A Radio Shack Anecdote
1999-09-13 by Tkacs, Ken
When I ordered an MOTM-300 VCO kit last week (which just arrived moments
ago, Paul-Thanks!), I was advised to have some heat sink compound handy for
assembly. I was going to mail order it, but then I figured the local 'Shack
should carry it.
I went to the closest one and the salesperson said, "'Heat... sink...
compound'?" and snickered as if I just asked for pork chops. I had to
explain to him what it was, he sneered and pointed at the adhesives and gave
the standard, "If we had any, it would be over there."
I then went to a Radio Shack a little further form home, a larger one, and a
similar scene replayed. This time, though, the sales kid said, "All of our
heat shrink stuff is over here." I corrected him, he told me they carried no
such thing, to try the pool supply store down the street, and after he
walked away I found a minute tube hanging on a hook over by the (ta-da) heat
sinks.
Back in the early seventies, the Shack at least catered a _little_ to
electronic hobbyists. Then the tide changed to remote controlled toys, then
PC clones, and now it seems that the only thing they care about is pushing
cell phones on people that don't want or understand the technology. It's
sad. In the "olden days," the people that worked there understood
electronics, or were at least part-time DJ's and knew what 'impedance' was.
Now you say 'heat sink' and these 17-year-old kids snicker at you as if you
were shopping for a vacuum tube. Then they try to sell you a phone.
Sorry to vent on a Monday morning. Haven't had enough coffee yet. Time to
unpack my MOTM box....!!!!!
ago, Paul-Thanks!), I was advised to have some heat sink compound handy for
assembly. I was going to mail order it, but then I figured the local 'Shack
should carry it.
I went to the closest one and the salesperson said, "'Heat... sink...
compound'?" and snickered as if I just asked for pork chops. I had to
explain to him what it was, he sneered and pointed at the adhesives and gave
the standard, "If we had any, it would be over there."
I then went to a Radio Shack a little further form home, a larger one, and a
similar scene replayed. This time, though, the sales kid said, "All of our
heat shrink stuff is over here." I corrected him, he told me they carried no
such thing, to try the pool supply store down the street, and after he
walked away I found a minute tube hanging on a hook over by the (ta-da) heat
sinks.
Back in the early seventies, the Shack at least catered a _little_ to
electronic hobbyists. Then the tide changed to remote controlled toys, then
PC clones, and now it seems that the only thing they care about is pushing
cell phones on people that don't want or understand the technology. It's
sad. In the "olden days," the people that worked there understood
electronics, or were at least part-time DJ's and knew what 'impedance' was.
Now you say 'heat sink' and these 17-year-old kids snicker at you as if you
were shopping for a vacuum tube. Then they try to sell you a phone.
Sorry to vent on a Monday morning. Haven't had enough coffee yet. Time to
unpack my MOTM box....!!!!!