FAQ on HOW THE FORUM WORKS
What is the Kitchen Forum?
The Kitchen Forum is a message board within Garden Web that focuses on all things kitchens. http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/kitchbath. It has evolved toward a focus on updating/ redecorating/ renovating/ building kitchens, where people seek and give information, opinion and advice. There are some professionals, but mostly the Forum is populated by consumers with great interest and experience in kitchens. People post questions or reports about their kitchen projects and others respond; each of these conversations is a “thread”.
How do I join the Kitchen Forum?
You must be a member to post messages. It is a simple registration process, no fee. During registration, you have opportunity to describe yourself on your own linkable page, and you choose whether to have all responses to your posts sent to your email, and whether to be accessible to other members through email.
How are the home page and the Forum organized?
The Kitchen Forum home page lists 30 thread titles, starting with those that don’t yet have a response. Then threads are listed in order of most recent response. That first page displays the last 2 hours or so of activity. Below that are page numbers 1-67 for the total 67 pages of threads available – capturing maybe 2 months or so of threads, less when the Forum is busy. Below that is a space for you to switch to the Conversations or Gallery sectors - these are set up similarly. ‘Conversations’ is for chatting on non-kitchen topics; ‘Gallery’ is for pictures. Next down is a Search button – very important! Next is a place for you to start a new thread. And finally are some instructions and links at the bottom.
Is this FAQ part of the Kitchen Forum?
Not officially. This area was constructed to meet an information need and is maintained separately elsewhere on the Web.
FAQ on FINDING INFORMATION:
How do I search here on the FAQ?This new site is intended to collect and store permanently answers to questions that come up frequently. It is just getting started (August 2007) and may not yet have what you need. Try the search button feature on the right of the FAQ home page here.
How do I search the Forum itself?
Near the bottom of the Kitchen Forum home page is a search box (don’t use the one at the top of the home page). Type in some key words and hit ‘search’. If you get too many threads, try adding another word or two to narrow down the search. If you get too few, drop a word. Also search here on the FAQ. Some say the Forum search engine is marginal and recommend you do a generic Internet search using Garden web, Kitchen Forum and your key words. The latter may even pull up threads that were magically archived elsewhere.
What is the Finished Kitchens Blog and where is it?
Starpooh has heroically archived all the finished kitchens on a separate area of the Web. (Just as she set up this FAQ site. Thank you Starpooh!) All the kitchens are coded and you can search for pictures just of “Bluestar” ranges or “St. Cecilia” granite installations. This amazing resource is at http://finishedkitchens.blogspot.com/. Enjoy!
Should I search or start a new thread?
It is good to search first and be sure your thread’s content or question isn’t already on another thread. You may find your answer already available on existing threads or here in the FAQ.
Why does it matter whether I search first? Two reasons. First, the Kitchen Forum has a limited amount of storage space, about two months’ worth of activity. Each new thread sends the oldest thread into oblivion and with it all that thread’s information. Second, enthusiasm for answering the same questions over and over has been waning. The question for the asker is just as important, but the answer unfortunately can be less thorough or helpful after 50 times. Hopefully, thorough and helpful answers to common questions can reside here, making more space available on the Forum for other questions.
FAQ on JUMPING IN AND POSTING
How do I read and respond to Forum threads?
At the Kitchen Forum home page http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/kitchbath/, click on a thread title to pull up the original post (OP) and the responses. To join in and add a response, type into the box at the bottom of the page right below your name. (You must be logged in to see this box and to post.) To see your post and proofread it, click on ‘preview’. If you need to make a correction, scroll down to the box for making corrections and edit. When the preview looks good to go, click on “submit”. You should see a notice that your response has been posted.
Where did my response go?
If you did click on “submit”, your response should join the thread, and pop that thread up to the top of current threads, with yours as the most recent follow-up. Try refreshing the page. Sometimes a thread will be in two places momentarily, both where you found it and at the lead. Sometimes posts take a moment to appear. Sometimes things disappear.
How do I start a new thread?
At the bottom of the home page is a box below your name for starting a new thread: “Post a message to the Forum”. (You need to be logged in to see your name and to post). Just type in your issue or question, and let people know how they might help you out. Then write your thread title. It helps to be very clear with the title. “Granite question” could mean most anything, whereas “Granite seam question” is more specific, and “How noticeable should a granite seam be?” is even more specific, and “Are these granite seams unacceptable? (picture)” is even clearer. And you want to be clear because there are more threads than can be read by the average Forum user. There are two areas you can post. The first is the Discussion forum. This is where you post your kitchen question. The second is Conversation where we go to chat the third is gallery. Be sure you’re in the correct section before posting; a discussion question in the Gallery may get ignored.
I lost my thread. Where is it?
Your thread is still there, but may have scrolled down off page one to page 2 or 3 or beyond. The first page only shows activity in the last couple hours. One way to locate your thread is to do a ‘search’ on your name, and that will pull up any threads you have started or posted on. You can get your thread back to page one by posting on it yourself, commonly called “bumping”. Perfectly fine if you still need responses, and better than starting a second new thread (leads to confusion and a crowded Forum)
Hey, how come I didn’t get lots of answers like some other threads?
Hard to say. Some threads that are touching or funny or controversial will “get legs” because they strike a chord. Sometimes a project will generate a lot of give and take and brainstorming. Some questions get ignored because they’ve been answered over and over (but your search should have told you that). Some get ignored because they may be too specific and no one has the answer. Maybe you just posted at a busy time and it slipped off the first pages too quickly. Sometimes things happen for no reason. (Even the venerable Bill Vincent, aka the ever-helpful Forum tile guy, recently had HIS question ignored.) Don’t view it as a slight. Try posting to your own thread and asking again for more input.
Why can’t I find a thread from a while ago?
The storage capacity of the Forum only goes back about two months. Sometimes less. If the thread you are looking for “fell off” the 67th page, it’s gone.
How can I save threads I might need later?
You can keep any post as a “clipping” and stash it in your Forum file. Just click on “clip this post” under the ‘Clippings’ logo at the top right of each post. If you want to save a whole thread, you may need to resort to saving the thread as a document on your computer (EDIT: ‘select all’, then FILE: ‘save as…’
FAQ on ADDING PICTURES AND LINKS
How do I embed pictures in my post?
Your picture needs first to live somewhere on the Internet. Then you enter its address code in your message and the picture appears in your thread. Photobucket is one easy and widely used photo-storing site. You can open a free account at Photobucket.com. Then move pictures there from your digital camera or computer. Each then will have its own Internet address. To post the easy way, you:
· First make your picture smaller by clicking on ‘edit’, then ‘resize’, select ‘web size’ for a regular size and to ‘message board’ for larger to show more detail.
· Copy the HTML tag below the picture (looks like >ahref =…)
· Paste that tag into your message.
· Check the preview to be sure the picture is there and sized correctly (try refreshing if the resizing isn’t showing.)
What are thumbnail pictures and why might they be better to post?Because some Forum folks still have dial up, a post with many or large pictures really slows down their Forum surfing. One option is to learn to post your pictures in a thumbnail format. The picture appears in your post as a small blue-framed picture. The reader then has the option to click on it to enlarge it. A little more complicated than the above method, but a classy and kind gesture if you can swing it.
Per Starpooh, here is the method to embed a thumbnail:
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Copy the HTML tag below the picture. Paste that tag into your message. Before: After: Result:
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How do I link to a Web site or to a group of my pictures?
Garden Web makes it easy. At the bottom of your post is a URL box where you can copy/paste any website address and a second box for you to name that link. When you preview your message you will see the title added to the bottom of your message after “Here’s a link that might be helpful”. You can use this to refer the reader to a website or to your own photo album to see more pictures.
Why did the picture in my post disappear after a few days?
The address to your picture will only work if you make no changes to it. When you reorganize photos, or retitle your albums, you are changing the photo’s address and your posted link no longer works.
AND A FINAL NOTE
How can I be a better citizen here on the Forum?
Don’t shout when you speak (by using all capital letters). Use the search feature. Don’t start many threads at once. Thank people for their help. Help others when you can. Come back and give updates. Post a FAQ contribution here or on the Forum where you see gaps in information. Ignore hostilities – scroll on by. Remember that folks pretty much do the best they can with what they know at the time.
Welcome to the Forum!
1 response so far ↓
1 starpooh // Aug 6, 2007 at 8:19 pm
test comment moderation
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