrieve your thread by searching soon after creation. If, however, you start your thread right after the daily index, then you will have to wait almost 24 hours for the next index.
The results are color-coded

• Results in a brown box are results found in the FAQs.

• Results in a green box are results found in the Discussions, Conversations, or Gallery of the Kitchens Forum.

• Results in a white box are results that for some reason are incomplete - but you can still navigate to them

Next is a place for you to start a new thread. And finally, there are some instructions and links at the bottom.

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Kitchen Forum "Sides"

Discussions: This is the "side" you are on. It is for on-topic discussions concerning kitchens...renovations, use of, etc.

Conversations: This is the "side" where you can post off topic threads such as regional get-togethers and non-kitchen subjects.

Gallery: This is the "side" where members often post pictures...especially if they're posting a lot or posting a finished kitchen.

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Tips:

• Before posting a question, please search the forum. There's a very good chance someone has already asked the question.

When using the "search" function, be sure to use the search box on the bottom of the page, not the top!
Note, however, that you will probably have better luck searching if you use Google (or a similar search engine) than if you use the Forum search function. When using Google, to limit your results to Garden Web, include the following in your search criteria: "site:ths.gardenweb.com"
In the Subject, the site changes the double quote used as the inches indicator (") to a single quote ('). We don't know why. To compensate, use two single quotes and it will appear as a double quote in the Subject. Luckily, the double quote works in the message box.
When composing a new thread, you have several options:

• Insert an image: upload an image in the "Image file to upload" box by browsing to the file on your computer and selecting it [Note: You may only upload/post one picture per message/post with this option, see the FAQ on Posting Pictures for posting multiple pictures in a single post as well as additional details about this option]

Have replies emailed to you: check the box offering this option. However, you must have "Allow other users to send you email via forms at our site." box checked in your profile for this to work (see the "Your Profile" link at the very top of the page) [See the FAQ titled "Getting Emails Sent To You...3-step Process"]
Insert a link: When you "preview" your message, you will be provided with two boxes for a link...one is for the link itself and the second is for the name or description of the link.
When using the "Clip this post" option (far upper right corner of each post, small print), remember that only the current post is clipped, not the entire thread. Also, you are allowed a maximum of 50 clippings. Once you reach this max, you will no longer be able to clip or email posts.