Today someone asked a question about software requirements specifications. I answered the question, but then he followed up with a comment that sounded a lot like a request for homework help. I replied that the question was out of scope. Someone else questioned whether that was valid justification, because having a solid understanding of SRS's is part of a tester's job.
I agree with that. I think there are a lot of skills that benefit a tester, e.g. verbal communication, writing skills, conflict resolution, time management, familiarity with programming, and detailed technical knowledge about specific areas. However, are questions about those areas fair game in SQA? It helps to know SQL if you are testing something that uses a relational database, but I am not sure we should invite questions about the difference between an inner join and an outer join.
Should SQA welcome questions about how to write an SRS for a specific problem?