I wonder if there's a modern equivalent to this discovery process? I mean that low level systems that require diy and exploration are more thin on the ground. Even a $35 raspberry pi has layers of abstraction many layers higher, and the fact that tablets and phones are much more frequently the first personal computer a kid may own means they don't even need to be exposed to diy systems like the pi, whereas a few decades ago there was no choice.

Don't get me wrong, access to tech is much better, and that's great. I just think it's a different experience than in the past. Not necessarily bad, just... Different