OMG. Now let's see how Houzz deals with spam such as Wung selling fraudulent IDs. I think that's illegal -- at least in my world.

It was interesting today to log in and find even more, nice changes. I must say the responsiveness is far better than GW. I think the GW moderators were spread too thin. We cannot be the only board with all this hoo-ha, yet there someone is for us. Not bad.

I just flagged that post and bye bye Wung!

Too bad they couldn't have just left the site alone and let it be the way it was.

I think the text is definitely darker which helps the eye strain. A little darker yet would be even better for my tired eyes.

But yes, it does appear that we are being heard so thank you to whomever is doing the hearing and responding!

I'm still here, but yeah this change is super weird for me too.

I disagree with you, jpc57. I actually really disliked a lot of things about the old GW site. I loved the helpful advice, the interesting discussions, and the personalities of many of the regular contributors enough to join up and hang out there in spite of GW's format, not because of it. I consider many of the changes improvements. Sure, there could be more improvements and they seem committed to implementing those suggestions in a timely fashion. I'm feeling positive.

Funkycamper- You're always positive! LOL I agree...very frustrated at first, but I like the easier edit access. Haven't tried to post pictures yet. Waiting to see if they let us keep our pictures, first.

Yesterday, I hated it. Today, I'm feeling really comfortable again. I'm actually finding things I like....AND its so good to see the regulars, please don't go!

lavender_lass, Oh, I have my moments of negativity, believe me. Regarding photos: GW had very similar terms regarding photos as virtually all forums use similar boilerplate language regarding things like photos. I have read Houzz's Terms of Use. You can read it below. It's at the bottom of every page on Houzz. They do not own your photos. They clearly state that the poster retains ownership.

What I find really interesting about this photos issue is that almost all of us are probably violating the terms regarding posting only photos that we own ourselves. How many times have most of us posted photos we've seen here on Houzz, copied from blogs or other websites, etc.? I've done it and I know a lot of you have, too.

So the boilerplate is to absolve Houzz (and other forums) of legal liability if a member posts other people's photos. That's it.

Really, none of you have anything to worry about regarding your photos. Please continue to share them. One of the best things about this place are the reveals with lots of photos. I would hate to see people quit creating those when there's no need to fear posting them.

Hey all!!!! I'm on here, finally! It took me a while to iron out new passwords and such. As a PRO member of Houzz, it kept wanting to merge my "private/anonymous GW persona AKA Kompy with my PRO username here." I'll probably post here mostly as Kompy but once in a while I may post with my business name. For sentimental sake, I had to have KOMPY up and running, so all of you old-timers would recognize me. :-) I started going to GW kitchen forum in the mid-90s...there's no way I was going to abandon it. Let's give it a try and welcome new peeps! A LOT of new peeps!!!!

It's so nice to see so many names I recognized (complaining or happy!!!). It's only been a week and I've missed you all so much!

PS...I want a gw at the end of my name! It looks like a badge of honor or something...

Yay! Many of our pros are here. Kompy, LWO, Treb (maybe you didn't recognize him because he "respectfully" asked us to chill), GreenDesigns. I may have seen a post from Oldryder. Hoping to see Srosen, Kevin, Pal, Jakuvall & please let HollySprings come back. Apologizing in advance if I omitted anyone.

I heard a rumor that hollysprings got the boot. Of course this upsets me because it's not a secret I have an unrequited crush on her. With the changes and all, it better be time to forgive and forget.

I just caught on that Joe is Treb! Howdy! A crush, eh? I'm not surprised it's unrequited as I'm pretty sure Hollysprings is a guy. I saw him referred to by name by one of the KDs, and it'd be an odd name for a woman. Someone said he's here. I saw Pal post in Kitchens.

I'm glad to see so many hanging in there. I personally like change - keeps life interesting, and I really like the changes Houzz has made, and likely they will continue to listen to our needs. Many changes we've asked for are not difficult for them and they won't know what we need unless we share. Like CEFreeman, I was in IT for 30+ years. Website conversions are no simple task and I appreciate what they have done for us.

I hope everyone can keep an open mind and remember why we are a community.

LL - sorry to hear about your mare! prayers for the colt to be all better soon!

My eyes are strained, my knee hurts and I'm a bit sore all over (I fell yesterday when my dog lunged at a stray crossing our land - I didn't expect it because I didn't see the stray in advance). Hopefully, this will all pass in a few days.

Glad to see so many back. Hope others join us.

Hollysprings Houzz name is a woman's name...... she has no recent activity.

Here's my 2 cents. It is nice that we can have avatars, albeit tiny. I am enjoying looking at the pics everyone has chosen. It adds a new dimension to a member previously known only by their writing.

One complaint, the scroll bar disappears when not in use. I have no idea how far into a thread I am, which brings me to the fact the entire thread is still on one page. A define plus! Overall, the format is nicer than GW.

Glad so many are here for the duration! Now, back to lurking :)

I stand corrected....I just stumbled across a Hollysprings post from a couple of hours ago (I don't want to post her houzz name).....I guess recent activity doesn't include activity on forums

I found it too. But he/she was addressed differently. It shall remain a mystery, and Treb can go back to fantasizing.

Where are my lists of seeds and plants that I have available and that I want? I can't find the lists.

I love that I recognized Treb from the first Joe comment I read. I'm not necessarily so good at that kind of thing, but his voice was unmistakeable from the start. Plus, he "liked" something I said (swoon.)

Hollysprings is a very talented, if sometimes direct, critic. Initially there was a bit of friction on some of my posts, but I have come to value her advice and insight. She does a lot of volunteer work (I believe) including the local dog shelter. No one should be booted....and I hope she comes back very soon! :)

LL, hollysprings is still with us.

twopinenuts, I think I read that everyone's exchange lists were lost. Here's a link to the seed exchange page: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/the-seed-exchange

And one to the garden forums: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums

But of course we don't mind if you hang out with us in Kitchens. :)

Good! Thanks for letting me know.

I haven't IDed HollySprings yet but CEF and Treb were instantly recognizable, their voices are quite distinct.

Glad to hear Holly is still here. May have been booted from GW but not from Houzz and that's nice.

Something about a post I read sounded familiar, so I checked the pro's member page. Hollysprings, GW member, is posted in the info. Oh yeah, I knew Christine right away :), and Trebruchet was pretty easy, too.

Well mama, I just spent half an hour looking through all the previous posts and found Holly too. Yay!!!!

Maybe the Houzz transition can be like a scavenger hunt, pick up on the clues and mannerisms and figure out who it is/was at GW!! ;)

I love a good mystery & I remembered a post in the last few days that could have been Hollysprings. I found it but also found another Pro that is identified as Hollysprings. Two Hollysprings?

Since changing our posting names is so easy now, we could do a version of 'Who Am I?', where we sign in with a pseudonym, then give clues, such as "I have green cabinets" or "My dog is black and white, and matches my kitchen". Everyone else could guess our real GW identities. Who wants to go first? It can't be me, 'cause everyone would know.

It actually says my (old) user name is already taken... but I think it's taken by... me.

Lol, I must confess I already knew Trebuchets name. He posted an article he had written a few months ago and, obviously, his name was on the article as the author.

When I saw a post under his real name I went, "why does that name sound familiar?" Then I read the post and said "OHHH, it's Treb" or as my DH knows him by "the countertop guy from Gardenwebs" :)

I have been so busy with tax season that I did not have the patience to click the link to be back here before tonight. It is 1:42 AM in NJ so I must get to sleep.

I missed all of you and here I am. I have learned so much from all of you and now look at the big picture in all I do with my decorating and no longer focus on one detail as I now see how beauty is how everything fits together and not a perfect white. I am finally adding pretty curtains and rods with finials to my home office. I am revisiting my kitchen after my busy season.

It looks like this will be easier to attach photos and I like the like button.

I added my picture that is very recent that I could find on my hard drive. I have no make-up on and I am sitting on the new floors in my home office with my little Maltese puppy on my lap but my little puppy would not fit in the picture. I was unable to change my name back to the old name lynn2006 as it says it is in use so I tried to change it so slynn2006 with my first name's initial first and then my middle name but it would not let me either. I will try again another day as I need sleep.

I missed all of you! You all have really helped me and I learn more each time I come to the Kitchen Forum and the Decorating Forum. I feel bad things have changed but I am not leaving. Thank you all for being friend and always being there for me. I will continue to try to help others as you have helped me and when I need help again, I will try not to be so wordy.

lynn2006

P.S. They need to add a spell check

lcskaisgir, please do not change your picture as you are so pretty and you got me to post my picture. You have such a gorgeous kitchen and I learned so much from you. I am going to go to bed before I become wordy. lynn2006

I prefer 4.5 - 6" between dividers.

It looks like Hollysprings is here and currently posting.

Familiar Voice

I was also told my user name was taken. I could not figure out then how to change my Houzz name so now everyone knows my first and middle name. When I first logged onto GardenWeb in November 2006, I was looking for a new refrigerator. I wish I Listened to all of you and paid more and bought a counter depth French Door instead of one that sticks so far out. I had to use my middle name since my first name was taken. But I love my middle name so it never bothered me. I joined Houzz in 2012 and was able to sign in with my first and middle name and the year I joined. I better get back to doing tax returns. I stayed up too late last night so today I am tired.

I am just happy that Houzz did not close the forums down and many of the familiar faces are back. I can kind of tell who is who by the way they write. I will try to be less wordy. I still can't figure out how to edit posts. I do like how easy it is to add a picture to the post.

Good. Thanks jellytoast, I wasn't sure.

I have to say that I was one that whined like a petulant child over the merger. I was convinced that I was just going to hang it up and consider it a loss. Then I started seeing that all the wonderful friends that I've made on GW were finding their way here despite the unfamiliar surroundings. You are all way more important to me than the changes to the forum. Over the last few days I have begun to prefer some things about the forum now. Top on the list is the ease of posting. No more clunky previewing before posting. The one thing that still bugs me tremendously is how my eyes hurt after a short time here.

Anyway I am thrilled to see my GW buddies and glad that I know Joe is actually Treb!

I've been concerned that Practigal hasn't posted here since the OP and nosed around and she hasn't had any activity here since Monday. I thought she made great contributions and will miss her if she doesn't come back. I hope that anybody who may have her contact information will contact her and nudge her to return.

Thank you jellytoast! I am sick in bed with a pounding head and didn't have it in me to try and solve the mystery of hollysprings!

ditto Jellytoast, thank you for being the detective.

Love the line from the member page:

"cue Jack Nicholsen from A Few Good Men"

Sounds about right. :)

Lavender_lass, I don't know the details about your mare and little one, but it sounds HORRIBLE. I am so sorry you've lost your baby. And I hope the little one(s) recover.

On another note, I can't decide if it's a blessing or a curse to be so easily recognizable. What if I want to go incognito? Huh? Ahhh well. It's a good thing that even IRL I stand behind what I say. I remain someone you either totally dislike, or get to know me and love my snotty little soul. :)

Things continue to improve, although it's interesting that improvements involve giving back what we had in some form on GW. Being their first real venture into forums, I think they're doing a heck of a job. These boards are absorbed along with some very notable boards so it's a conglomeration of many details. Of course, iVillage didn't give a flying crap about what we'd like, given they'd already decided their format. I'm liking Houzz farrrrrrrr better.

I can't take credit for the detective work. When you have such a distinctive posting voice, you are going to be spotted.

lcskaisgir, I hope you feel better soon.

Thanks Lynn! Or should I say Susanlynn now? I was glad to see you made it through the transition :)

I thought she was incognito. Hope we haven't jeopardized her return to GW. But if she was truly banned before the merge, the IP address would have been banned too.

Not necessarily, may_flowers. That might credit them with more work than they want to bother. After all. You really can't stop someone from using a different computer, having a non-static IP address, or changing a user name.

Sophie Wheeler & Hollysprings accounts are merged. All of Hollysprings posts, going back years, are now under the name Sophie Wheeler. I thought I spotted Hollysprings a few days ago after I read a post by "ProSourceMemphis". Glad you're back Hollysprings/Sophie Wheeler.

Prosource is live_wire_oak.