How I Became the EEVBlog Guy [video]

Elenco still makes them, but yeah, you can't buy them at a Radio Shack around the corner anymore.

I loved those kits as a kid too.

I'm currently waiting for one of my brothers kids to actually tear into this to try and figure it out. It's more about boolean logic and I think there won't be too much illuminating if they try and open it but it's a good signal to provide more.

https://computerengineeringforbabies.com

I don't know how many vacuum cleaners I ruined with those little wires, and I still don't understand what a j/k flipflop foes, but I did spend three days wiring up a wheel of fortune circuit to marvel at what was possible with hardware! It was at this juncture that I decided that software was my discipline. Something that has stuck with me mu whole life.

Yep, I had one too. I loved it and did many of the projects in the included instruction book (some more successfully than others). Unfortunately, at the time I was probably slightly too young and also had no one in my extended family or friend circle who had any familiarity with electronics. So, I didn't really take away much (if any) tangible learning from the experience other than a basic familiarity with the idea that wires carry voltages to parts which change, combine or stop the voltages in ways that can be both useful and surprising.

My technical progress went dormant until 10-ish years later when college-aged me got a shiny new 8-bit computer with 4K of RAM and I started down the path of teaching myself software (BASIC -> Assembler). That led to a long and fruitful career in computers, software and hardware, despite being entirely self-taught (or... in at least some ways, maybe because of being self-taught).

Although I picked up more basic electronics knowledge over the years repairing and upgrading various 8 and 16-bit computers, I never really gained an intuitive understanding of electronics to the point I could actually design anything new from scratch. However, I can assemble things from other people's designs and do basic repair work on vintage computers, arcade cabs and pinballs (which is invaluable to me these days).

However, having fond memories of that, "Wow! Anything's possible if you just know how to connect the wires properly" feeling did give me a lifelong willingness to open things up and tinker, along with a sense I can probably understand most electronic things with enough patience and effort. It also compelled me to ensure my own kid had every Elenco Snap Circuits kit she ever wanted, along with a willing 'lab partner'. I may have had more fun than she did! Later, when she was in middle school I got her a Raspberry Pi along with one of those companion electronics kits for beginners (like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Adeept-Ultimate-Raspberry-Electronic-...). I definitely had more fun than she did with that but it did result in a successful 8th grade school project. Also, I remember being impressed by the quality of the online PDF doc full of projects, so be sure to download that if you follow a similar path.

Dave's the Steve Irwin (Crocodile Dundee) of the 21st century... by which logic, one day he'll die of preventable heart trauma reaching in to an undomesticated AC system assembled from AliExpress and his family will set up a museum containing all of his pet devices and live on the proceeds of tourism.

Interesting that he made his early money selling mailed software and electronics kits, which just shows how important print communications were.