>> it was a gift for a friend who knows  not too much, but wants to learn.

all things considered, for $150 a better gift might be an assembled benchto=
p power supply (like, say, http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/=
Product_10001_10001_2130378_-1 ), a protoboard, and an assortment of single=
-supply op-amps and analog parts.

Of the test equipment I own, the benchtop power supply is the one that gets=
 the most use.  It power circuits (with protection for assorted mistakes), =
charges batteries, measures performance, and more!

BillW

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