I must confess I had no idea Ed Zotti was this involved. I thought he faded out somewhere down the line and it was just us turtles left to run everything.
When TubaDiva passed, the bosses reached out to Ed to keep the SDMB going is my understanding. He thankfully took back up the task of overseeing the Dope. He is largely hands off leaving most of the day to day stuff to the Moderators. @engineer_comp_geek is basically the senior mod who does some of the admin stuff.
For bigger things like suspensions and bannings, the moderators discuss things in the Modloop first and reach a consensus. Though individual Mods can and do suspend posters for a day at times in order to discuss their posting privileges if they are being very disruptive. If it looks like we are likely to go to a long suspension or a ban, we extend the one day to multi-days.
Rule changes go by Ed Zotti and generally come from him.
When we identify software issues, we gather the info and then pass it on to Ed to contact the correct people.
I’m not a huge fan of Discourse, but I will say that their automated spam-catchers are very good. There’s still the occasional clean-up needed, but it’s a lot smaller part of the job than it used to be.
We have bosses? Who are they?
I thought we’re an anarchist autonomous commune where executive decisions are ratified by a simple majority in the case of purely internal affairs, or a two-thirds majority in the case of …help!!! I’m being repressed!!! Now we see the violence inherent in the system!
Bloody peasant!
Nope. I became a moderator after someone lobbed a scimitar at me.
How are moderators appointed ? Very well, afaict.
And serve likewise, far, far more often than not, in my experience.
I was very flattered when TubaDiva approached me twice, a few years apart, about serving as a moderator, but I declined both times. Although I was intrigued by the prospect, I thought it would probably make the Dope more like a job than a fun place to hang out.
Also, I have to say: 48 posts in this thread, and nary a mention of goats, jackboots or spankings?!? We’re slipping….
I see you bring pie…
(Happy doperversary)
Thanks! I really do love this place. 
Ooh, what a giveaway! Did you hear that?
But does anyone ever ask “how are moderators disappointed?”
By us posting against the guidelines.