12
\$\begingroup\$

Here is one of at least 2 or 3 over the last couple of days which I presume has been migrated (and if I'm wrong let please say so) as being too mathematical.

If this is the case, then there clearly is a disconnect between what people here consider to be EE and what is taught in first year courses. Any first course EE curriculum I have ever seen/reviewed has a few fundamentals, which include calculus, network theory (R's,L's, C's) leading to op-amps and LaPlace or Fourier domain analysis.

I think an EE site should encompass ALL aspects of EE, from the mundane -> esoteric, from capacitor selection to quantum physics. I'm not certain what migrating questions away that form the core of EE mean in a larger context, but I certainly can't see it as a being a positive thing.

\$\endgroup\$
1

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
7
\$\begingroup\$

Given our FAQ, these questions are indeed on topic here on EE.

However, I don't only see the flag for off topic as "this post definitely shouldn't be here", but also as "the user has a significant higher chance on a good answer on another site". That's why I flagged these posts as off topic and told Rajesh K Singh he would get a better response on Math, also given the fact he already had an account on Math with some reputation.

So, in fact, you're totally right, and these posts were on topic. But I don't see migration only to protect the old community from off topic posts, but also to help the OP to get a better result.

Here is a dream I have: how great would it be when we could ask cross-site questions? That we could post our question on several sites as once, and that the comments of the different communities would be merged. And yes, this isn't really possible because of different privileges, but it would be the solution for posts like the one you linked to.

\$\endgroup\$
6
  • 5
    \$\begingroup\$ Kudos to you for being helpful and welcoming. However to your argument "the user has a significantly higher chance of a good answer on another site": this is the core of an EE -understanding signals. Yes the math guys can answer it, but if no one here can then this should not be called the EE.SE. Cross site posting would be great! \$\endgroup\$
    – placeholder
    Feb 25, 2013 at 0:57
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ Camil, have a look at my answer here: meta.electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/2622/…. Main point is, if we send away anybody who asks a question that could be answered better/faster/by more people at another forum, we have no reason to exist. All the first questions that were asked, we would have just said "go to allaboutcircuits.com" and our site would never have grown. \$\endgroup\$
    – The Photon
    Feb 25, 2013 at 21:27
  • \$\begingroup\$ The difference is, I think, that with those C questions not everyone on SO could have answered them, making the enormous community there partially useless. However, these questions could be answered by almost anyone on Math, making it very likely to get a better response there. But you're right, I shouldn't be too hasty with marking as off topic. It's why I added 'significant higher chance', but that is something I should have thought more about than I actually did. \$\endgroup\$
    – user17592
    Feb 26, 2013 at 7:09
  • \$\begingroup\$ By that argument, everything from language to number systems has a validity for being asked here. I would say that for a question dealing with the generalities of laplace transforms, particularly those not linked directly with an electrical context, math.se would be a better place. I learnt LT in math and physics courses myself - they're considerably more general than their applications in EE \$\endgroup\$
    – Chintalagiri Shashank
    Mar 1, 2013 at 3:39
  • 3
    \$\begingroup\$ I agree with @ThePhoton here. The reason I migrated in this case was due to the questions being closed and downvoted here and not having time to bring a meta question and serious discussion at that point, luckily someone else did. Asking your question of multiple communities is considered abuse, ask in the community that you want to know the answer from. On math.SE they will answer this question from a mathematical perspective, but on EE.SE we will often look at the math problem and explain some of the implications for the world of electronics. \$\endgroup\$
    – Kortuk
    Mar 3, 2013 at 14:05
  • \$\begingroup\$ @ChintalagiriShashank that's true. But how is it a problem if there's overlap between sites? My EE textbook on systems didn't say "go learn Laplace transforms in a Math class". Our site has a similar purpose: to teach electronics, and so we should cover all the things that are needed to do electronics, even if they're also covered on other sites. \$\endgroup\$
    – The Photon
    Mar 3, 2013 at 15:24

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .