I agree, it's annoying. Now when you want to comment, instead of scrolling to the bottom of the page, it's at the top of the page, where I'm not used to looking for it. So I hit "comment" and it takes me to the correct place. But I don't know if I want to comment until I've read all the comments.

I think the newest comments first is an accommodation to the paying "pros" in home decorating and design dilemma who spend so much time and energy on long running conversations with each other on threads with 5000+ answers. Now they don't have to scroll to the end of the post, or wait for all the photos to load (that they don't care about seeing for their 500th post on the thread) before they can add a new comment.

Houzz is doing its best to destroy what used to be the best garden forum on the internet.

I'm thinking that the "best answer" is determined by 'likes.' It would be interesting to confirm if 'liking' another answer more allows it to move into the "best answer" position. (There seem to be a lot of "best" answers that are not very good.)

I actually don't mind that the conversation stacks in the reverse order that it has historically stacked, once I know and get used to it. But it's disconcerting that the "best answer" separates the initial post from the follow-up comments, as it's out of order. It would be good to hide the best answer! And it's annoying to have regular answers hidden because it can make hunting for a particular picture very difficult, if the answer must first be expanded in order to see it.

Initially I thought Best Answer was linked to likes but I've since seen many examples where this isn't so.

It annoys me that the conversation is now newest first. In plant id queries the first answer given is frequently the correct plant name and the rest of the thread is discussion. If the thread is reversed the correct response can be buried down the page and has to be searched for.

Reading and comprehending all the previous posts should be a requirement for participation.

Nothing is more irritating that giving a solution to a problem that I know works because I've done it, only to have the original poster ask again. And again.

Maybe it has something to do with the device/browser people are using?

I don't have best answers, the comments still list oldest to newest like they always have, and there isn't a read more option for me.... either on my desktop computer or my tablet.

This same issue was brought up on another thread a few days ago. I do not see any of these "changes" now nor did I see them then. Everything presents to me on my laptop the same way it has done for months........all responses post in chronological order from the initial subject post to the most current. And I have yet to see this "best answer" feature.

I have no explanation as to why these changes seem to have bypassed me.......not that I'm complaining.......I am perfectly happy leaving things they way they are/were. But it seems to me if these were system- or platform-wide changes. I'd see them as well. I have to think that it must be related to the device used and the way the site is accessed.

Or maybe they are site changes that are being contemplated for a universal application but are being tested out only on a small percentage of members to see how they fly.

IDK what's going on but all I can add is that whatever you are seeing is not necessarily what everyone else is seeing. Nothing in the presentation of threads and subsequent posts, including any ridiculous "best answer" flags, is any different for me than it has been for months.

It would be nice if Emily popped in to respond but I have no idea how to summons her input :-)

ETA: I was typing at the same time as beesneeds and she apparently is seeing - or not seeing - the same thing I am. No changes at all.

I'm also on a laptop and using Chrome. I see the 'best answer' change but the order of the posts haven't changed for me. Maybe that is just if you are using the app and not the web?

As to the 'best answer' - I also originally thought it was related to the number of likes. However, after seeing several best answer notations that weren't answers at all, just OP clarifications, maybe it is a bot that chooses the answer. I don't know. I suspect the rationale for it is to allow the reader to read the question and the best answer and move on without reading the entire thread. I read entire threads, not the "best answer" because frequently the best answer isn't best and the real enjoyment is in reading the thread. JMO

The only thing I've seen is the Best Answer part. I'd like to know who is the arbitor for Best Answer because, like was said before, It rarely is.

The thing I'm seeing is that one post will always be doubled in very thread on every site. What's that all about?

I wouldn't like to have the posting order be reversed. How would one know what's been said before? How strange.

EEEEEEEEE!!!!!! Just found a thread with what you're talking about, but the postings were all mixed up not even last to first ! AWFUL!!!!!!!

Interesting that not everyone sees these improvement. I’m using Chrome browser on an iPad. The ”Best Answer” continues to baffle me. Last night when there were only two responses some algorithm had already chosen functionthenlook’s comment as “Best Answer”. As the OP I did not choose it. Then this morning when I came back and saw more comments, of the seven new ones the software told me I could select Yardvark’s comment as best but none of the others. But when I scrolled through all of the replies that option to choose Yard’s comment as best was gone and now I can’t choose any comment as best.

I don’t think it’s app-related. At least not completely. On my laptop I get the ‘newest’ first. Arg! But on my phone I get the ‘oldest’ first like always.

I refuse to download their app just on general principle principal. . AHHHH! Now the backup / erase button won’t work!!!!!

CA Kate, I have also seen some threads where the order of the comments is scrambled but it hasn’t been consistent.

This is odd; here I can comment at the end of the thread but others only have the place at the beginning.

Agreed that this is frustrating.

@kentc, that is very interesting that the software dictates which is the best answer and limits the selections from which you can choose! Not really a valid best answer if it is controlled by the software and not the OP.

100% agree with all of this. Default sorting by Newest first is horribly confusing. These posts end up being conversations and it's impossible to follow. There is an option to change it to sort by Oldest but that choice isn't sticky so you have to change every single post. How about Houzz keeps the sorting option and defaults to Oldest first like it used to? I also notice comments are sometimes repeated or show up again at the bottom. Sounds like Houzz could use some better QA and UX designers.

The only change I have seen is the "Best Answer" one, which is indeed so annoying.

I have always seen, for years, the thread shortened by the hyperlink "Show More Comments". But only on my phone. It hasn't really bothered me.

Fingers crossed it stays that way.

@kentc, I am seeing all these same issues too. On an active thread I have to spend my time clicking "read more" and "oldest" continuously. Also have to refresh and do it all again if I happen to post a comment.

I'm on a mac laptop and these changes appear on some forums and not others. I was thinking it was gardenweb staying the same and houzz forums being in the new format, but that's not it.

I switch every thread to oldest first, so I can read what others have said. But then when I get to the bottom and may want to comment, the comment box is up at the top, even though I switched the order, so I have to scroll back through the whole thread up to the top. And the best answer stays at the top, so the new comment is below that. I also cannot "like" comments or thank people on my threads if I'm in firefox, I have to switch to chrome, or safari, both of which I dislike using.

Most websites today are ‘responsive’ meaning that they display based on the OS and browser being used. That’s why not everyone sees the same thing. Last post first is standard blog format.

haha function, you have the Best Answer!

.argh mine won't let me originate a post on computer only phone nor punctuate can't reply to my own posts either fed

Viewing Gardenweb on a desktop computer using Chrome, I don't see any differences that you are talking about.

lgteacher, I've now switched to my Win7 desktop PC using Chrome. I still see all three issues that I see on my iPad.

Threw me off at first! I was wondering why an old post was showing and I didn't see any way to answer. Why I thought when the last post was in 2016 was this now showing?

I just go with it.

For 2 years now,I get no email alerts...and I've checked and unchecked my settings to see if it would get that dead feature working again and it hasn't.

Desktop and chrome same problems above phone different problems

I agree with you 100 percent. Why do they make these nonsensical changes? Is it becasue we were using these forums too much?

Houssaon no, the opposite. It’s an antiquated platform that has seen a decline in traffic. They are trying to catch up but their demographic isn’t on board, as evidenced by the above comments.