As Melanie pointed out earlier, "people will adapt". People who are still keen on it that is. People who are prepared to continuously educate themselves though possibly a lot of trial & error because of an absence of published literature, projects, kits, and they'll be working with surface mount components. Sure, there will always be a few people floating around with a hot soldering iron in their hand on a lazy Sunday afternoon attempting to make a LED flasher for the cost of the tools alone. No thanks.

Trent Jackson