Sorry Boy
Sorry mate...you arnt gonna lure me into a never-ending surface-mount fight.
My basement, my projects, my components, my 60 in LCD TV...my rules.
I was working with surface-mount before you were born. My first 250 in 1 Radio Shack kit in 1975 had a 3inch wide square of substrate covered with various surface mount components (capacitors, transistors, resistors) that were contacted to spring clips, to wire into projects. Earlier kits from the late 60s that I had touted a brand new device that would be used in the FUTURE...the INTEGRATED CRCUIT!! (insert ominous music here)
I dont really feel like prototyping with components that I can only see the value of with a magnifying glass. Whenever I repair something that requires surface-mount, same rule apples...whenever I need 2 of a value...I buy 10 or 20, and stash the extras. As I said, I can build most projects without having to visit the shop. And since most of what I build in my own workshop is for me, or my family or friends, who cares what the hell I make it from.
A surplus store was going out of business, and had 80% off of everything, so I bought about 50 project cases, all in various sizes...and I still have a few left. I also bought enough hook-up wire, transformers, and Perfboard to last me until the day I die.
Yup, Im an old fart, but as long as my wife has a tight body that you can bounce a silver-dollar off of, and breasts that defy gravity...Im a happy old fart.
PS. the dates that I have quoted probibly arnt terriby accurate...I cant really remember the exact dates these kits came out in.