Dear Elaine,
Having just seen Mr. Wohlers in a seminar showing figures about the slowing
down of RP-sales I was not suprised when you calimed that there is some
loss of steam.
Your point about personal risk taking seems to be true. Often we are too
busy running that we dont't have the time to jump on a bike. Maybe because
we are not quite sure how to ride one. It is also true that most success
stories are based on taking risks. So are many failures but they are less
celebrated events.
There is a small portion of technologically inclined people who will
appriciate the difficulties the manufacturer has had in making the thing.
The masses are just as or more demanding than a five year old child. The
engineer needs to get his or her positive responses from other engineers
and maybe from good sale figures. It is rare that the end customer could
express gratitude that would show the success of the engineers decisions.
When setting price limits to for instance an RP-machine we are giving rough
estimates what we expect our behaviour would be if such a machine would be
offered to us.
Market is cruel if you can call an evolution race that. When tests divide
products simplified in a winner and losers and user interfaces are claimed
to be useless if there is one just a little better available elsewhere, you
just have to accept not winning all the time and in every market. The other
day somebody invisioned a 3D-printer with true colour and texture. My first
reaction was shaking my head. The man expects too much. But then I thought
what one could do with something like that and noticed we could use one
too. Still not believing to the availability soon, I started to wait for
the development of such features.
When a potential customes says he is not buing he is not attacing the
product. He is simply stating his ignorance of the net benefits of the
purchase.
Yours
Martti Huolila
__________________________________ ____ ___ __ _ _ _
All opinions are mine and should not bet held against any organisation
helping to distribute this message.
martti.huolila@benefon.fi
Tel: +358 - 2 - 77 40 209 (direct)
Fax: +358 - 2 - 77 40 333
Benefon Oy
(Meriniitynkatu 11)
PL 84
FIN-24101 SALO
Benefon Oy, the company employing me, is the second largest cellular phone
manufacturer in Finland (of 2). Benefon was founded in Feb -88, and has
experienced a nice growth since. Turnover -97 was about FIM 330 million ($1
=> FIM5,4). We specialise in NMT-phones, have an ETACS-product and launched
our first GSM in -97.
__________________________________ ____ ___ __ _ _ _
Many of you questioned my sanity, vision, religion, and company's vision.
While I appreciate your concern for my health and well being, I am more
concerned about where the RP technology is heading and if it's listening to
the general population.
Having participated in the personal computing industry growth, I remember
when 8Mh was the top of the line and the software written could not even
challenge it. It had taken almost 15 years for the technology to drift
into homes and even so that market is still virgin. I am waiting for the
one that sits in my kitchen and helps me prepare dinner...like a portable
magazine that I can flip pages on....small maybe just a flat screen with
wireless connection to a larger system that sits in my office, large print,
voice activated, and responds to my questions. (You thought RP was all I
wanted).
Many times before I asked why many sit on this list and listen but until a
few weeks ago, no one really answered it. Finally someone said they did not
want to be embarrassed if they screwed up (either typos or inflammatory
words to someone). People also do not want their creations subjected to
such criticisms. Like Joe DeGuglielmo we all want to be wanted and liked
(and we do like you Joe and your comments). I see many minds each year
that could be more active, challenged, and allowed to participate in their
on going education, if a cheaper 3D printer existed.
Am I pushy, demanding, hostile, turned against RP. Not in this lifetime!
I am looking for ways to get people contributing (I read messages from all
kinds of new folks all with interesting points of views WOW Wee). Why is
that important to me...... first, we need input to understand what is
needed and wanted, second, we need the right people to understand the
potential market, and last of all and most important, everyone needs a
voice in making it happen. Thanks for responding.
I just love throwing gasoline and watching the sparks,
Insanity sets me apart,
Elaine
*******************************************************************
Opinions, suggestions, and other controversial matter VOID where
prohibited.
******************************************************************
Elaine T. Hunt, Director
Clemson University Laboratory to Advance Industrial Prototyping
206 Fluor Daniel Bldg. Clemson, SC 29643-0925
864-656-0321 (voice) 864-656-4435 (fax)
elaine.hunt@ces.clemson.edu
http://chip.eng.clemson.edu/rp/persall/elaine.html
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : Tue Jun 05 2001 - 22:45:17 EEST