[sdiy] Radfio Shack

[TIm Daugard]

I wrote:
> > . . . and people wonder why nothing can be repaired any more.

And From: "Metrophage" <c0r3dump23 at yahoo.com>

> real horror is the masses appear to be too often willing to sell off
> their choices and abilities to create their culture, in exchange for
> cheep prices on lots of soon-obsolete consumer goods. Not unlike the
> colonists approach to the Native Americans: be seduced into handing
> over your resources and land, for which we'll give you pretty trinkets
> and empty promises. Instead of being determined to get what they pay
> for, more are compelled to lust after getting something for nothing.
>
> Might sound like a tangent towards OT, but I think its easy to see how
> this directly applies towards trends in production of musical
> instruments and electronic components.

Back completely on topic. The point is exactly the same that Nicolai made
earlier. "How do you encourage kids to do electronics?" Internet and Cell-phones
have just about killed off ham radio. One of the emergency centers in one of the
counties (name withheld to protect the guilty) affected by hurricane Ivan could
not communicate for two days. Imagine, they lost the dedicated line between the
management center and the computer systems at the sheriffs office.  They lost
their Cell phone service. Their solution - when interviewed after - we may have
to change cell phone providers!

Radio Shack was the original Wal-Mart. When they came into a small to medium
sized town, many other electronics stores shut down. This was okay when the sold
kits, radio equipment, and parts. They got out of the kit business, they got
(mostly) out of the ham radio business. If they get out of the parts business
(other than special order.) then the young-uns will have even less incentive to
get in electronics. When I was young, if I couldn't get all the parts foe a
project at once, I pretty much would abandon the project and do something else.

How can you encourage the next generation of DIY builders if you can't find
them? Are the majority of new people to this list engineering majors in college
looking for an easy project?

Disclaimer: After passionately arguing this point, I am a traitor also. My other
hobbies besides music are reading and watching movies. The local library is
okay, but seriously weak in some areas. I used to get all my books at local book
stores and movies at local chain stores or the local music store. I have
defected to getting my books and movies from Amazon.com because 1) the selection
is better, 2) It is easier to track down the specific item I'm looking for, and
3) with free shipping the cost is vary close to what it would be if I shopped
locally. So when the book stores go away, how do we convince people to read?

Bottom line - the world is changing, everyone on this list is actually near the
leading edge of this changing world, and I have no great ideas on how to
encourage people to get into building electronics when it is so much easier to
play with computer software.

Tim Daugard
30.4078N 86.6227W
Who is soooo tired of cleaning up after Ivan. I have to go on the roof and check
my tarps - a decent sized storm is expected tonight - and no return calls from
roofers yet.