I started (playing) with electronics using valves in the 50s with ex-MOD surplus equipment. Over the years my designs used early op-amps (ua702 when the price came down!), TTL/CMOS logic, early 4-bit CPUs then 6502/6800/PICs and so on. I was self-employed and designed electronic control, sensor and signal analysis units for industry and aerospace using PICs but I now use RPIs in all my projects together with my own opto isolated IO/ADC interface board as the RPIs have excellent graphics capabilities. I recently came across the Pico W with the varied Pimoroni products and started experimenting once again for interest, albeit a bit slowly.