On 3/5/2014 3:22 PM, Peter Johansson wrote:

> The best way to get a really good idea of how Radio Shack has changed
> over the years is to browse through their catalogs.  A nearly complete
> collection of catalogs can be found here:
>
> http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/
>
> As a parallel comparison, it is worthwhile to browse through the
> archives of Popular Science and Popular Mechanics that are also
> available on-line:
>
> http://books.google.com/books?id=3DwCkDAAAAMBAJ
>
> http://books.google.com/books?id=3D49gDAAAAMBAJ
>
> It does not take long to notice that the 1960s was the peak of amateur
> science and construction articles.  It should be not at all surprising
> that this is also the area when the RS catalogs were at their
> strongest.
>
> The long, slow decline from 1970 onwards is very revealing of America
> as a culture.  It is interesting to put this in the context of the
> hype surrounding the recent "Maker Movement".  The vast majority of
> articles written on the topic seem completely ignorant of the history
> of amateur builders, and in many ways, the modern maker movement is
> still a far cry from what it once was.
>
> -p.
>

Excellent comment!!! Extra points for using calculus. What? Yes,=20
calculus. You pointed out where the slope of the learning curve was=20
positive, zero and then negative.  A single 'we are here now' point of=20
view is worthless; looking where we came from will greatly help to see=20
where we are going.

I agree whole-heartedly about the "Maker Movement" BS. My kids=20
subscribed me to the Maker magazine (paper version) and it really galls=20
me to see them gushing about someone who has just learned Ohms law or=20
whatever as though it is a new development.  Ok, I'll stop now.
/// curmudgeon mode off ///

--=20
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