Another point is that electronic devices don't seem to break down nearly as often as they used to. Or maybe it's just that they've become so cheap that people replace them earlier. But aside from one dodgy clock radio which I bought in a closing-down sale, I can't remember suffering from any broken electronic devices in my adult life.
PS Anyone want two free perfectly functional CRT-based televisions? Yeah, I didn't think so.
Plus there is always all the fun you can have with something like the arduino kits that in some small way let you relive those days plus do so much more.
This. If you want to tinker -- these things are a gold mine.
Supporting example: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Plasma-Capacitor-Repair-Replac...
However, he's also missing the part where the devices have a lot more functionality as well. It isn't just that things are smaller and hard to trace (even if they aren't deliberately obfuscated) but that they do a lot more, too.
And people do still replace single components on a board, if they know how to use a soldering iron and can see what piece is broken. Sometimes it's impossible, but many times there are visual hints as to which piece died.