Here are changes I would like to see:

The option to post on multiple forums seems like a good idea, but it's not working out that way. I read one cross-post to the Cleaning Forum asking about which diatomaceous earth was best for allium plant seedings.

I would like the system to not allow cross-posting on both Design Dilemma and Home Decorating.

The paint forum should be renamed to discourage requests for paint color suggestions. It was so much better as a technical forum.

Instead of "what are you working on," above the message box, it should just say, "post your question here."

And yes, those thousand post personal conversations are annoying.

I don't go over there. Change is inevitable and it will evolve into something that we are unaccustomed to and maybe chose to ignore.

I would like the system to not allow cross-posting on both Design Dilemma and Home Decorating.

Amen.

The paint forum should be renamed to discourage requests for paint color suggestions. It was so much better as a technical forum.

I agree and would add Windows. It was so much better when window treatment questions weren't posted every other thread. It's an unfortunate side effect of multiple tags.

" It's like..people have so much information available at their fingertips. That they started confusing it with knowledge. Information is a vital part of knowledge of course but these are two different things, really."

april, I love this. And the rest of your post above.

Soooo, at the risk of being shooed away because I'm new, hi I'm new here. And I thought maybe I'd give my thoughts and perspective on your current situation. I am not new to other chat forums though and I see some similarities.

I don't know what the old GW was like or how it was different than Houzz. I've had a Houzz account for a few years but never knew about the forum until the last year. At some point I started seeing the posts and comments about the new look, but it was the only look I know.

I don't know how I found the Conversations board exactly, but it was from noticing it on a thread. Whether that was a new thread I clicked on or from a suggested one on the side idk. So I would agree that if you select this board for your post then it could attract the attention of some new people...like me. That said, it's clearly a conversation board and many people just want some answers and then leave.

On other forums I'm on, there are a variety of threads that are just chatter. The probably initially started out as an original post but moved into a group conversation. There is nothing wrong with that and I do find it ironic that some here are complaining about those when your whole goal is to keep chatty conversations.

I do agree that the idea of selecting 3 "topics" (boards) to submit under causes confusion by initiating the cross-posting.

In my other forums each of these "topics" would be a board that you visit/belong to. Some people stick to one and some are part of several. Each one tends to have its own personality and that is how people tend to find where they want to hang out. Most also have a thread of "rules" they post to guide newbies if that's the correct place to post or not. You'll always have the drive-by people or the completely wrong topic people, etc. Each group finds their own way to either ignore it or police it. Y'all will find yours too.

I've also seen the other forums go through changes and even go back, so making requests to moderators can work.

Welcome justwannapool. Always glad to have new, thoughtful people join in!

Welcome, justwantapool! Hope you'll stick around here. We're generally a nice bunch! :-)

The "art" thread on the Home Dec forum that's now nearing 1,700 posts is annoying because it HAS turned into a chat room. Chatty is fine, but that's ridiculous and belongs elsewhere. Now they're talking about headaches and applying to grad school. Completely OT, which is not how that forum is intended to be used, and never has been. At least if things went OT there in the past, they'd turn back around quickly. Someone almost always pointed out that the original intent of the thread was being lost. Certainly we don't have to open a voluminous thread like that, but it still has to be scrolled through to get to topics that are pertinent to the forum, and that's what makes it inappropriate.

Sushipup, I clicked on the link you posted above and was astounded by the posters question. How is one supposed to answer that with any kind of advice. I don't understand. Are we supposed to be mind readers?

I see that thread is now back. It was gone for a while. This is so typical of the quality of posts that now dominate all the forums.

The original post made me think of all the times I wanted to answer the question posed in the subject line without even reading the post.

Is my sectional too big?

Signs point to yes.

Does my sofa clash with my rug?

Yes - definitely.

Is this backsplash too busy?

Most likely

I've taken to scrolling on by any post that mentions farmhouse (or modern farmhouse or any of the other permutations of it) because trying to wrap my head around what it means exhausts me. I've tried. I've looked at many examples of it, and they all make sense to me. But then someone posts with a question, saying they like farmhouse style, and the pics they post of their house have literally nothing farmhouse-y about them (either by the traditional dictionary meaning or the current bastardized HGTV meaning) and I'm totally confused again. I don't think this word means what you think it means. Actually, that seems to happen with a lot of design styles and terms.

I'm about to swap bedrooms with my daughter and have design decisions to make and don't want to post about it because I don't need the grief.

PS: My gallery wall looks like a drunk monkey installed it and I like it anyway.

Well, while we're griping (some of us, lol) what is with people who post a single word: "following"? Why do they write that? Does anyone care that they are following? Can't you just follow and be quiet about it?

I'm not being sarcastic, I really would like to know if there is a reason to post the word "following".

Because once they comment on the thread they will be notified of new responses?

I was wondering if it was protocol for other forums. Or perhaps it's more polite to "follow" rather than lurk. Or perhaps it has to do with numbers of something for Houzz. Or maybe they want to be the highest contributor for the week. Or...

I don't know but I've imagined all sorts of reasons.

I interpret it as "carry on", bump, and "interesting topic" simultaneously

I don't know about this forum software, but in other formats, adding a comment to a thread will get you notified of all activity on that thread. I don't know about this software since I do not get notifications of any kind.

I used to get notifications on the activity, yes. Before the complete merge. Now seems like there's some technical trouble with it. So people comment. because it used to work, in terms of you getting notifications. You write something-you'll get notifications on a thread where you commented. I don't see it working well anymore.

On some other forums you automatically get notifications on threads you’ve commented on, so I assume that’s why they are doing it.

But many just have a ‘Follow’ button you can click. I thought I did something similar on here a few times and got notices but then recently saw a thread I liked had a bunch of new comments and I got nothing.

I noticed an old thread the other day that was resurrected just to add the word "following."

Yes, I thought there was a "following" button for threads, but maybe it.s just for following forums to get them on your list of "your forums". Thanks for your thoughts about why people would do this,

There's a Like button for threads, and you can Save a thread, but Like doesn't notify you of activity on the thread. This should be a fairly easy thing to add to the programming. Would everyone like this? I never paid attention to the "Notifications" thingy until just recently, and I only clicked the Like button for the first time today to see if I'd get notifications of activity. but I'm thinking I'd like the "following" function, related to the Like.

Would you all like that, too?

Yes that would make a lot more sense.

Another thought I’ll throw out about changes and new people, is there’s a difference when using the Houzz app. That’s what I’ve always used when on my phone

Until yesterday when I tried out the website bc posted photos and links suck on the app or don’t show up.

Anyway I selected gardenweb topics (which has never shown up to me before) and then I couldn’t get back to Houzz. I clicked the Home button, tried to view Design Dilemmas or other Houzz topics and nothing. It either opened up the app or just went to gardenweb homepage.

Mostly that was to say using the app is very different and they could work on it too.

Usually, if I want to follow a thread, I click 'like' and then revisit it when I go through my notifications.

Edit to add; notification are turned on in advanced settings under profile.

Forums and boards evolve and change. I think the change is the more challenging piece to accept for me. I get all comfy and then...my blankie is moved and the pillows are put somewhere else (and pillows are my thing, damn it) and any refreshments that used to be offered are GONE. So I sulk.

I will tell you, as a relatively new poster (here, have plenty of experience on other boards) those "pros" are cruel and absolutely horrible. There is a difference between being blunt with an opinion and being cruel and mean. Blunt HAS to be done with a modicum of kindness and compassion. Without those, blunt is just cruel. Humiliating a new poster is unforgivable in my opinion. There are two "pros" who deliver cruelty every single damn day. And another who does it regularly. Such patronizing and being condescending. Over and over and over. I have flagged these responses many times. I really don't care if thes "pros" are anybody's "curmudgeon". They need to SHUT UP. Destroying other people's self confidence is an abysmal way to spend your day and/or evening. Whew, I guess I was pissed off. Rant done.

This conversation board is new to me and I really enjoy being here!

Bpath, I read your other thread about the sandwich generation. I thought a certain "pro" was not very kind in her response to you. I think you are doing incredibly well, given everything on your plate right now. I hope you know that.

I wasn't even on Gardenweb all that long before it got bought out... but I loved and still love the gardenwebish interactions people managed to maintain for as long as they have.. and I hope it can continue. Somehow.

Another one thatI I just could not keep my mouth shut. WTF?

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5395749/berkey-and-gay-to-refinish-as-i-wish-or-leave-as-is#n=0

I thought she was saying she lived in Berkley and is gay. I did look up Berkey and Gay Furniture and it is a brand, but I'd not heard of it. That photo does look like a pan of brownies I wouldn't want to eat, lol.

Yes that indeed looked like nasty baking pan. I also thought brownies, ha! I don't care for the voting thing. Where do the results go?? I've voted a few times when Emily posted topics that included them but I only did it because I expected to see the tally and it never showed up anywhere. Type out what you're looking to do.

Louise, I actually had to go back and read through my thread to recall the unkind response lol. I kind of take that kind of thing as "this was that person's experience" and I know that I don't know their family dynamic, and they don't know mine.

That is very gracious bpath. I agree that all of our experiences are different and so our reality is also different. IM(only sometimes)HO, being condescending is still not excused. Raising children can be the most challenging job for so many of us and when older parents get into that mix, the job can be, well, hard. I just want you to know that your effort is seen. Even though some of us might not post.

There are two "pros" who deliver cruelty every single damn day.

Really, if they are allowed to continue that, it is time to invite the other people to a private invitation only group.

And did you notice the feet, human feet, next to the brownie pan furniture?

You know I did notice the feet. But I thought it might be impolite to mention them ;-)

I'm cracking up here. I saw that same post with the feet. We always laugh because when we take family pictures of us doing random things we always seen to get a pair of bare feet in there. I too thought it was a pan of brownies and they were asking about frosting them or not or something similar. I was just very confused. I thought the title meant they were gay and lived in Berkley. I really was starting to think something was wrong with me mentally that I could not figure this out.

Well...Pros get to have their own forum that we can't participate in, amirite?

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/network-and-get-advice-on-the-houzz-pro-to-pro-forum-stsetivw-vs~108846265

Well, how should we know, pennydesign? We don't have a crystal ball! (Teehee! Sorry ... saw one of the pros had posted the crystal ball comment earlier today after an OP failed to post a photo along with their query. -- Oh, the horror.)

;-D

While I am not a fan of Pros being insensitive or flogging one another's services, I think the forums would be the poorer without their input. Queries can be met with multiple responses and I hope anyone old enough to be here is mature enough to understand all the different perspectives that are presented and sort through what suits their circumstances and taste best. Sadly, I am sure much good advice is disregarded because of the awful way it is offered by some. It's a shame those people care more about showing off and sneering than about being helpful, but their advice is often sound- ok- except for when it's totally bonkers- which happens too- but again, I think people can exercise discretion in deciding what to take to heart and what to disregard.

Rita - you're exactly right. This is a microcosm of what we all experience elsewhere in life in situations where people can be unexpectedly awful at times, and is a good practice ground for tempering our own response. As in real life, though, some days I let it roll off my back like the proverbial wet duck. Other days - not so much.

Well, perhaps we could suggest a topic for discussion on the Pro to Pro forum:

How to offer suggestions and advice in a civil manner.

IdaClaire, I think you are right as well. It's a tough balance.

Olychick, maybe that could be a sticky?

If a post annoys you, why not just skip over it? I am not understanding how it's wrong for PROs to be snide but ok if veteran GWers do it.

I agree Funkyart. I am guilty of complaining about a response by a PRO. So that makes me no better than they are.

However :)... I feel as if they think that the PRO designation gives them license to be rude, and if the moderators won't do anything about it, then how else are we to get across to said pro's that it's unacceptable (to me, anyway) behavior? Flagging does nothing.

And another thing...we all know that Houzz want's traffic because traffic=revenue. Mods don't seem to understand that an obnoxious pro drives traffic away.

I'm flummoxed by this place.

Funky, I guess I look at it a bit like we have been (created, joined) a gw community that had a certain culture. Mostly it was/has been of kindness, but not without disagreements and some drama. So when someone new comes on board and posts and someone is rude/demeaning to them, it feels (rightly or wrongly) a bit like a reflection on the community. So, my natural reaction is to want to defend the community by calling out the rudeness, hoping to make the newcomer feel less attacked.

That's all I can figure out for my (and maybe others') reactions. It's kind of like we had this great little town and someone came in and built a 50,000 unit housing development next door and we're trying to keep our town the same. Not going to happen, but some of us are just slower than others to accept it.

I seldom look at GW's Home Decorating forum since the Design Dilemmas cross-posting started a few months ago. Going there now, I looked for threads that were posted only in Home Decorating on the theory that most of the pros only read Design Dilemmas. There are plenty of threads that are only posted in Home Decorating, and they seem to be pretty much PRO-free. I recognize many of the OPs and commenters as GW people. I think you may feel that it's more like the good old GW days if you pretend Design Dilemma doesn't exist. When we merged over two years ago, we knew Design Dilemmas was there but we didn't go seek them out, so why seek them out now just because they are on the same list as our Home Decorating threads? There should be plenty to keep you busy in just the Home Decorating threads while keeping your disgust at the silly DD posts and obnoxious pros at bay.

Oly… I am referring to adding rude responses to a poster's question. I understand being turned off by rude posters in general and calling them out.

Oh, you mean being rude to the rude people? If so, I think people can be called out without being rude, too, but some people seem to think calling out anyone for their rudeness is in itself rude. I don't.

LOL I mean being rude to new people who don't know how the board works-- or who weren't sufficiently clear when posing their questions.

I am off to bed... but I hope I've cleared up the misunderstanding.

Also good point, Olychick...

Funky, it's still early where I am, but maybe we can try again tomorrow. I'm missing something, and I haven't even had a glass of wine yet! Sleep well.