[sdiy] Maplin: A different perspective

[Lincoln Fong]

Please don't be too hard on Maplin. Whilst I have been frustrated by them in
the past as well, they are the ONLY decent high street electronics store.
When I was growing up in Bristol, UK, there were 4 or 5 tiny stores manned
by boffins who would help you out with stuff personally (and laugh at your
naivety!) but the stores were tiny and they're all gone now. Maybe Maplin
drove them out of business (although they always looked on their last legs
most of the time and I don't think there's much profit in resistors and
transistors) but recently I have been lucky enough to help 2 youngsters (6
and 9) get a start in electronics and where do you think I send them for
bits?: Maplin.
OK I confess I buy everything I use by mail order but if electronics is ever
going to become seen as more than a nerdy pusuit of bespectacled men in
white coats (dream on) then it needs a high street presence- and I'm not
talking about stores with rows and rows of digital cameras and cellphones.
Children these days must think these things work by magic!

Lincoln