DISQUS

DISQUS Hello! Over The Counter Culture is using DISQUS, a powerful comment system, to manage its comments. Learn more.

Community Page

Over The Counter Culture

Jump to original thread »
Author

Self-replicating, open source 3D printers

Started by Philippe Bradley · 1 year ago

This…is…awesome:
The RepRap (Replicating Rapid-prototyper) printer can replicate and update itself. It can print its own parts, including updates. The 3D printer works by building components up in layers of plastic, mainly polylactic acid (PLA), which is a ... Continue reading »

4 comments

  • Ethan Bauley

    1 year ago

    Hey mang

    I thought your comment on AVC in which you compared Umair Haque to "a snake oil salesman" was one of the funniest things I've ever read. Really, really hilarious.

    Sarcasm aside, you should peep Bruce Sterling's "Shaping Things" if you haven't already:

    http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.as...

    "The future will see a new kind of object that will be sustainable, enhanceable, and uniquely identifiable. Sterling coins the term "spime" for them, these future manufactured objects with informational support so extensive and rich that they are regarded as material instantiations of an immaterial system."

    Marinate on that last bit for a sec...and then:

    "Spimes are designed on screens, fabricated by digital means, and precisely tracked through space and time. They are made of substances that can be folded back into the production stream of future spimes, challenging all of us to become involved in their production."

    www.spimeco.com

    ;-)

    (btw, Umair is intentionally opaque, it's part of this whole "thing")
    reply
  • Philippe Bradley

    1 year ago

    It was unfair of me to be so critical - Umair does make some very good points occasionally, and does substantiate them with logic sometimes - guess I was just having a bad day. Glad the only consequence was to make you laugh, and not start a vendetta!

    I'll definitely check out that book. If I may return the favour, read Ivan Illich's "Tools for Conviviality" - it's not long but it's incredible stuff given how long ago it was written - predicting the internet/wikipedia, freedom of the amateur from his reliance on professionals, etc
    reply
  • Ethan Bauley

    1 year ago

    Cool, I was just teasin' ;-)

    I goog'd illich when I saw another of your references to him...adding to the ever-lengthening AMZ list now...

    But ya, you should really peep "ST"...it's amazing and very short...more of a long essay...but a useful [and often hilarious] framework
    reply
  • Rapid Prototyping

    5 months ago

    i actually like this one, this is very awesome stuff
    reply

Add New Comment

Returning? Login