"Kevin McMurtrie" wrote in message
...
In article et,
Randy Yates wrote:

BOB URZ wrote:

Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978

Hey Bob,

Thanks for posting this reference. I am on-board 200 percent with
their views. What can be done?

The problem is that modern digital circuits are too hard to use because
the chips have dozens or even hundreds of pins. Invent a serial
interface for modular digital components that a hobyist can use. Design
processor units, RAM banks, and I/O adaptors that connect with a single
multi-wire cable.

Microchip PICs and similar devices

"Kevin McMurtrie" wrote in message
...
In article et,
Randy Yates wrote:

BOB URZ wrote:

Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978

Hey Bob,

Thanks for posting this reference. I am on-board 200 percent with
their views. What can be done?

The problem is that modern digital circuits are too hard to use because
the chips have dozens or even hundreds of pins. Invent a serial
interface for modular digital components that a hobyist can use. Design
processor units, RAM banks, and I/O adaptors that connect with a single
multi-wire cable.

Microchip PICs and similar devices

"Kevin McMurtrie" wrote in message
...
In article et,
Randy Yates wrote:

BOB URZ wrote:

Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978

Hey Bob,

Thanks for posting this reference. I am on-board 200 percent with
their views. What can be done?

The problem is that modern digital circuits are too hard to use because
the chips have dozens or even hundreds of pins. Invent a serial
interface for modular digital components that a hobyist can use. Design
processor units, RAM banks, and I/O adaptors that connect with a single
multi-wire cable.

Microchip PICs and similar devices

"BOB URZ" wrote in message
...
Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978


Bob



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

one trouble with electronics is that to be interesting to tinkerers, you
have to have some magic,
in the 80s mass market cheap electronics hit the market and the magic faded,
everybody and their dog now has satellite TV, CD, DVD, and atomic watches.
now that its not worth bothering to build 'gadget X' much cheaper and easier
to just go buy it.
and no status to build weird stuff, when the person next door with money has
better goodies.
in the UK in 80s the electronics scene died quite a bit with the entery of
the 8 bit micros.
kids had complex fun things to play with, and dint need to get their hands
dirty either.
regards malcolm

--
¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸
LED Headlamps and Sea Fishing UK
http://www.geocities.com/malc_hurn
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seafishinguk
¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸

"BOB URZ" wrote in message
...
Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978


Bob



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

one trouble with electronics is that to be interesting to tinkerers, you
have to have some magic,
in the 80s mass market cheap electronics hit the market and the magic faded,
everybody and their dog now has satellite TV, CD, DVD, and atomic watches.
now that its not worth bothering to build 'gadget X' much cheaper and easier
to just go buy it.
and no status to build weird stuff, when the person next door with money has
better goodies.
in the UK in 80s the electronics scene died quite a bit with the entery of
the 8 bit micros.
kids had complex fun things to play with, and dint need to get their hands
dirty either.
regards malcolm

--
¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸
LED Headlamps and Sea Fishing UK
http://www.geocities.com/malc_hurn
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seafishinguk
¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸

"BOB URZ" wrote in message
...
Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978


Bob



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

one trouble with electronics is that to be interesting to tinkerers, you
have to have some magic,
in the 80s mass market cheap electronics hit the market and the magic faded,
everybody and their dog now has satellite TV, CD, DVD, and atomic watches.
now that its not worth bothering to build 'gadget X' much cheaper and easier
to just go buy it.
and no status to build weird stuff, when the person next door with money has
better goodies.
in the UK in 80s the electronics scene died quite a bit with the entery of
the 8 bit micros.
kids had complex fun things to play with, and dint need to get their hands
dirty either.
regards malcolm

--
¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸
LED Headlamps and Sea Fishing UK
http://www.geocities.com/malc_hurn
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seafishinguk
¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸

Kevin,
Maybe I'm missing something here, but several years ago, I believe it was
HP that showed (at Las Vegas Comdex) a desktop computer with no
motherboard. RAM, CPU, disk drives and everything else were strung out
along the length of the table, all connected by FireWire. Benchmark speeds
were competitive with the average computers seen that year. This was not a
commercial offering, but an exercise (demo) with FireWire. Is that about
what you had in mind?
Cheers,
Red
--
*************************
Replies will bounce, unless you remove
the letter A from my email address.

Kevin McMurtrie wrote:
Hey Bob,
Thanks for posting this reference. I am on-board 200 percent with
their views. What can be done?

The problem is that modern digital circuits are too hard to use because
the chips have dozens or even hundreds of pins. Invent a serial
interface for modular digital components that a hobyist can use. Design
processor units, RAM banks, and I/O adaptors that connect with a single
multi-wire cable.

Kevin,
Maybe I'm missing something here, but several years ago, I believe it was
HP that showed (at Las Vegas Comdex) a desktop computer with no
motherboard. RAM, CPU, disk drives and everything else were strung out
along the length of the table, all connected by FireWire. Benchmark speeds
were competitive with the average computers seen that year. This was not a
commercial offering, but an exercise (demo) with FireWire. Is that about
what you had in mind?
Cheers,
Red
--
*************************
Replies will bounce, unless you remove
the letter A from my email address.

Kevin McMurtrie wrote:
Hey Bob,
Thanks for posting this reference. I am on-board 200 percent with
their views. What can be done?

The problem is that modern digital circuits are too hard to use because
the chips have dozens or even hundreds of pins. Invent a serial
interface for modular digital components that a hobyist can use. Design
processor units, RAM banks, and I/O adaptors that connect with a single
multi-wire cable.

Kevin,
Maybe I'm missing something here, but several years ago, I believe it was
HP that showed (at Las Vegas Comdex) a desktop computer with no
motherboard. RAM, CPU, disk drives and everything else were strung out
along the length of the table, all connected by FireWire. Benchmark speeds
were competitive with the average computers seen that year. This was not a
commercial offering, but an exercise (demo) with FireWire. Is that about
what you had in mind?
Cheers,
Red
--
*************************
Replies will bounce, unless you remove
the letter A from my email address.

Kevin McMurtrie wrote:
Hey Bob,
Thanks for posting this reference. I am on-board 200 percent with
their views. What can be done?

The problem is that modern digital circuits are too hard to use because
the chips have dozens or even hundreds of pins. Invent a serial
interface for modular digital components that a hobyist can use. Design
processor units, RAM banks, and I/O adaptors that connect with a single
multi-wire cable.

"Randy Yates" wrote in message
nk.net
BOB URZ wrote:

Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978

Hey Bob,

Thanks for posting this reference. I am on-board 200 percent with
their views. What can be done?

The article does not include the fact that quick & easy mail order from
places like Digi-Key and Mouser makes the parts stash that used to be at RS,
a lot less important. Just guessing, but it looks to me like Digi-Key and
Mouser's web site are hauling a lot of the proverbial mail for them, and
they are far from the only fish in the Internet sea.

Sort of what places like Amazon are doing to the corner music and book
store.

"Randy Yates" wrote in message
nk.net
BOB URZ wrote:

Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978

Hey Bob,

Thanks for posting this reference. I am on-board 200 percent with
their views. What can be done?

The article does not include the fact that quick & easy mail order from
places like Digi-Key and Mouser makes the parts stash that used to be at RS,
a lot less important. Just guessing, but it looks to me like Digi-Key and
Mouser's web site are hauling a lot of the proverbial mail for them, and
they are far from the only fish in the Internet sea.

Sort of what places like Amazon are doing to the corner music and book
store.

"Randy Yates" wrote in message
nk.net
BOB URZ wrote:

Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978

Hey Bob,

Thanks for posting this reference. I am on-board 200 percent with
their views. What can be done?

The article does not include the fact that quick & easy mail order from
places like Digi-Key and Mouser makes the parts stash that used to be at RS,
a lot less important. Just guessing, but it looks to me like Digi-Key and
Mouser's web site are hauling a lot of the proverbial mail for them, and
they are far from the only fish in the Internet sea.

Sort of what places like Amazon are doing to the corner music and book
store.

"red" wrote in message
...
Kevin,
Maybe I'm missing something here, but several years ago, I believe it was
HP that showed (at Las Vegas Comdex) a desktop computer with no
motherboard. RAM, CPU, disk drives and everything else were strung out
along the length of the table, all connected by FireWire. Benchmark
speeds
were competitive with the average computers seen that year. This was not
a
commercial offering, but an exercise (demo) with FireWire.

Of course it had a motherboard, what did the CPU plug into? What you mean
is that it wasn't the normal size and functions. Big deal.

TonyP.

"red" wrote in message
...
Kevin,
Maybe I'm missing something here, but several years ago, I believe it was
HP that showed (at Las Vegas Comdex) a desktop computer with no
motherboard. RAM, CPU, disk drives and everything else were strung out
along the length of the table, all connected by FireWire. Benchmark
speeds
were competitive with the average computers seen that year. This was not
a
commercial offering, but an exercise (demo) with FireWire.

Of course it had a motherboard, what did the CPU plug into? What you mean
is that it wasn't the normal size and functions. Big deal.

TonyP.

"red" wrote in message
...
Kevin,
Maybe I'm missing something here, but several years ago, I believe it was
HP that showed (at Las Vegas Comdex) a desktop computer with no
motherboard. RAM, CPU, disk drives and everything else were strung out
along the length of the table, all connected by FireWire. Benchmark
speeds
were competitive with the average computers seen that year. This was not
a
commercial offering, but an exercise (demo) with FireWire.

Of course it had a motherboard, what did the CPU plug into? What you mean
is that it wasn't the normal size and functions. Big deal.

TonyP.

First a little anecdote-
I built my first radio using softwood and woodscrews and brass washers to
string half a dozen components together with a wire aerial strung from my
bedroom window to the tree at the end of the garden. I nearly fell off my
chair when I heard the first sounds in the little ear piece. I was eight
years old and followed intructions from a little project book. I had to
leave the list of components with a guy who owned a little repair shop. No
soldering iron required !
Hooked ever since.

Working as a design engineer (age 34) there aren't many engineers coming
through with any real feel for things, they have a degree but can't build
anything - they soon latch on to microcontrollers and think thats it - thats
the way to go. I think this is great for those of us who can actually work
with transistors and inductors ! The longer term impact on businesses and
economies is however not good.

The solution is the after school club to get them started but you can't rely
on teachers to do this out of the goodness of their hearts.

Has the stigma of the 'nerd' killed off the hobbyist ?

MV


"malcolm" wrote in message
news:BS6Gb.439886$Dw6.1342117@attbi_s02...

"BOB URZ" wrote in message
...
Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978


Bob



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

one trouble with electronics is that to be interesting to tinkerers, you
have to have some magic,
in the 80s mass market cheap electronics hit the market and the magic
faded,
everybody and their dog now has satellite TV, CD, DVD, and atomic watches.
now that its not worth bothering to build 'gadget X' much cheaper and easi
er
to just go buy it.
and no status to build weird stuff, when the person next door with money
has
better goodies.
in the UK in 80s the electronics scene died quite a bit with the entery of
the 8 bit micros.
kids had complex fun things to play with, and dint need to get their hands
dirty either.
regards malcolm

--
¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸
LED Headlamps and Sea Fishing UK
http://www.geocities.com/malc_hurn
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seafishinguk
¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸

First a little anecdote-
I built my first radio using softwood and woodscrews and brass washers to
string half a dozen components together with a wire aerial strung from my
bedroom window to the tree at the end of the garden. I nearly fell off my
chair when I heard the first sounds in the little ear piece. I was eight
years old and followed intructions from a little project book. I had to
leave the list of components with a guy who owned a little repair shop. No
soldering iron required !
Hooked ever since.

Working as a design engineer (age 34) there aren't many engineers coming
through with any real feel for things, they have a degree but can't build
anything - they soon latch on to microcontrollers and think thats it - thats
the way to go. I think this is great for those of us who can actually work
with transistors and inductors ! The longer term impact on businesses and
economies is however not good.

The solution is the after school club to get them started but you can't rely
on teachers to do this out of the goodness of their hearts.

Has the stigma of the 'nerd' killed off the hobbyist ?

MV


"malcolm" wrote in message
news:BS6Gb.439886$Dw6.1342117@attbi_s02...

"BOB URZ" wrote in message
...
Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978


Bob



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

one trouble with electronics is that to be interesting to tinkerers, you
have to have some magic,
in the 80s mass market cheap electronics hit the market and the magic
faded,
everybody and their dog now has satellite TV, CD, DVD, and atomic watches.
now that its not worth bothering to build 'gadget X' much cheaper and easi
er
to just go buy it.
and no status to build weird stuff, when the person next door with money
has
better goodies.
in the UK in 80s the electronics scene died quite a bit with the entery of
the 8 bit micros.
kids had complex fun things to play with, and dint need to get their hands
dirty either.
regards malcolm

--
¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸
LED Headlamps and Sea Fishing UK
http://www.geocities.com/malc_hurn
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seafishinguk
¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸

First a little anecdote-
I built my first radio using softwood and woodscrews and brass washers to
string half a dozen components together with a wire aerial strung from my
bedroom window to the tree at the end of the garden. I nearly fell off my
chair when I heard the first sounds in the little ear piece. I was eight
years old and followed intructions from a little project book. I had to
leave the list of components with a guy who owned a little repair shop. No
soldering iron required !
Hooked ever since.

Working as a design engineer (age 34) there aren't many engineers coming
through with any real feel for things, they have a degree but can't build
anything - they soon latch on to microcontrollers and think thats it - thats
the way to go. I think this is great for those of us who can actually work
with transistors and inductors ! The longer term impact on businesses and
economies is however not good.

The solution is the after school club to get them started but you can't rely
on teachers to do this out of the goodness of their hearts.

Has the stigma of the 'nerd' killed off the hobbyist ?

MV


"malcolm" wrote in message
news:BS6Gb.439886$Dw6.1342117@attbi_s02...

"BOB URZ" wrote in message
...
Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978


Bob



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

one trouble with electronics is that to be interesting to tinkerers, you
have to have some magic,
in the 80s mass market cheap electronics hit the market and the magic
faded,
everybody and their dog now has satellite TV, CD, DVD, and atomic watches.
now that its not worth bothering to build 'gadget X' much cheaper and easi
er
to just go buy it.
and no status to build weird stuff, when the person next door with money
has
better goodies.
in the UK in 80s the electronics scene died quite a bit with the entery of
the 8 bit micros.
kids had complex fun things to play with, and dint need to get their hands
dirty either.
regards malcolm

--
¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸
LED Headlamps and Sea Fishing UK
http://www.geocities.com/malc_hurn
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seafishinguk
¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸((((º.·´¯`·.¸

I think you may be missing some of the point. I still play with audio quite a
bit, buut it's getting much harder now. Since
1.) you do have the multi function blocks.
2.) you have the problem of trying to interconnect tiny footprint pins
together. You can't do much point to point wiring on those tsop or whatever
package they are. soic ?? sot23. They are a pain to work with. I think thtas a
big part.Plus everything is computer controlled now days. Who wants to build
something with Tubes, or transistors, or even op amps.even filters DSP. I see
it happening and it's sad. I have a perfectly good high end communications
receiver Drake R8A, and shortwave is dying because it's easier to set up a
studio and run it to the internet then to maintain a 250 KW transmitter and
aerial.
DagW00d
"Tigers Older brother DAG"

I think you may be missing some of the point. I still play with audio quite a
bit, buut it's getting much harder now. Since
1.) you do have the multi function blocks.
2.) you have the problem of trying to interconnect tiny footprint pins
together. You can't do much point to point wiring on those tsop or whatever
package they are. soic ?? sot23. They are a pain to work with. I think thtas a
big part.Plus everything is computer controlled now days. Who wants to build
something with Tubes, or transistors, or even op amps.even filters DSP. I see
it happening and it's sad. I have a perfectly good high end communications
receiver Drake R8A, and shortwave is dying because it's easier to set up a
studio and run it to the internet then to maintain a 250 KW transmitter and
aerial.
DagW00d
"Tigers Older brother DAG"

I think you may be missing some of the point. I still play with audio quite a
bit, buut it's getting much harder now. Since
1.) you do have the multi function blocks.
2.) you have the problem of trying to interconnect tiny footprint pins
together. You can't do much point to point wiring on those tsop or whatever
package they are. soic ?? sot23. They are a pain to work with. I think thtas a
big part.Plus everything is computer controlled now days. Who wants to build
something with Tubes, or transistors, or even op amps.even filters DSP. I see
it happening and it's sad. I have a perfectly good high end communications
receiver Drake R8A, and shortwave is dying because it's easier to set up a
studio and run it to the internet then to maintain a 250 KW transmitter and
aerial.
DagW00d
"Tigers Older brother DAG"

"Richard Wagner -Dagwood-" wrote ...
I think you may be missing some of the point. I still play with audio
quite a
bit, buut it's getting much harder now. Since
1.) you do have the multi function blocks.
2.) you have the problem of trying to interconnect tiny footprint pins
together. You can't do much point to point wiring on those tsop or
whatever
package they are. soic ?? sot23. They are a pain to work with. I think
thtas a
big part.Plus everything is computer controlled now days. Who wants to
build
something with Tubes, or transistors, or even op amps.even filters DSP. I
see
it happening and it's sad. I have a perfectly good high end communications
receiver Drake R8A, and shortwave is dying because it's easier to set up a
studio and run it to the internet then to maintain a 250 KW transmitter
and
aerial.

While I agree completely, I can't help thinking that ~100 years
ago, our great/grandparents were likely thinking that it was so
much simpler to hitch old Nellie up to the wagon than to fool
around with those complicated new-fangled automobiles. :-)

"Richard Wagner -Dagwood-" wrote ...
I think you may be missing some of the point. I still play with audio
quite a
bit, buut it's getting much harder now. Since
1.) you do have the multi function blocks.
2.) you have the problem of trying to interconnect tiny footprint pins
together. You can't do much point to point wiring on those tsop or
whatever
package they are. soic ?? sot23. They are a pain to work with. I think
thtas a
big part.Plus everything is computer controlled now days. Who wants to
build
something with Tubes, or transistors, or even op amps.even filters DSP. I
see
it happening and it's sad. I have a perfectly good high end communications
receiver Drake R8A, and shortwave is dying because it's easier to set up a
studio and run it to the internet then to maintain a 250 KW transmitter
and
aerial.

While I agree completely, I can't help thinking that ~100 years
ago, our great/grandparents were likely thinking that it was so
much simpler to hitch old Nellie up to the wagon than to fool
around with those complicated new-fangled automobiles. :-)

"Richard Wagner -Dagwood-" wrote ...
I think you may be missing some of the point. I still play with audio
quite a
bit, buut it's getting much harder now. Since
1.) you do have the multi function blocks.
2.) you have the problem of trying to interconnect tiny footprint pins
together. You can't do much point to point wiring on those tsop or
whatever
package they are. soic ?? sot23. They are a pain to work with. I think
thtas a
big part.Plus everything is computer controlled now days. Who wants to
build
something with Tubes, or transistors, or even op amps.even filters DSP. I
see
it happening and it's sad. I have a perfectly good high end communications
receiver Drake R8A, and shortwave is dying because it's easier to set up a
studio and run it to the internet then to maintain a 250 KW transmitter
and
aerial.

While I agree completely, I can't help thinking that ~100 years
ago, our great/grandparents were likely thinking that it was so
much simpler to hitch old Nellie up to the wagon than to fool
around with those complicated new-fangled automobiles. :-)

BOB URZ wrote in message ...
Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978



Your kind indulgence sought if anyone has mentioned this already -- I
didn't see every reply yet. But some years ago a veteran engineering
innovator in Japan lamented the same situation, in an article whose
English translation was I believe "No more radio boy!" Yet I still
see young people with strong hobby skills who carry them forward --
one of these showed me a tabloid catalog, full of kits not unlike the
endless hobby PC-board kits of past decades sold by Cordover, Libe,
PAIA, Southwest Technical, etc.; and another showed me, more recently,
a hobby magazine full of build-it-yourself (as some of us recall the
old Popular Electronics in its heyday -- still got'em, of course,
decades later). One of these young people is eagerly working as an
engineer (may even read this) and, having now designed his own
wris****ch precision altimeters (with cool gratuitous features like
optional "trippy bits" and random four-letter words on the
four-character display) -- he throws in PIC microcontrollers as easily
as I used to apply unijunction transistors 30 years ago -- is
assembling some contraption with a surplus optical-mechanical-digital
barometer -- wonderful Rube-Goldberg instrument, all it lacks is a cat
and a candle somewhere -- and a little laser that looks like a pencil
eraser with wires, i don't know what all for but constructive. (With
the wris****ch altimeters he hiked a local mountain peak, downloaded
the altitude log from the watch, and proudly displays it superimposed
on an official altitute map.) Moral: The art is not dead! Still
radio boy (and girl) !

Also to another reply, Herr Wagner, please remember that some people
go to great effort to get those functions into those little SOT-23
packages because that is what the paying customers demand incessantly.
I don't like to solder them either, but they do bring things to the
party, and besides, adapters exist ...

Best -- M. Hauser

BOB URZ wrote in message ...
Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978



Your kind indulgence sought if anyone has mentioned this already -- I
didn't see every reply yet. But some years ago a veteran engineering
innovator in Japan lamented the same situation, in an article whose
English translation was I believe "No more radio boy!" Yet I still
see young people with strong hobby skills who carry them forward --
one of these showed me a tabloid catalog, full of kits not unlike the
endless hobby PC-board kits of past decades sold by Cordover, Libe,
PAIA, Southwest Technical, etc.; and another showed me, more recently,
a hobby magazine full of build-it-yourself (as some of us recall the
old Popular Electronics in its heyday -- still got'em, of course,
decades later). One of these young people is eagerly working as an
engineer (may even read this) and, having now designed his own
wris****ch precision altimeters (with cool gratuitous features like
optional "trippy bits" and random four-letter words on the
four-character display) -- he throws in PIC microcontrollers as easily
as I used to apply unijunction transistors 30 years ago -- is
assembling some contraption with a surplus optical-mechanical-digital
barometer -- wonderful Rube-Goldberg instrument, all it lacks is a cat
and a candle somewhere -- and a little laser that looks like a pencil
eraser with wires, i don't know what all for but constructive. (With
the wris****ch altimeters he hiked a local mountain peak, downloaded
the altitude log from the watch, and proudly displays it superimposed
on an official altitute map.) Moral: The art is not dead! Still
radio boy (and girl) !

Also to another reply, Herr Wagner, please remember that some people
go to great effort to get those functions into those little SOT-23
packages because that is what the paying customers demand incessantly.
I don't like to solder them either, but they do bring things to the
party, and besides, adapters exist ...

Best -- M. Hauser

BOB URZ wrote in message ...
Scary look at the future of electronic hobbyists.

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=6978



Your kind indulgence sought if anyone has mentioned this already -- I
didn't see every reply yet. But some years ago a veteran engineering
innovator in Japan lamented the same situation, in an article whose
English translation was I believe "No more radio boy!" Yet I still
see young people with strong hobby skills who carry them forward --
one of these showed me a tabloid catalog, full of kits not unlike the
endless hobby PC-board kits of past decades sold by Cordover, Libe,
PAIA, Southwest Technical, etc.; and another showed me, more recently,
a hobby magazine full of build-it-yourself (as some of us recall the
old Popular Electronics in its heyday -- still got'em, of course,
decades later). One of these young people is eagerly working as an
engineer (may even read this) and, having now designed his own
wris****ch precision altimeters (with cool gratuitous features like
optional "trippy bits" and random four-letter words on the
four-character display) -- he throws in PIC microcontrollers as easily
as I used to apply unijunction transistors 30 years ago -- is
assembling some contraption with a surplus optical-mechanical-digital
barometer -- wonderful Rube-Goldberg instrument, all it lacks is a cat
and a candle somewhere -- and a little laser that looks like a pencil
eraser with wires, i don't know what all for but constructive. (With
the wris****ch altimeters he hiked a local mountain peak, downloaded
the altitude log from the watch, and proudly displays it superimposed
on an official altitute map.) Moral: The art is not dead! Still
radio boy (and girl) !

Also to another reply, Herr Wagner, please remember that some people
go to great effort to get those functions into those little SOT-23
packages because that is what the paying customers demand incessantly.
I don't like to solder them either, but they do bring things to the
party, and besides, adapters exist ...

Best -- M. Hauser