A: He implies it was previously impossible in the article with this line:

"As a result, all anyone needs to open many locks previously considered “unbumpable” ..."

B: He asked someone to tell him how it could have been bumped prior to this application.

C: I described, in my scenario, the purchase of a 1 Euro blank from someone who runs the machine, which is actually /less/ than the Shapeways scenario, which is otherwise the same - you don't purchase the equipment, you purchase the product the equipment makes.