Coffee House doesn't show up on main page anymore so it no longer serves us hot topics. Any forum that doesn't show on the main page is basically dead to the causal visitor.
Mor often than not I'll quickly check the front page on my iPhone between meetings and see if anything grabs my fancy.
Humorously (not the fake BS word "funnily" you ill-bret brits!), the Coffee House forums -- also known as the "DMZ" were created way back when because of people bitching and whining about off-topic posts on the forums.
So, it's a case of can't win. Those who want the CH forums don't use them, and those who don't use them bitch about off-topic posts.
The major problem I think -- now as an outsider -- is that everyone takes themselves too damned seriously for what is -- in no uncertain terms -- a hobby for what is now widely considered a "toy computer".
If everyone would just chill out and relax, we'd all have a much better time of it.
Wayne