[conspire] Heathkit returns

[Paul Zander]

I know I am not the only one who built a lot of green boxes.

http://www.eetimes.com/discussion/break-points/4219631/Heathkit-returns-?cid=NL_Embedded&Ecosystem=embedded

60 years ago, the components were a fraction of the cost of an electronics device.  The manual labor of bending and trimming leads, soldering, and assembling the box was the major cost.

Heathkit sold the parts and let you supply the labor, which was considered "free" because most people charged it off to "entertainment" or "education".

As electronics went from hand-wiring to PC boards to surface mount with automatic insertion machines the labor costs are a smaller factor. IMHO that is what put the original Heathkit out of business, along with people having busier 24-7 lives with no time to relax with a soldering iron.