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Comment by TheBiv | Hacker News Reader

Call me a simpleton or luddite if you will, but I don't even have a regular printer at my home and I don't see a good reason to have a 3D printer either. Also, a non-techie like my brother (who probably wouldnt use this anyways) can barely install Microsoft Word, so telling him to print off a gun is an aggressive leap forward.

I just don't understand what good these types of articles play or what practice purpose they serve, other than to just strike fear into the lay persons mind.

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It's not about fear, it's about technology. We are going to have to deal with the social issues eventually when it comes to 3d printing going mainstream (which there is no reason it wouldn't.)

I think the intention of the article is to say: 'Look at this. What happens when we can 3D print anything we need? What happens then?' - A gun would be one of the hardest things to print due to the strength needed.

This article I dont believe is supposed to strike fear in viewers (though, one would be fine to assume as much, this is news media). It's more to highlight that gun control could be ultimately pointless and also to demonstrate the real world applications for 3D printing. It's a pretty good ad for 3D printing, while also appealing to many - disproportionately, nearly every piece of western mainstream entertainment invokes guns somehow.

I think these are very good points. I guess I simply hope for the sake of humanity that a practical real world applicational use for 3D printing is not guns! I appreciate your thoughts, cheers!

The day will come when every house has one of these built in. You can then install and run an app on your home computer/tablet/smartphone, then search/browse from hundreds of products. You choose a product, the app downloads it and sends it wirelessly to your home 3D printer, and a few minutes later out pops a new protective case for your smartphone. Or a new set of knobs for your kitchen drawers. Or a lamp for your newborn son's bedroom. When your son grows up, he may print you a mug on Father's day saying "World's #1 Dad".

That you can print a gun is simply a byproduct of the fact that you can print anything, and it makes for a more compelling story than "3D printing is still improving".

Well I don't see a need for having a knitting machine at home either, but I can certainly see why some people would (even non-techies!) and maybe that more people would be interested in them if they improved in price and features.

It's the people who do want a 3D printer that you gotta watch out for.

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