Here is Austin there is a local company that will make microprocessors for you if you bring in your diagram. That is a real nerd kit!<p>But this is a great beginner kit and I enjoyed looking through the projects that people have built using it:<p><a href="http://www.nerdkits.com/projects/" rel="nofollow">http://www.nerdkits.com/projects/</a>
I've been looking for something exactly like this. I'm trying to get into the physical side of EECS and this is perfect because it comes with the board, controller, instructions, and everything else you need to make a simple project. All the others cost too much and don't include what this does.
"The purpose of NerdKits is to reduce the risks involved with getting started in the electronics field."<p>That's great. What you start with doesn't matter so much, because once you've grasped many possibilities that one kit allows, you've also built the confidence that, yes, you can learn and you can do. Then you can explore other areas with that confidence. MM & breadboard can conquer <i>all</i>!<p>I'm one of those weirdos that think that analog is more fun than digital, but it's certainly important to be exposed to both sides.