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[Lazy]

GAF, please help me select my courses for the upcoming school year...

Analog Electronics
Transistor amplifiers, including: differential and multistage
amplifiers, integrated circuit biasing techniques, output stage
design and IC amplifier building blocks. Frequency response of
amplifiers at low, medium and high frequencies. Feedback amplifier
analysis. Stability and compensation techniques for amplifiers
using negative feedback. CMOS digital circuits.

Computer Networks II
Traffic modeling; traffic classification; traffic regulation: shaping,
filtering, policing, leaky bucket; queueing systems; scheduling;
quality of service: Diffserv and IntServ/RSVP; multi-protocol label
switching; call admission control/ congestion control; switching;
pricing; optical networks.

Computer Networks II sounds more interesting and easier, but it looks like something that I could read up on the internet if I ever needed to understand any of the topics. (Based on the description for Computer Networks II above, is this correct?) In that sense I feel as though I'd be wasting an opportunity to learn Analog Electronics.

The only problem with Analog Electronics is that it would require a lot of work on my part as I'm not particularly strong when it comes to electronics, and I already have a very tight schedule.

I know the two fields are different, but based on your experience and assuming I'd be willing to work in both the networks and electronics industries, what would be the wiser choice?

Potentially important information:
- I'm studying computer engineering
- Don't know what I want to do with the rest of my life (maybe work with/develop wireless systems)
- Can't take both courses. My timetable permits only one.

 

[Lazy]

OK, I know we have a lot of IT/network guys here... do you work with any of the following?

Traffic modeling; traffic classification; traffic regulation: shaping,
filtering, policing, leaky bucket; queueing systems; scheduling;
quality of service: Diffserv and IntServ/RSVP; multi-protocol label
switching; call admission control/ congestion control; switching;
pricing; optical networks.

I know we have a lot of engineers here... do you work with any of the following?

Transistor amplifiers, including: differential and multistage
amplifiers, integrated circuit biasing techniques, output stage
design and IC amplifier building blocks. Frequency response of
amplifiers at low, medium and high frequencies. Feedback amplifier
analysis. Stability and compensation techniques for amplifiers
using negative feedback. CMOS digital circuits.

 

[Lardbutt]

If you don't have an idea of what kind of job/field you're going to end up doing, then I'd say both classes are equally good (or equally useless). They certainly cover entirely different technical fields though. Sorry if I can't be of more help.

 

[Lardbutt]

Well I will at least say this. Analog electronics is a much more "core" course..it deals with stuff that you HAVE to know if you're going to do any electronics at all...while the other one deals with a more advanced, specialized topic. I would probably choose analog electronics since all things considered there's probably a greater chance of it being more useful in a future career.

 

[CrunchyB]

I actually switched Masters from CS to EE, starting today

The network courses I did in the past were fairly easy but boring as hell. I think my courses covered all the subjects you mentioned, some things (IntServ/DiffServ) are probably only interesting from an academic point of view. Your class doesn't seem to include Real-Time scheduling or any of that crap, which is good, because that can get tricky.

Analog electronics is much more interesting to me. The subject matter is also a lot harder. That doesn't always translate into a more difficult course, but it probably does. I only have a vague understanding of the things you mentioned.

Computer Networks II sounds more interesting and easier, but it looks like something that I could read up on the internet if I ever needed to understand any of the topics. (Based on the description for Computer Networks II above, is this correct?) In that sense I feel as though I'd be wasting an opportunity to learn Analog Electronics.

I think you hit the nail on the head right there, so why do you need our help?

 

[puck1337]

Don't bother with Computer Networks II unless you're planning on going into research. You just don't encounter that stuff in industry that often. The only places I've had to do anything related to DiffServ/IntServ/MPLS etc. stuff were in University courses and on my two research internships during University.

 

[Lazy]

Thanks for the advice guys, really appreciate it.

You've convinced me not to take Computer Networks II. I'll take Analog Electronics.

 

[nitewulf]

go for the analog electronics, why would you even think about bizzzzzoring computer networking shit?
the multistage feedback amps, transistors, diodes are the basics of electronics...learn them well.