Who is responsible for making the choice of using positive or negative logic in digital equipment?

The responsibility for choosing between positive or negative logic in digital equipment falls primarily on the design engineer. This choice has a fundamental impact on how the digital circuits will interpret and process signals. Positive logic means that a logical high is represented by a higher voltage and a logical low by a lower voltage, while negative logic reverses this interpretation.

The design engineer must make this decision based upon various factors, including the requirements of the system being developed, compatibility with other components, and overall design constraints. This decision affects the circuit design, layout, and ultimately the functionality of the digital equipment.

Other roles, while important in the overall development process, are less likely to directly engage with the specifics of logic implementation. A software engineer focuses on coding and software functionality rather than the underlying hardware logic levels. A system analyst may assess user requirements and system operations but does not typically make specific design choices. A project manager oversees timelines and resources but usually does not delve into technical decision-making at the logic level. Thus, the design engineer is central to this critical decision in digital design.