rwillis@LABS-B.BBN.COM (Robert Willis) (08/13/86)
Jerry, Telecommunications is a large subject area. You did not give any indication of particular subareas. You also didn't mention the background level of the students. Since you said that the course is for a local community college (2 year?), I assume that you are looking for an introductory survey course for people interested in computers (e.g., potential C.S/E.E. or management majors). Andrew Tanenbaum's "Computer Networks" [Prentice-Hall, 1981] covers the ISO OSI model at a level that can be appreciated by people whose backgrounds differ widely. It is also humorous at times. By his own words: "The book is intended as a text for juniors, seniors, and graduate students in computer science, electrical engineering, and related disciplines. The only prerequisites are a general familiarity with computer systems and programming, although a little knowledge of elementary calculus and elementary probability theory is useful, but not essential." This book explains *what* a network is, and *how* it logically operates. Topics include topology design, routing issues, delay and throughput analysis, layer protocols, packet-switching vs. virtual-circuit tradeoffs, and network security, to mention just a few. This could be sufficient for an introductory course. Other things that might be included in an advanced telecommunications course are *how* a network physically works (e.g., principles of transmission, AM/FM theory, modulation, fiber optics), elementary coding and information theory, and the history, economics and politics of communications (e.g., phone company monopoly, deregulation, F.C.C.). Many of these topics were taught in several graudate telecommunications courses given at M.I.T. [Hi Marvin!] Good luck with the course. Bob