I basically built an electronics lab from cheap AliExpress goods. Mostly the parts for projects. Boards, chips, nuts, bolts, boxes. All the bits needed to build embedded systems.
The big stuff (tools, power sources, lights) we’re US sources for quality. Most everything else was Chinese junk. I could get five copies of a board from China for the same price as one from the US. I made it to platinum level with over 1000 total orders. When I could order a tiny thing cheap, have it arrive eventually (back then it was often 6-8 weeks), but essentially free shipping I was happy to build up my supplies over time.
Now? No idea who could afford to do the same thing. I’m not rich, but I managed to run whole IoT classes out of my garage with 20+ projects underway. Tinkering gets yet more expensive.
Tinkering is communism! You should use solutions provided by the corporations! And pray to God. For if God would like people to tinker, he would give them screwdrivers and soldering irons instead of fingers!
oh god same, I bought maybe 500 items in aliexpress in the last 10 years, a lot of stuff less than $5, Arduino compatible, electronic components, plugs/sockets/connectors of about any type, cables, LEDs, LCD screen (char and for phone/tablet), sensors, relays, name it and countless house items, even my PoCo phone!!!
Only stuff I do not buy on AE are things plugging on AC outlet, because they are not UL whatever tested. But everything low voltage like 5V/12V stuff, good for it.
I basically built an electronics lab from cheap AliExpress goods. Mostly the parts for projects. Boards, chips, nuts, bolts, boxes. All the bits needed to build embedded systems.
The big stuff (tools, power sources, lights) we’re US sources for quality. Most everything else was Chinese junk. I could get five copies of a board from China for the same price as one from the US. I made it to platinum level with over 1000 total orders. When I could order a tiny thing cheap, have it arrive eventually (back then it was often 6-8 weeks), but essentially free shipping I was happy to build up my supplies over time.
Now? No idea who could afford to do the same thing. I’m not rich, but I managed to run whole IoT classes out of my garage with 20+ projects underway. Tinkering gets yet more expensive.
Tinkering is communism! You should use solutions provided by the corporations! And pray to God. For if God would like people to tinker, he would give them screwdrivers and soldering irons instead of fingers!
oh god same, I bought maybe 500 items in aliexpress in the last 10 years, a lot of stuff less than $5, Arduino compatible, electronic components, plugs/sockets/connectors of about any type, cables, LEDs, LCD screen (char and for phone/tablet), sensors, relays, name it and countless house items, even my PoCo phone!!!
Only stuff I do not buy on AE are things plugging on AC outlet, because they are not UL whatever tested. But everything low voltage like 5V/12V stuff, good for it.
Never paid taxes on anything.