Apache Friends Support Forum

Quite a number of questions asked here are ignorant ones, because the answer can be found in the FAQs. Just look at how many times the title reads "Apache won't start". Others are poor, because the OP doesn't give a proper description of the problem. Some even do not have to have anything to do with XAMPP.

To reduce such questions, I'd suggest the put the following matters above the form that OPs have to use to ask questions:

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE ASKING A QUESTION
1. There is a FAQ page: [link]. First check whether your question already has an answer there.
2. If not: first do a search. The normal boolean operators [AND, NOT, quotation marks and brackets] can be used.
3. If your question is still not answered: put time and effort is describing your problem. We cannot help you if you do not properly formulate your question, or if information is lacking.

V.1.1:

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE POSTING A QUESTION
1. Investigate whether your question is XAMPP-determined. We only answer those.
2. There is a FAQs page: [link]. First check whether your question already has an answer there.
3. If not: first do a search. The normal boolean operators [AND, NOT, quotation marks and brackets] can be used.
4. If your question is still not answered: put time and effort is describing your problem. We cannot help you if you do not properly formulate your question, or if information is lacking.

v1.2

typo:
- 4. If your question is still not answered: put time and effort is describing your problem. We cannot help you if you do not properly formulate your question, or if information is lacking.
+ 4. If your question is still not answered: put time and effort in describing your problem. We cannot help you if you do not properly formulate your question, or if information is lacking.

Another problem arises when they follow the instructions given in the control panel, it tells them to copy that output (useless 99.9999% of the time). While it instructs them to look in the error.log (as far as Apache is concerned) and Event Viewer it falls short of instructing them to post that info. Instead it instructs them to

4:12:20 PM [Apache] If you need more help, copy and post this
4:12:20 PM [Apache] entire log window on the forums

Nothing more.

In my company i have learned one thing the hard way.
Doesn't matter how hard you hit a user with an important information to read, there will always be users that are lazy enough to don't read it.

Don't I know, but most seem to at minimum read the the control panel and it clearly states to just post what it is saying, and people are doing just that. For example;

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=77024
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=76972
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=76900

Unfortunately, that textarea in the control panel does not help much.

Yes there are many that don't even read that but it seems the minority not the majority.

@gsmith — Thanks for the typo correction. And you are absolutely right that the instructions in XAMPP in case of problems should be improved. They now invite people to not look/think any further and just dump the problem on this forum.

@Altrea — I am baffled by your response! You're giving me the feeling that you don't care anymore.

FrankC wrote:You're giving me the feeling that you don't care anymore.

Why should he?

How many problems did you solve here?

Nobbie wrote:Why should he? How many problems did you solve here?

So he indeed doesn't care anymore? That's what you're implying. And I already told you that I know little about servers. Plus: I'm now trying to largely solve a problem. A chronic problem, may I add.

FrankC wrote:@Altrea — I am baffled by your response! You're giving me the feeling that you don't care anymore.

That was not my intention. I still care about all issues reported here.
I am just of the opinion that the information to report and solve an issue is not hidden here. It can be found right now if a user is willing to report an issue properly.
There will always be users creating poor or already answered questions independend what information are placed anywhere here at this board.

The only way to reduce such threads would be to change something on the XAMPP component itself, making the debug information more richful, giving the user an easier way to copy all needed information, etc.

FrankC wrote:So he indeed doesn't care anymore?

I think you have a wrong impression about Altrea and me and some others here. NOBODY is meant "to care" about anything, we are simply users like you are and sometimes can answer questions. We are neither the owner of the forum, nor responsible for any kind of "care". Actually i even dont know, what you mean by that? Do you care here?

Altrea wrote:That was not my intention. I still care about all issues reported here.
I am just of the opinion that the information to report and solve an issue is not hidden here. It can be found right now if a user is willing to report an issue properly.
There will always be users creating poor or already answered questions independend what information are placed anywhere here at this board.
The only way to reduce such threads would be to change something on the XAMPP component itself, making the debug information more richful, giving the user an easier way to copy all needed information, etc.

The reality is that every two weeks or so someone is posting a question about Apache or XAMPP not starting, while the answers are right under their nose. And if experienced folks here would be happy to help or even just direct those people, I wouldn't make a fuzz. But they aren't, and those questions go unanswered or get a moody answer.

You would help everyone if you would just put the message or something to the same effect above the question form. The way things are going now, they're not going well, if you ask me. And I would like XAMPP to still be around in 10 years time, with the latest component versions.

FrankC wrote:The reality is that every two weeks or so someone is posting a question about Apache or XAMPP not starting, while the answers are right under their nose.

Yes. The main problem is, that nobody reads anything. They neither read readmes, nor docus, nor any hint on the installation page, nor any hint in the dashboard, nor anything what comes up to the screen. Either it works out of box, or (most) users are totally helpless.

I dont know why, i dont know how to influence that. I only know, that I dont apply any help anymore to ignorant users.

But, to be honest, its not far from yourself. You neither answer questions (see your Root related question, it still lacks the answer to the most important question viewtopic.php?f=16&t=76997#p260799

Okay, and what is the full path of the file /x-files/pretext-script.js?

And finally, it still lacks any feedback, why you did not check out the "ALIAS" recommendation. It also lacks, why you obviously did not read any Apache docs? Do you really think that its "fun" to answer to you, more fun than answering totally ignorant users? Actually, you are not far from them. I know you wont like to hear that, but its the truth. Why didnt you answer, why didnt you try that ALIAS solution? Why should someone answer any questions to you, if you dont want to read them?

Nobbie wrote:Etc etc etc.

Like I said, Altrea: or people get a moody answer. [@Nobbie: the rest of that thread makes clear that Altrea's question became superfluous by the later replies. Please do me a favor and just let me be.]

FrankC wrote:@Nobbie: the rest of that thread makes clear that Altrea's question became superfluous by the later replies.

No. Its just vice verse - the rest leads in the totally wrong direction.

FrankC wrote:Please do me a favor and just let me be

Why should I? I gave a proper answer and you did not even try it. The next answer (VirtualHosts) was the SECOND answer, it did not match the problem and anyway, it was second. Why should i (or Altrea) give any advice to you in future, as we know, you are not going to follow?

Nobbie wrote:Why should I? (...) Why should i (or Altrea) give any advice to you in future, as we know, you are not going to follow?

Because you're bothering me! Get out of my threads! I don't want your moody replies!