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Asterisk is a Server-based VOIP Phone system that is usually run on Linux, and usually run on a network. I have seen posts for Asterisk in ServerFault, StackOverflow, and SuperUser. I even saw one post somewhere in those sites (sorry, I can't remember where and cannot find it in my history) where there was a debate about whether the user's Asterisk question ought to be posted in SuperUser or ServerFault.

Here is an Asterisk question migrated from SuperUser to ServerFault.

Here is a comment on StackOverflow, by a rep of 635 where the user was told his question would be better asked on SuperUser or ServerFault.

Hence, my question, what is the most relevant Q&A site for this, ServerFault, StackOverflow, or SuperUser?

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    Protip: don't call SE sites fora. – Daniel Fischer May 8 '12 at 1:27
  • Okay, I guess you can argue that. – bgmCoder May 8 '12 at 1:55
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    In part because SE sites are not forums, and in part because "fora" is not the correct English plural for "forum". – Cody Gray May 8 '12 at 3:13
  • Ah - I would argue the point because of my conception of what a forum is. dictionary.reference.com/browse/forum gives these as definitions for forum: 1. a court or tribunal: the forum of public opinion; 2. an assembly, meeting place, ..., for the discussion of questions of public interest. – bgmCoder May 8 '12 at 3:29
  • So, I look at these SE sites as a forum insofar as I can go to a "meeting place" that is "for the discussion of questions" - which is what happens when many people present varying answers - all those answers are effectively (IMHO) a discusson of the question. However, I concede that SE forums are different than other forums insofaras the object of the questions are not to discuss them, but, rather, to answer them. A forum is also a marketplace; I come here to shop for answers to my questions. – bgmCoder May 8 '12 at 3:35
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    The commonly accepted definition of "forum" in the context of an "internet forum" is not what Stack Overflow is aiming for, hence the differentiation between "forum" and "Q&A Site". See meta.stackexchange.com/a/92110/131968 – Kyle Trauberman May 8 '12 at 4:01
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    This is not a "meeting place"; we're not here to meet anyone, nor is there any physical place at which we meet. This site is not for "discussion", and questions which solicit discussion will (or should) be promptly closed. Questions which tend to attract a large number of answers, all of which are equally valid, are not a good fit for our guidelines, as laid out in the FAQ. This is also not a "marketplace". We do not sell anything, and we do not provide recommendations on which items to purchase. "Shop[ping] for answers to my questions" seems like a real stretch of a metaphor... – Cody Gray May 8 '12 at 4:05
  • Okay, I follow. I think, however, I am soliciting discussion, and I don't want my question to be closed. I have some more opinions on the matter, and so will add them here – bgmCoder May 8 '12 at 4:21
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    Re: your edit... others will vote on the answers and (usually) the top-voted answer is the one you want to go with. – Adam Lear♦ May 8 '12 at 5:42
  • @TheEstablishment '"fora" is not the correct English plural for "forum".' Citation needed. It was one of the two correct English plurals when my dictionary was printed. What has changed in the last 25 years? – Daniel Fischer May 8 '12 at 9:59
  • @dan I suppose "fora" is an acceptable form, but it's not what any style guide would advise you to use in normal usage. "Forums" is standard English. This wikitionary article gives at least one source. – Cody Gray May 8 '12 at 10:01
  • @TheEstablishment Thanks. So I guess I should try to get rid of the habit of using Latin plurals for Latin words :( – Daniel Fischer May 8 '12 at 10:04
  • Folks, my question is about which Stack Exchange site to use - we, as a community should try to keep on topic, shouldn't we? All this stuff is turning into banter. – bgmCoder May 8 '12 at 15:06
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    They're comments. They don't matter. Also, this is Meta. – Cody Gray May 9 '12 at 0:05
  • I just saw A quick demonstration VOIP Phone system that is running on windows and supported by Asterisk plus.google.com/u/0/b/115441816326147977672/… – molham Jul 1 '13 at 13:42
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Is your question about configuring asterisk as an ivr/pbx for your office? If so, Server Fault.

Is your question about writing a plugin or extension to asterisk? If so, Stack Overflow.

Is your question about configuring asterisk as a home ivr/pbx? If so, Super User.

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  • Not a bad differentiation. I'd give you +1, but I don't have enough rep yet... – bgmCoder May 8 '12 at 3:51
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    Okay, I've past 15 now, so you get my vote. – bgmCoder May 8 '12 at 15:06
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I would say ServerFault, because its a server technology. Questions about developing for Asterisk might be on topic for StackOverflow if code is involved.

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  • But so often the questions that need answering with Asterisk involve code because it is configured through .conf text files - which is code. If you say questions involving code might go to StackOverflow, how would you differentiate? – bgmCoder May 8 '12 at 1:56
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    @BGM Config files are not code. – Kyle Trauberman May 8 '12 at 2:16
  • Would you consider them code if they contain macros? I can assure you that extensions.conf contains macros. – bgmCoder May 8 '12 at 3:27
  • @BGM That could be considered code, but its a grey area. – Kyle Trauberman May 8 '12 at 3:55
  • @BGM when I said questions involving code might go to Stack Overflow, I meant writing custom extensions, plugin, etc. Questions regarding pure configuration are most assuredly off topic for Stack Overflow – Kyle Trauberman May 8 '12 at 3:57
  • It's painful when you write a perfectly good question in the place you think it ought to be and it gets closed - or worse, migrated, then closed on the other site. – bgmCoder Jun 18 '14 at 3:57
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There appears to be a Telephony/Telecommunications SE in beta now.

Two of Zypher's choices https://meta.stackexchange.com/a/131756/184368 seem to apply equally well with the Google search that landed me here ("How to reset Asterisk's admin GUI password using CLI / config files").

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  • I wish the beta site luck. It was tried once before and failed, and its topics rolled into Server Fault, where they remain welcome. – Michael Hampton Jun 26 '13 at 21:42

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