As a moderator on ServerFault I run into a lot of the iffy questions. Our users flag them for moderator attention and we deal with them. Some are obviously wrong enough to get dealt with through the normal close-voting process without the mod-hammer being involved. Along the way, we mods do run into some differing opinions on certain nuances of the FAQ. I'll be covering some of the more frequently misunderstood areas of that august document.
#1: Servers in the home
The FAQ states simply, "and it is not about... Running servers at home for personal use".
I have yet to run into a sysadminly professional that doesn't have at least some kind of server at home, even it is just a NAS holding the video collection. A large number of them run servers at home as a way to keep skills sharp, which is a good way to keep your hand in technologies you don't get to play with at work. I've run into several who run full up Active Directory domains at home because it's good practice, not because they feel it's needed on a network with five active users on it. I've known one or two who've run Exchange at home simply because it's good practice, not because it's the best mail solution for five people. All of these people have professional development on the mind.
This last bit is where the gray area appears. If you're doing it for professional advancement, perhaps you're studying for some major certification, then it isn't "personal use" now is it?
Opinion is split on this, but the large majority of voters who flag or close-vote believe that ServerFault is for servers in the workplace, not at home. Even if it is for professional development. If your home IS your workplace, maybe that'll work out, but we'll still twit you about getting some real hosting for your hardware.
Questions about getting your 20TB 1080p PVR/media-center able to stream decently fast across powerline networks will get closed as off-topic really fast. Even if it is an interesting problem.
Questions about figuring out how to get SharePoint 2010 working on three machines that were old in 2008 will get the question closed pretty quickly. Unless it is clear that this is at your job for some reason (no-budget non-profits do run some really old stuff!), that kind of thing will get closed. But, it'll probably earn a few answers from people before it gets shut down.
Questions about how to get a new interface blade installed into a four year old HP Blade Rack you have installed in a 22U rack you have in your basement will earn you some confusion, comments about tolerant house-mates, and eventual close-votes because it's in the home. Fail to mention the "basement" part and this kind of question would earn answers. Mention the 'basement' and you'll still earn some answers because that's some high grade kit (if old), and that lumps it into "professional" in some people's mind; but it'll still get closed because of the basement part.
Mentioning "home" in a question is a guarantee of three close-votes, and a 75% chance of a mod-flag. Mentioning true server-grade hardware may wave one or two off and reduce the probability of a mod-flag.
In the end, there are very, very few cases where a server in the home is topical. And even those will get close-votes.
#1: Servers in the home
The FAQ states simply, "and it is not about... Running servers at home for personal use".
I have yet to run into a sysadminly professional that doesn't have at least some kind of server at home, even it is just a NAS holding the video collection. A large number of them run servers at home as a way to keep skills sharp, which is a good way to keep your hand in technologies you don't get to play with at work. I've run into several who run full up Active Directory domains at home because it's good practice, not because they feel it's needed on a network with five active users on it. I've known one or two who've run Exchange at home simply because it's good practice, not because it's the best mail solution for five people. All of these people have professional development on the mind.
This last bit is where the gray area appears. If you're doing it for professional advancement, perhaps you're studying for some major certification, then it isn't "personal use" now is it?
Opinion is split on this, but the large majority of voters who flag or close-vote believe that ServerFault is for servers in the workplace, not at home. Even if it is for professional development. If your home IS your workplace, maybe that'll work out, but we'll still twit you about getting some real hosting for your hardware.
Questions about getting your 20TB 1080p PVR/media-center able to stream decently fast across powerline networks will get closed as off-topic really fast. Even if it is an interesting problem.
Questions about figuring out how to get SharePoint 2010 working on three machines that were old in 2008 will get the question closed pretty quickly. Unless it is clear that this is at your job for some reason (no-budget non-profits do run some really old stuff!), that kind of thing will get closed. But, it'll probably earn a few answers from people before it gets shut down.
Questions about how to get a new interface blade installed into a four year old HP Blade Rack you have installed in a 22U rack you have in your basement will earn you some confusion, comments about tolerant house-mates, and eventual close-votes because it's in the home. Fail to mention the "basement" part and this kind of question would earn answers. Mention the 'basement' and you'll still earn some answers because that's some high grade kit (if old), and that lumps it into "professional" in some people's mind; but it'll still get closed because of the basement part.
Mentioning "home" in a question is a guarantee of three close-votes, and a 75% chance of a mod-flag. Mentioning true server-grade hardware may wave one or two off and reduce the probability of a mod-flag.
In the end, there are very, very few cases where a server in the home is topical. And even those will get close-votes.
- Your home IS your job. Some will question your professionalism, but it should survive.
I encourage people to, before they ask a question, think about if it is pertinent to a professional system administrator's work. Regardless of if it's a test lab or home network - if it's pertinent to a SysAdmin's day job, then ask away, just leave out all references to the specific scenario.
It's the same way for a question that is framed within a true business context. I don't need to know that the NAS if for accounting and the fibre channel HBAs were bought on eBay because the CIO is still annoyed that the JD Edwards install was three times over budget. It's irrelevant. Just ask a solid question with just enough context to get the right kind of answers.
In fact, I'll edit questions that are pertinent but errantly mention that it's in a home network or a self-study lab - just so long as it's a good question. Some CCIEs have bigger labs in their basement than any office I've worked for had in their server room.
I encourage people to leave out the "home" part. If the question wreaks of a home string-n-duct-tape environment, it'll be closed on those non-professional merits. If the question is otherwise indistinguishable from a professional environment then the fact that it's in your basement really shouldn't matter as the Q&A would still be relevant to a professional in their workplace.
As for people who work from home, I know a few. They all have a room set aside that they call their office. It might be semantics, but for these people it's important to draw that distinction. This gets back to the same profile as the previous paragraph, leaving out the explicit location of the equipment (of the location of their "office") lets the question stand on its own merits. Based on my experience with these people I would tend to think of someone who "works from home" (instead of "working from the office in their house") as less professional (unfair as that might be).
I find that anyone who comes out with "it's at home" is usually cruisin' for a closin' for other reasons (usually "not a professional question"); the FAQ just makes it more well-defined.