RepRap will be to patent infringement what computers were to media piracy

RepRap is an incredible open source project to create an affordable Replicating Rapid-prototyper. In simple: imagine you could connect a printer to your PC that could print solid 3D objects.

Sounds like science fiction doesn't it? Amazingly the project already allows you to build a RepRap that will create plastic objects for around €500, and most the parts for the RepRap can be created using a RepRap (spooky eh?), so the more people that have them the easier and cheaper they'll be to build!

Some of the objects it can already build are already pretty useful. You've got coat hangers, iPod mounts, fly swatters, door handles, shot glasses, rings, water filter inserts, and other things.

First thought - awesome.
Second thought - when the revolution happens, some corporations are going to lose a lot of money.
Third thought - corporations don't give up without a fight.

And what has the recent music debacle taught us? That's right! The way forward isn't to evolve and embrace new technology, the way forward is to sue the crap out of your customers. When RepRap takes off, whether it's this year or in 10 years time, people are going to share files online that will allow you build useful objects with your RepRap.

And some of these designs are going to be for objects already patented by big companies.

Imagine Dyson have a patented plastic doohickey that makes their vacuum cleaners work. If you started manufacturing these plastic doohickeys and selling them at a cheaper price than Dyson do, you'd suddenly find a lawyer appearing at your door with a cease & desist. Taking into account the costs involved in setting up a production run & sales channels, no-one is going to risk it.

But put a RepRap design for the plastic doohickey online and suddenly Dyson have lost a source of income. Everyone just creates their own plastic doohickeys at home. (Yes this assumes the revolution has happened and the RepRap is as common as the iPod). Other examples of grey areas include models of copyrighted characters such as Pokemon, or the latest brand-name designs for vases & glasses.

So who's going to get sued? Is it the person creating the plastic doohickey? Is it the person creating the designs? Or the person sharing the file containing the instructions for creating the plastic doohickey?

Or is it the creators of the RepRap?

It's mp3s all over again :)