Gutenberg and the democratization of 3d-printing technology
Could the democratization of 3-D printing technology be for prosumerism what the Gutenberg press was for literacy?
asks Brittaney Creamer on the wikinomics blog.
I think ‘YES BUT’ would be a good answer.
3-D printing technology is one niche of ‘User Manufacturing’. There is other computer controlled producing technology around having disruptive impact on traditional production methods (Gutenberg’s press was also only one possibility in the 15th century).
Production technology alone makes nobody happy. I don’t have a clue how to control such machines. Do you? What makes me really happy and seems to be the real revolution is the merger of technology and services.
Having control over complex machines and production processes by easy-to-use software is cool. Getting not only control over production but as well distribution and marketing is wicked. The Long Tail (initially only applicable for digital goods like music) gets its real, three-dimensional shape now. Soon everybody will be able to produce and market individual, real objects.
Like Gutenberg (and others) sow the seeds for the democratization of knowledge industrial production is on its way too.
How long will it take us? I am not sure, but Gartner, a leading IT research firm gives an assumption.
