What's in a Name? II

From: Yakov Horenstein (Electon)
To: RP-ML
Cc: Brock Hinzmann (SRI  International)
Date: Friday, January 6, 1995
Subject: What's in a Name? II

This forum definitely needs a moderator. I nominate Brock Hinzmann 
for the job. Brock?

If we're taking a vote on the name, here are my choices

3D Printing
Additive Fabrication
FreeForm Fabrication*
StereoLithography**
Light Sculpting

* FreeForm Fabrication is OK except for all those f---ing F's, 
which ripple off the tongue with the grace of a novice actor 
stammering through his part. Adding Fast to FFF (the 4F crowd), 
just makes it worse. 

Also, I don't understand why many of us insist on calling the technology 
"fast" or "rapid". It's good for grabbing attention but is a subjective and 
totally relative concept. What's fast for me is slow for you, and I've heard 
many complaints about the slow processing speeds of these fabricators. 
Also, when the technology becomes more mainstream, people's concept of 
rapidity will inevitably change without regard as to whether or not the 
technology will be able cope with the altered perception. Insisting on 
rapidity is like having a millstone around your neck. I propose that we 
drop it once and for all.

** Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think Stereolithography is a trade 
mark of 3D Systems, and is actually quite a good name. "Stereo" gives a 
more subtle hint of threedimensionality than "solid", while "lithography" 
comes from the printing business, of which RP is the 3D equivalent 
(actually, the only real Stereolithography machine, in the sense of working 
according to lithographic principles, is the Cubital Solider).

Brock Hinzmann <brock_hinzmann@qm.sri.com> wrote:
> By now, just about everyone in the world must have received at least 
> one piece of paper from SME that says rapid prototyping on it.

I wish, you wish, we all wish...

Best wishes :-)
Yakov