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I ran across the following question today:

How to completely disable apache access log?

While I understand that SuperUser is the best place for desktop related questions this one is clearly not one. He specifically asks about a server product (WAMP Stack). The difference is he is running it on a dev machine, XP. I really don't get why this was closed, especially since the question is certainly applicable to a production instance of WAMP running on Windows Server as well.

I think the moderators all too often close a question because they see the name of a client operating system first. Lastly, if the question was better suited for SuperUser why not migrate it instead of closing it.

Who moderates the moderators???

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  • First thing, there are 5 moderators and we do not always agree. However if one takes an action, like closing a question, and it is discussed, we commonly keep the discussion to ourselves until there is a clear resolution (have patience). If you still don't agree with us, there's a Contact link at the bottom of every page that goes to Stack Exchange employees.
    – Chris S Mod
    Commented Jun 4, 2012 at 13:05
  • Thanks @ChrisS that makes sense. I have a suggestion though that if you think a question would be better served on another forum then as a community lets move it to the right place as opposed to just closing it. Is that harder for you as moderators to accomplish due to system limitations?
    – Brent Pabst
    Commented Jun 4, 2012 at 14:05
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    It's hard due to politics. We do migrate somewhat frequently and it's easy to do... But there have been several discussion of late concerning the appropriate action.
    – Chris S Mod
    Commented Jun 4, 2012 at 14:10
  • Ah, well that sucks. Seems like the best action to support the community as a whole would be to migrate. Thanks for clarifying, it certainly helps and I really do understand the various "limitations". Thanks for doing what you do.
    – Brent Pabst
    Commented Jun 4, 2012 at 14:13

3 Answers 3

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The scope for ServerFault is to manage/help servers, not dev-machines. If you start running server-applications on a Client OS, you are asking for trouble. While it might work, we choose not to support it.

And, any serious dev has a VM with a proper Server OS imo. We will support you in managing a large number of client OSes, but not how to run 1 piece of software on one workstation. That's why we have SuperUser.

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  • I get that, but his question applies to a server environment in his post! He wants to disable the log for a SERVER, he should be able to do this regardless of the operating system that he uses. And again, why wasn't his question migrated. If people ask the wrong question for a certain community at least help them out with moving it to the right place.
    – Brent Pabst
    Commented Jun 4, 2012 at 13:00
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    No, his Q was about XP when he posted it. He later changed it. I see his Q is now reopened.
    – Bart De Vos
    Commented Jun 4, 2012 at 13:05
  • When I said server I meant that he was trying to get Apache Server running, which is a server system, I was not referring to the OS. Again, I understand the position it just seems like you could see what he was getting at here and it feels like it falls under the guise of a server. Am I crazy?
    – Brent Pabst
    Commented Jun 4, 2012 at 14:04
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    @BrentPabst It's a combination of factors really, there's no one part of the question that stands out. It's a client OS, running software in violation of it's EULA; WAMP stacks are ugly hacks for developers who can't be bothered to learn *nix; he's not administering a network of computers, just a single one... That said, it was a salvageable question and we should have edited it into usable form instead of closing; that has been remedied; though the grumpy sysadmins have reared already...
    – Chris S Mod
    Commented Jun 4, 2012 at 14:13
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    Fair enough. Little harsh on the "not bothered to learn" though. We used to run Tomcat on Windows, worked great!
    – Brent Pabst
    Commented Jun 4, 2012 at 14:27
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The rest has been covered but as for "Who moderates the moderators???" (only one question mark is required and three is just silly) - we do. It has happened that moderators have stepped a little over the line and they have been redressed for it. You are also free to contact the staff (link near the bottom of the page) if you care to take things further.

Most of the moderators are community elected and they were voted in because the majority of those who made the effort to vote, and are therefore the only ones with a right to an opinion on the matter, trust these people to do the right thing. They're still only human of course, so mistakes can happen, but I feel sure that the same people will get re-elected if they so desire.

If I sound a little touchy about this is probably because I have great respect for the elected mods. At some stage or other I've disagreed with nearly all of them but that doesn't diminish the respect I have for them and I get a bit fed up with people being overly critical about non-issues.

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  • John, probably the best explanation I have seen so far. I wasn't aware of the election process until I saw the thread on SO for next years mods. Thanks for the simple answer.
    – Brent Pabst
    Commented Jun 6, 2012 at 12:23
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As asked the question was off topic for serverfault because the OS isn't a server OS. The OP therefore doesn't manage systems in a professional capacity which puts them outside the scope of SF.

I didn't migrate it because I didn't have the time or the interest to check SU to see if it was a dupe and it's not like the OP couldn't have copy+paste it easily enough. I did leave them a message to check

A WAMP server on XP is outside the scope of serverfault. It may be on topic for Superuser but check their faq and search their site before asking.

We know that it's really an XP machine and the the OP isn't a sysadmin so changing the operating system from XP to 2k3 doesn't really (in this instance) bring the question in scope either. All that people have learned is that if you lie you might get support.

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