Signal wrote:
"Bob Cain" emitted :


Magazines are not *responsible* for a decline in interest in D.I.Y.

Right. For that we can blame Radio Shack.


Eh?

There was a time, many moons ago, when every town had a
reasonably good electronics store or two. A hobbyist could
get just about anything needed to build about anything.
Radio Shack came along to most all towns and initially had a
pretty complete selection of component and hobby stuff too.
They drove all the local businesses out of town pretty
much nation wide and having done that they rather quickly
dumped the line of components and other good stuff to make
room for the retail junk that was higher profit. This was
the marketing plan from the gitgo and it worked. The
hobbyist was left rather high and dry other than via catalog
and hobby/experimental/diy electronics just doesn't work
that well from a catalog. Having figured out the problem,
you need that part now!


Bob
--

"Things should be described as simply as possible, but no
simpler."

A. Einstein