Bah HUMBUG I say. I got into all this when I was 16 (ummm 32 years ago...), and back then the only "astro porn" was a single (well run) shop in town. No online forums, or stores websites to persuse, let alone ordered stuff across the pacific in a few days with relative ease.
Chinese mass production has given us fantastic mounts, mounts and cameras that amateurs 20-30years ago would have given both arms to get hold of (if they still had any arms
)
It probably is going to be a niche hobby for ever though I guess, but hey, I'm a nerd, and I think I prefer it that way. Now, I'm going back to thinking how I can market my own great astro idea (when I get one....) to make TENS of DOLLLARS!! (muhhaaaggahhhaaa!)