Seriously, you guys are making me sad.  Use some imagination -- there is a lot more to tinker with for your dollar in 2010 than there was in the good old days.  For the price of your dad's ][e you can now buy multiple linux boxes, a bucket of Arduinos or a NerdKit, robotic legos, and -- if you are so inclined -- an iPad with developer account on top of it.<p>At first I was wondering what the ulterior motive to all this drama was.  I'm beginning to think it's just link-baiting.