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The Maker movement
Technological disruption happens when regular people get their hands on
new tools and apply them to their daily lives. Ubiquity is what enables new
technologies to stir up revolution. 3D printing isn't yet a household technol-
ogy, but it's taking its irst steps into the mainstream thanks to a vibrant and
growing community of Makers.
The Maker movement is a celebration of do-it-yourself (DIY) innovation.
Nobody quite knows where the name “Makers” came from, but it has stuck.
The concept of a Maker is similar to what software companies call “power
users.” Somewhat like the term “hackers” for people who like to bend software
to their will, Makers like to bend technology to their will.
O'Reilly Media is a reliable barometer of what people who like technology care
about. In 2005, O'Reilly launched MAKE magazine to connect to “a growing
community of resourceful people who undertake amazing projects in their
backyards, basements, and garages. O'Reilly was right on target. MAKE has
grown into a suite of events and publications that celebrate the do-it-yourself
movement. The Maker Faire (The Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth) has
become a gathering place for people who like to make things or like to appreci-
ate what other people have made. Local Hackerspaces and “gyms for inventors”
are popping up in cities all over the world.
People involved in the Maker movement tinker in all kinds of technolo-
gies, not just 3D printing. Some self-described Makers design circuits, create
responsive clothing or musical instruments that glow in response to pitch,
or create their own robots. The Maker movement attracts people who crave
tools of production, people who have their own tiny CNC routers and milling
machines in the basements.
What makes somebody long to spend their Saturday afternoon assembling a
3D printer? Or patiently pinning together tiny electrical components to make
their 3D printed toy walk? Lots of reasons. Some people like to get their hands
dirty. Others (myself included) ind pleasure in solving a concrete problem
now rather than having it drag on for months. Joy is a powerful motivating
force. I think there's more to it, though.
Makers create wonderful things. Browse around Flickr, or google “3D print-
ing diy” and you'll see printed gargoyles, model train sets, and translucent
 
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