2 Feb
2006
2 Feb
'06
2:15 p.m.
On Thu, 2006-02-02 at 21:51 +0000, Tony Duell wrote:
Actually, I saw an article (I have to find out where it was) where I guy
used an old toaster oven as a basis for soldering all sorts of surface
mount components at once...ie just like the "real" assembly houses do
it.
One thing I've been concerned about for a while is what seems to be the
lack of electronics building skills. *My* feeling is the desire to work
on this stuff is going away and I'm not sure why. I DO NOT BUY the
argument that components are so small now that nobody can build or hack
Nor do I. The larger SMD parts are perfectly easy to homebrew with, and I
am quite sure _I'll_ find a way to use even BGAs as/when I have to. That
said, there are plenty of pin-through-hole parts around still. That said, though, there are not that many model
engineers or amateur
clockmakers in the UK. Just as there are a few, but not that many
electronics hackers. And I think one of the reasons is simple. Most kids
have realised that there is no point going into science/engineering.
There are no good well-paid, satisfying jobs in those areas. Well paid
jobs (at least in the UK) seem to reserved for those who can kick a
football or strum a guitar.
...or (in the US atleast) become lawyers.
And the educational system seems to be
designed to remove any curiousity that a child might have (fortunately,
it didn't work on me).
I have too many (horror) stories about how the schools here fail...I
won't use the list bandwidth to go into them.
--
TTFN - Guy