i found that forum also... and after you sign in.. it changes.. whats that all about....

ken

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/kitchentable

I wouldn't label them "off topic". They are/were part of the original GardenWeb lineup of "Home Discussion" forums that range across a wide variety of topics from purely conversational (like the Kitchen Table) to cooking, to appliance repair, arts and crafts, pets, computer questions and a whole raft of forums dealing with home remodeling, house building, lighting. plumbing, decorating, etc. And there is no question that these forums most definitely fit in with the Houzz business model.....it's the reason for being and why GW was purchased in the first place!!!

I labelled them 'Off-Topic Forums' because they are not listed in the left hand side navigation pane > Explore Discussions. They are not listed in any of the 3 subtabs Explore All Discussions, Featured Home Discussions, Featured Garden Discussions. It appears that these forums are hidden that way, and that's why I thought that the powers that be want you to see the other forums, like 'Home Repair' and not 'Retirement'.

They are listed under those heading for me!! Except for the Garden Discussions, as those are not really associated with the plant or gardening specific categories there. But under Explore All Discussions or Home Discussions, there are nearly 100 not hidden nor off topic home discussion forums listed and readily accessible. Just as there have always been since I joined this site 25+ years ago!!

Hmm ... we must be seeing different things. I just checked the subtab 'Explore All Discussions' again, and the 'The Kitchen Table' and 'Retirement' are not listed, although you can find these forums in the link in my OP.

I use the Edge browser that comes with Windows, what browser do you use?

I hear it varies depending on whether you are on Houzz or GardenWeb. I only login to GardenWeb and I see it.

tj

They are both showing for me as well (although the Kitchen Table is marked as one of my topics/forums anyway). Entering the site only via GardenWeb and never through Houzz may be the reason, as tj suggested. I also never use the phone app either. I seem to encounter very few common glitches adhering to these practices 😶

I am almost always on here on my phone. Here is both Retirement and The Kitchen Table when I scroll through all topics. Agree that it often matters how you access things here.

Well, if I merely visit gardenweb.com without logging in, I see more entries in the left hand side navigation pane, but still no 'The Kitchen Table' nor 'Retirement'.

If I login then I get automatically redirected to houzz.com with the fewer entries that led me to coin the term 'Off-Topic Forums'

Oh well, I have now reasons to believe that the site is 'naughty' and I myself shall try to make the best of the very few forums that I currently use, although I won't use more forums :-(

Login here and see what happens.

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/explore-discussions#Garden-Forums

tj

tj, see my previous post what happens. I think the site remembers that I logged in via houzz.com previously and automatically redirects me from gardenweb.com to houzz.com and I think it is because the site owner wants people to use houzz.com rather than gardenweb.com i.e. a 1-way from gardenweb.com to houzz.com with no way back.

What I am saying is this: you lucky folks who always use gardenweb.com and never use houzz.com continue like that. Once you use houzz.com your luck may be over!

It is not really a big deal for myself, because my landscaping is basically done, and houzz.com will be sufficient to ask for any help with any garden issues :-)

Anyway, I thought that the 'off-topic forums' could provide me with a little social media infotainment, but it does not look like houzz.com likes that. FB anyone?