Re: What's in a Name? II

From: Brock Hinzmann (SRI International)
Date: Tuesday, January 3, 1995

From: Brock Hinzmann (SRI  International)
To: RP-ML
Cc: Yakov Horenstein (Electon)
Date: Tuesday, January 3, 1995
Subject: Re: What's in a Name? II
     Yakov's point about stereolithography as the generic term in Italian for what
we are all calling RP raises a good point. It is my understanding that the
same problem exists in Japan, where RP goes by the term hikari zokei, which
really means something like photo solid forming. In English, many terms were
used early on, as noted in my first response to this question, as were several
others I didn't list. In other languages, the terminology has been influences
in still other directions. Every term I have seen, in any language, has
limitations, weaknesses, even misleading aspects. It is the nature of
technology writing that different terms will come into use that may be
misleading, but help the casual observer to visualize what the technology is
or does and catches on. And, even though we know better, we all help
perpetuate such terms. The best we can do is to be careful, when entering into
conversations with novices, to explain what we mean by RP and its
applications. Shooting the piano player doesn't get us very far.

Brock Hinzmann
Director, TechMonitoring
SRI International


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