This is not what I had in mind when I bought this kit, but it *was* my "out-of-the-box experience."

I've learned a lot about LEDs and logic gates, but I've had to use my imagination instead of confirming my understanding with LEDs that actually emit light. Oh well: typical "Made In China" quality, even if the bad chip in question was originally Japanese.

The too cute documentation is, in places, too cute, and I found several obvious errors in the booklet that could have been fixed if someone had just bothered to follow *all* of the instructions. For example, you're told to take out "the three red and black wires" when there are obviously only two of each in the kit. But at least the author tries to use complete sentences, unlike the majority of hardware data sheets coming out of South Korea. But some of the projects are very clever.

I think I could probably do a better job if I just made the time do "build a better mousetrap"...Maybe I should.


Computers: What goes on inside that box?   April 20, 2000
What do computers do? How do they do it? These two questions welcome inquisitive minds as they begin to embark on a quest for these answers with this book and kit.

The language used to describe relatively complicated concepts is simple enough for an eager ten-year-old to understand. However, the hands-on activities and the knowledge gained about computers from this kit makes it an enjoyable product for "kids" of all ages.

The book contains an introduction to the various components of a circuit board and includes several projects that demonstrate some of the inner workings of a computer. After setting up the cardboard "breadboard" and completing some of the projects, the user will understand concepts such as AND gates, NAND gates and flip flops. The hands-on portion of the kit gives the user the satisfaction that comes when a project works, along with the knowledge of why it works.

Anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of the electronics behind the computer should check out this book and kit.