It occurred to me today that a lot of people are using their RepStraps to build Mendel parts. Then I wondered, “How many Mendels are in operation now, anyhow?”
I would guess a dozen or so – with far more on the way. What I find interesting is the seemingly large proliferation of Mendels (or, at the very least, blogs about Mendel parts and construction) versus the dissemination of Darwins within the prior year.
If this is the case (and I really have no evidence of this, just my impressions), is it something about the RepRap project that has suddenly taken hold? Something about the Mendel over the Darwin? Is it the increased RepRap documentation, more YouTube/Vimeo videos? Is it the availability of parts on eBay, plastic/resin parts from molds, or something else? Is it MakerBot? Thingiverse? Facebook, Twitter, MakerFaires, or MakerTweetBook? More mainstream coverage in the media? Was is health care reform, killer bees, or the loss of the Mars rover? Is it subliminal messages embedded in the MakerBot website? Have we been plugged into the Matrix?!?!
I know someone is going to say “a combination of these things” – but really, if you had to pick one thing, what would you say it is? 1
- P.S. I’m voting for the killer bees. [↩]