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I love computers and programming, and that's pretty much what I do now. But years ago I was far more into electronics, and seeing schematics and old layouts is
by LVB 15y ago
I love computers and programming, and that's pretty much what I do now. But years ago I was far more into electronics, and seeing schematics and old layouts is powerfully nostalgic (I can smell the solder). Building even simple devices with analog and basic digital electronics is incredibly fun and interesting, but also relaxing and a great solitary experience. Sitting in front of my laptop with IRC, Twitter and 30 chrome tabs open while hacking is a different experience than sitting at a garage bench with some old photocopied article/schematic from a magazine and a pile of parts.
They're different things, neither better than the other, but they both stoked this engineer's interests. I hope kids today are exposed to the electronics field like I was.
- dhimes 15y agoI hope kids today are exposed to the electronics field like I was. It seems harder to me. Your past days are reminiscent of mine, but I could get on my bicycle as a sixth grader, bike to Radio Shack, and grab some parts (light-activated SCRs, transistors, timers (555!) and logic chips and make stuff. Sometimes I'd get a grab bag of 'unknown' digital pieces and try to figure out the pin-outs (always could rely on +5 and ground being standard). I'm not sure how kids go about doing that today. I don't know of any store a kid can get to (without a credit card, that is) that has that kind of hobby equipment any more. I recently had occasion to go through the house where I grew up (my father still owned it) and saw all of my old play stuff. I told my tale but the kids (teenagers now) didn't seem so impressed (old CRTs lying around!). I grabbed the old Radio Shack IC guidebook and left the rest behind. Quite a sad day, actually.
- ominous_prime 15y agoI'm lucky that I live in the Boston area where we have "You Do It Electronics"! It's like what RadioShack used to be, except many times larger.
- dhimes 15y agoI live here too. I've never heard of that, though. Seems it's a little far for the kids to bike (from Marblehead). Maybe I should take them out there some day and see if anything "clicks." Thanks for the tip.
- gamache 15y agoNot that it's a shorter bike ride or anything, but the Radio Shack near MIT has a pretty good selection of components.
- deleted 15y ago[deleted]
- X-Istence 15y agoFry's Electronics now has quite an assortment of kits that can easily be built, and Microcenter near where I live also has kits from Sparkfun.