[Thanks to neeraj]
... which can replicate themselves, cheap.That's a hell of a vision, but it's well on the way.
TTL expands:
I recommend this video: NextEngine 3D Scanner at Jay Leno's Garage [Note: the most amazing thing is that the printer can make things with moving parts, in one go!!]
And if you enjoyed that, go to jaylenosgarage.com. Lots of interesting video clips. Jay know's his stuff.
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Creating a new business model that circumvents current models will cause some major problems. Just like downloading music has pissed off the entire music industry, being able to create things at home will piss off the entire manufacturing industry.
ReplyDeleteCombine that with the problems that will occur once copyrighted designs are leaked/pirated onto the web in RepRap format, allowing people to create copyrighted/patented works at home without paying for it, and you have a entire new area of lawsuits.
Perhaps if the current issues with music copyright can be expanded to include all copyrights and patents, then there will be less problems. However, I highly doubt that. I think the big industries and lobbyists will push for tighter regulations and new laws on what can and cannot be created at home using machines like this, just like they are doing with Music and Video.
Doubtlessly.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as a new invention threaten the income of an old business (as they often do), then you have a fight.
I recommend this: NextEngine 3D Scanner at Jay Leno's Garage
ReplyDeleteAnd if you enjoyed that, go to www.jaylenosgarage.com. Lots of interesting video clips. Jay know's his stuff.
"As soon as a new invention threaten the income of an old business (as they often do), then you have a fight."
ReplyDeleteYou know your history all right! You might enjoy reading Cory Doctorow's short story, Printcrime.
http://craphound.com/overclocked/Cory_Doctorow_-_Overclocked_-_Printcrime.html
He wrote it a short while after we got started with Reprap and was quite pleased when we told him about it.
How are things at Domai?
A bit slower this year, but still nicely in the black, so no complaints.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I'll look at the story.
You're involved with RepRap?
"A bit slower this year, but still nicely in the black, so no complaints."
ReplyDeleteWell, everybody is scared this year. At least you're making money. :-)
"You're involved with RepRap?"
Yeah, I'm one of the core team. You can see me on the "People" page of the project website.
Let's see. You're up at Manchester? Chris Palmer, another core team member known as "nophead", lives just a few km west of Manchester. You might want to get in touch with Chris. He's one of our best people. Very, very clever and very active in the project. :-)
ReplyDeleteCool you popped in, Forrest, as one of the first. Do you have a Search alarm about new articles, or have you been reading my blog before?
ReplyDeleteIf Chris comes to Bolton, we'll do coffee.
I have a search alarm for a number of topics, Reprap being one of them. I didn't know you had a blog aside from the Domai website.
ReplyDeleteYou might want go down to get a look at Chris's stuff. It warrants a long, hard look and as much as you can get him to say about it. He also has a blog, viz,
http://hydraraptor.blogspot.com/
I'd give you mine, too, except that I'm in the process of moving it. :-)
Chris' blog seems interesting. Some of it I can follow, but the wizard stuff is way beyond me. I'm just a simple artist with a faint (but not feigned) interest in cool technology. :-)
ReplyDeleteCool how networking goes ... a living example of worldwide synergetics, as I see it. I have already mentioned somewhere else (Anikos blog) the work of Peter Russell about the "Global Brain", it's worth to have a look at it (www.peterrussell.com). Worldwide connecting, getting closer more and more, will change our world more than many can imagine right now.
ReplyDeleteThe "replicating itself" feature was thrilling me, when I heard about RepRap in another forum (3D scanning and manufacturing is already used since some time), therefore I made you and other people aware of it (and further connecting is going on now like a wave). It's a common feature in nature and the basis of evolution, and now also in the technical evolution.
Sooner or later it had to happen ... I remember some classic SciFi stories about 30 years ago (I don't remember exactly, maybe stories by Pohl/Kornbluth, but also other authors), where this is a basis of the story. The first glimpse of that, as it is often with SciFi stories.
Addendum:
ReplyDeleteBecause it's a big website, here the specific link:
www.peterrussell.com/GB/globalbrain.php
I wonder if the home printing scenario will be the first we see, or if we see a bunch of Kinkos-3D first.
ReplyDeleteDespite the high availability of home printers, there are still some of us who have an "okay" printer at home for the kids stuff and basic docs, but use the local drug store for enlargements etc. Why keep upgrading an infrequently used home machine when you can just locally outsource the special jobs.
Come to think about it, despite the prevalence of DIY stores, and low cost of wrenches, spanners and screwdrivers, there are still a lot of plumbers and electricians kicking around.
Ripping off the music industry doesn't feel wrong. A pop star only getting $5,000,000 and not $7,000,000 is a big loss, but really, who needs more than $5 million a year?
Ripping off the poor guy in Boston who used to work at Hookers Hangers for $5 per hour will really feel his layoff.
I know, we've been doing that for years, pumping our own gas, using ATMs during banking hours, now self service cash registers at grocery store, home printing, DIY, but...