How to treat data communication questions?
This question here about the OSI model was closed as off-topic. How should we treat questions about data communication?
What is definitely on-topic here:
- Embedded systems programming, including microcontrollers and FPGA.
- Specific software or hardware questions about industry standard buses like SPI, I2C, UART etc.
- Hardware questions about fibre optics, copper wiring, connectors.
What might be borderland on-topic (and possibly overlap with other Codidact sites):
- Abstract data communication questions.
- Data communication protocol specifications.
- Higher layer questions regarding LAN or Wifi networks.
- The Internet protocol suite.
3 answers
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I may be a little bit biased on this one because it was my question which started this thread but :
I don't think data communication question should be generally off-topic because it evolves binary logic and the way the data are sent/received is through electric signals.
I agree that the particular question was correctly closed. Questions about protocol stacks aren't necessarily off topic. However, this one was because nothing about it had anything to do with electronics or low level embedded systems.
Where should I ask it then?
I don't know. That's not our problem here. Of the Codidact sites, the only one where it has a chance of being on-topic is Software Development as far as I can tell. You'd have to read their help carefully to check that yourself before posting.
I think these kind of abstract/big picture data communication questions should be on-topic here. Such as the mentioned question about the OSI model.
I've been actively pushing for software.codidact.com not to accept embedded systems questions and refer such questions to this site instead, so that we don't end up with the same unfortunate overlap that SE had.
This initiative has so far been well-received and so embedded systems questions are currently listed as off-topic on software.codidact.com. And data communication is rather intimately connected with embedded systems, so it would be awkward not to accept such questions here, as long as they have some design or engineering aspect.
Things like network administration and Internet Protocol Suite application tiers probably don't belong here though. They are more suited for either powerusers.codidact.com or software.codidact.com.
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