User:Swy5105
PSU sophomore in Section 001 of the fall semester RepRap class.
Blog Four:
If Thingiverse's legal terms mean what they currently appear to, then yes, it might be time to consider an alternative. While I would have no problem with someone adapting a design I had published for a non-commercial purpose and with a quick attribution, I would have major problems with a company whose site I used to share that design taking it and making money off of it without attribution or profit sharing. HitRECORD, for example, lets users know that their work (music/video/writing) is liable to be used and 'remixed' by other HitRECORD users, but that attribution will always be given and that the actual original credit remains the original creators. Additionally, the site mentions that while it is possible the work may be published/distributed for profit, all involved with the creation of the materials therein are included in profits made. To me, that's a cool system that, in fact, has the opportunity to benefit everyone, and (to an extent) makes the craziness over intellectual property obsolete. Given that the site's founder is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, it also allows artists looking to find some exposure a better in, via their famous 'friend'.
Overall, if the TOS adjustments really mean what they appear to, then it's kind of a slap in the face to the broader RepRap movement, especially to Adrian Bowyer's original idea. This is the opposite of the share-and-share-alike mentality of the broader maker community and is, in fact, the sleazy kind of corporate. Still, I'll hold final judgement until I have time to read the full story and watch as it unfolds.
Blog Three:
1. I sincerely hope that DRM isn't applied to 3D printing, with a few caveats. While by and large I think DRM is stupid and inhibits creativity and innovation far more than it fosters it, for certain printable items, I think some form of IP protection may not be a bad idea, especially for items like weaponry or medical device parts. These are objects that can be dangerous, either on their own or (in the case of medical device parts) if not manufactured correctly. If nothing else, DRM on these sorts of objects prevents malicious alteration of the .STL files which could have the potential to be deadly. However, I don't actually think DRM-ing pat of the community will work. If it comes down to an all out DRM or DRM free debate, I suspect DRM free will win. The community doesn't seem like they'd support anything else.
2. My passions tend to be pretty geeky: I'm a writer first and foremost, with a strong interest in media and video games. I'm not really using either to either attract money or mates, but they do serve as a helpful guide in what I'm looking to do with the rest of my life. Knowing my own passions (and being able to talk about them) makes it a lot easier to communicate them to others as well. It's about attracting long-term happiness, really.
3. I think Professor Bowyer's a bit ambitious about all of this. While I'd love to see and end to IP, I'm not sure that RepRap will do it. Look at the illegal downloading of music, for instance. Napster and Limewire didn't kill IP; instead, IP killed Napster and Limewire later. Years later, MegaUpload didn't kill IP; IP killed MegaUpload. We're still seeing videos banned on YouTube for featuring copyrighted songs or movie clips -- even when credit is given to the original creator. While I think RepRap and the maker community has a definite opportunity to start valid challenges to and serious questioning of IP as we know it, I don't think RepRap alone can end it.
Blog Two:
1. At this point, with the current RepRap technology, I'm not sure the idea of a self-replicating universal constructor is entirely feasible. With the challenges of having to print long rods as well as electronic pieces, it seems more research, development, and tweaking is needed.
2. To Bowyer, wealth without money is about being able to print and produce your own goods without relying on mass industrial production, an idea I'm fully in support of, and putting the means of production in the hands of the working class without bloodshed another idea I support. However, I don't think the wealth of RepRap is limited to what one physically produces with it. I think there's some satisfaction in and of itself of designing something to be used and then actually creating it and being able to propagate that idea. Wealth, then, isn't just about what you physically produce, but the satisfaction you derive from it and the ideas you're able to share with the world.
3. While I hate to go down a dark path with this after reading such an optimistic earnest article, after reading a link a friend sent me about some of the more dangerous uses of 3D printing, it's all I can think of. While I definitely hope RepRap and its cousins become more common (and less expensive), I can't help but feel that the Maker community at large may become subject to some monitoring and scrutiny. Given that there is now a group dedicated to printing their own weapons (however unfeasible that may currently be), I can't imagine things will always go unregulated --- a fact that's pretty sad, as it will likely mean a change in the shared IP mentality of the community as it stands now.
Blog One:
1. Useful
If you're not a fan of drinking straight from a public fountain, being able to carry a folding cup around's always a nice option. It's also far more eco-friendly than paper cups, and a good deal easier to carry around.
I thought the dragon's detailing here was really cool; I can't imagine how long it took to do. I also really like that it's not just built as a stationary piece of awesome statuary, but as a moving toy. It seems like you could so some really cool Rube Goldberg-ian things with the automata concept. Or, alternatively, awesome mini Rube Goldberg models.
It's a constant 'critical miss!' While it obviously wouldn't fool anyone as a real weighted die, it would still be a funny gag gift to a serious D&D player, assuming that person has a sense of humor, of course.
4. Funny
I'm just really amused by the idea of someone sitting on a plane with something like this. The image is just funny to me. I can't imagine trying to hold up my phone with my jaw for 90-120 minutes. Ouch!
5.Weird
Unless it's Halloween or you're a super gung ho chiropractor, there is no reason this candle holder should ever be one your table.
