In the UK we have a chain of shops called Maplin, which sells electronic
goods and components.
I detest having to go there, because it is full of expensive crap, and
worse, the staff have no clue what they are talking about yet pretend they
do.

Here's todays example, which came about because I had forgotten my glasses
and couldn't read the catalogue to find the correct part numbers:


Hi, can I have 2 5mm white LED's, and 2 standard 5mm green LED's please.

What voltage are you running them from?

Er, I don't care about that, I just need 2 white LEDs and 2 green ones.

Well, we have these high intensity white ones, they run on 4.2 volts. If
you run them higher than that they could pop.

Er, I'll have 2 of those please.

Oh, we seem to be out of stock of those. We have some superbright ones,
they run on 3.6 volts, which is lower. You might have to watch your voltage.

Er, OK, I'll have 2 of those please.

We have these green ones, and they run at, oh, 2.2 volts, that's much lower.

Er, OK, I'll have 2 of those as well.

Would you like some resistors with those?

Er, no thanks, just the LED's.


I should have said yes, and found out how he was going to try and calculate
the resistor values required.



Those 4 LED's cost me £4.60.


That's why I detest Maplin.



Gareth.