[TriLUG] [more and more OT]: Hobby Parts for Electronics

[Brian A. Henning]

In response to Jeremy's note:
  I know, you pay for the convenience.  It's somewhat akin to paying $2.50
for a jug of milk at the local Quickie Mart versus $1.99 at the Big-Name
Grocery Chain which is farther away.  Or paying $11 for one-hour developing
instead of $7 and waiting three days.  I understand the reasoning (to a
degree).  Doesn't mean I have to like it. :-)  I'm allowed to want it both
Now and Cheap!

As for the general snobbishness, it is in part linked to the
often-technologically-vacuous staff (I was astounded to walk into a Radio
Shack in Morehead City last September, tell the associate I needed an RJ-11
jack, and have her know exactly what I was talking about---this is generally
not the norm, I believe), and in part to a history of Radio Shack selling
schlock house-brand merchandise.  In recent years, Radio Shack has become
much more a reseller of big names rather than peddling their own wares, to
their credit.  However, my experiences with buying short-lived equipment
from them in the past makes me more likely to buy the big-name stuff from a
place like Best Buy, because buying anything from Radio Shack still has the
feel of being an avoidable risk.

All the same, further in response to Jeremy's mention of their over 7000
locations...  I am glad there is at least SOME store like Radio Shack
around, even if it is Radio Shack.

That said, I am still standing by my original "-1 Radio Shack" sentiment.
Not to flame them excessively; I merely believe my opinion has reasonable
support from experience.

Cheers,
~B