RE: [rp-ml] FYI

George,

I take exception to your analysis about people getting less and less
creative all the time. Making a copy of an appliance part is not creative,
it barely borders on tinkering. Most people on this list work in this
industry and could make all the appliance parts they want whenever needed.
I suspect that most don't because it's just cheaper and faster to order a
replacement part rather than reverse engineer and build one.

I like to make the photograph analogy. People take lots of photos and
probably share a lot on line but how many do people print and what do they
print? Mostly likely pictures on display in a home or an office will be of
something that has personal meaning. They will likely have pictures of
family members, a pet, a collectable item, an organization they are involved
in, etc. but it will always be something that is intensely personal. Look
around at what pictures people print and put on display. The opportunity
for 3D printing applications for personal use is there.

Sean Wise

  _____

From: owner-rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi [mailto:owner-rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi] On Behalf
Of G. Sachs
Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 12:12 PM
To: rp-ml@rapid.lpt.fi
Subject: [rp-ml] FYI

Some of you may like to listen to this program today: Kind of strange it
would be on this kind of show (usually covers politics and social issues).
For us, this will be mostly a lot of old news though. I also don't think
average people are going to be making replacement parts for their appliances
- ever (or ever going to interested in doing their own appliance repair or
manufacture). 3D printer manufacturers can fantasize all they want about
this possibility but it's not going to happen, since most people are
actually getting less and less creative all the time.

http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2011/07/06/3d-printers

On a side note, the proposed changes to U.S. patent law (making it more like
European patent law), will surely have a deleterious effect on individual
creativity and invention in the future and further erode the desire of most
individuals to do anything on their own. How many people in Europe make
their own replacement parts, or anything on their own, for that matter? If
the U.S. Congress (beholding to big corporations) gets its way, it will be
bye, bye, independent American creators and inventors. Maybe, "next time",
they should learn to lobby better and pay their Congressmen their expected
"fees" - but then, if these changes do go through, there won't be a next
time for American inventors..
Received on Wed Jul 06 20:38:57 2011