transistors: so confusing!!

I am new to electronics - I have learnt heaps and am enjoying every new
thing I'm learning. I did do Physics in school, but like alot of people
- didnt pay a HUGE amount of attention to things I learnt. Alot of it
has actually come back - now I wish I paid a bit more attention!

Something that has been confusing me no-end, and I just cant seem to
grasp, is how a TRANSISTOR works!!!

I have read many explanations, but they are confusing and vauge. People
have explained like a tap, that a small change in the base current
allows a much larger amount of current to flow through the
collector/emitter.

I cant grasp WHY they are so extremely important - probably because I'm
finding it hard to understand their basic operation !

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated ... this is really
proving to be a stumbling block ...

Thanks..

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