Going to keep this short.
I received a bit of news that caused me to do some speculating on corporations deciding to enter the market. I know some think they have been in the market since the beginning, but that is not so.
They have been in the Corporate market, but not the hobbiest market when it comes to 3D printing. From what Im seeing, they are finally seeing a market here, and will probably be entering into it really soon. Most likely, more than a few bigger corps have already laid out strategies.
Once they get any kind of foothold, that will be the beginning of the end for small start ups. The very thing that makes this fun. For me at least.
The worst time to address a problem is after it is a problem. So Im proposing a central patent holding group or trust. My feeling is anyone influential in the Hobbiest 3D market, should contact Adrian Bowyer and discuss something along those lines. Create some sort of group who's sole responsibility is to create and maintain patents on anything that is patentable 3D printing wise, and to also make sure that those patents are available to everyone.
Otherwise, anything that can be patented, WILL be patented... by corps who want to enter the hobbiest market. A lot of people may think that just because certain patents have already run out, this market is safe, its not. If corps had their way, they would own the internet. Hell at some point they might, but at least the tone has been set for the internet. I dont see the tone set yet for 3D printing.
Paranoid? Probably, but it might still be worth a thought.
I received a bit of news that caused me to do some speculating on corporations deciding to enter the market. I know some think they have been in the market since the beginning, but that is not so.
They have been in the Corporate market, but not the hobbiest market when it comes to 3D printing. From what Im seeing, they are finally seeing a market here, and will probably be entering into it really soon. Most likely, more than a few bigger corps have already laid out strategies.
Once they get any kind of foothold, that will be the beginning of the end for small start ups. The very thing that makes this fun. For me at least.
The worst time to address a problem is after it is a problem. So Im proposing a central patent holding group or trust. My feeling is anyone influential in the Hobbiest 3D market, should contact Adrian Bowyer and discuss something along those lines. Create some sort of group who's sole responsibility is to create and maintain patents on anything that is patentable 3D printing wise, and to also make sure that those patents are available to everyone.
Otherwise, anything that can be patented, WILL be patented... by corps who want to enter the hobbiest market. A lot of people may think that just because certain patents have already run out, this market is safe, its not. If corps had their way, they would own the internet. Hell at some point they might, but at least the tone has been set for the internet. I dont see the tone set yet for 3D printing.
Paranoid? Probably, but it might still be worth a thought.