I went to Maplin's (similar sort of store, based in the UK) recently to get some shielded cable. It took 3 "assistants" before I found one who knew what I was t

I went to Maplin's (similar sort of store, based in the UK) recently to get some shielded cable. It took 3 "assistants" before I found one who knew what I was talking about at all. I asked the first 2 if there were maybe some rolls of thin looking black stuff out back but they both said they'd never seen anything like that out there. Fortunately the 3rd guy went out back and got exactly what I needed. It's sad to see after having spent so much of my youth in the NZ equivalent (Dick Smith, who I'm sure are just as broken now too) staring at wonder in the electronic kits. Similarly disappointing - I was given a DIY Synth Kit for christmas [0]. I thought it would be a great learning experience but they didn't explain anything about what was going on. It was just plug and play. And even more frustrating, the illustrations were inconsistent with the descriptions (though I kept doubting myself, because surely that's just not possible). Between those experiences I was left feeling like electronics had become rather inaccessible. From the days when there were enthusiastic people around to help you at your local store, now you have to know what you need to even get hold of it in the first place. [0] http://www.techwillsaveus.com/shop/diy-kits/diy-synth-kit/ http://www.techwillsaveus.com/shop/diy-kits/diy-synth-kit/