3-D printing and the obsolescence of toy conglomerates

[1F409]

With 3-D printing getting better and less expensive, does the MotU fan community really need Mattel any more? (I can hear it now: "My lord, is that LEEEgal?")

[MIDOR]

I'm going to say yest.

Mattel is for the masses. 3 D printing is for the customizers.

3 D printing helps Mattel visualize the figure. Does Mattel NEEED 3 D printing? I'm going to say no but it can help them.

In my opinion.

[1F409]

What about once there's a 3-D printer on every block and the quality rivals injection molding? A big company can be more efficient with mass production only as long as the tools and materials aren't in common use by the laity. Once that shifts, and printing plastics become a household staple, then at-home designers will start edging out the 9-to-5-ers. With their former monopoly on creativity down the drain, the companies that have for so long rested on their laurels will find themselves out in the cold. No?

[Black Zodac]

Well.... with He-Man figures, you also get the cool packaging, mini-comics, etc. Many collectors keep their figures MOC. Where I could see 3-D printing doing well would be with army builder characters, and obscure characters that Mattel wouldn't make.

[Mechanizor]

I haven't dived into the 3D printing trend myself to this day, (Hopefully one day I'll do that once I have the space, time and the money for it), but I think it's all about having and creating your own IPs vs making stuff under someones IP's umbrella when it comes to making a supplemental income!

Me as I designer/creator, I'd rather have my own creations made either to support my own IPs, or as a 3rd party maker/supplier for certain IP's that I love without infringing on them, like creating a new vehicle and/or a playset that are compatible with the Origins figures for example.

I'm not into sharing stolen printed files, nor sharing files that I haven't created or purchased for the purpose of producing products to sell!... However I think it's okay to print someone's designs that were legally vetted publicly for your enjoyment, just like me as a fan downloading a DC or MOTU image from the internet to print and hang on my own wall, or use it as a wallpaper.

[1F409]

Your mention of "stolen files" intrigues me: I'm trying to envision a group of 3-D printing commandos raiding Mattel's HQ in the middle of the night, making off with filing cabinets full of designs...

It really would have to be a literal theft like that, because otherwise there's no theft involved -- copying is not stealing. Frankly, the entire argument for "intellectual property" is fallacious, it's just that we've been conditioned for centuries to equate ideas with property. One owns what's in one's head, but when one lets that out into the public sphere, then it's out of one's control. Expecting credit is fine (else it's plagiarism), but to actually believe one is entitled to use threats of violence-backed punishment to "keep" one's published ideas from being used by others is rather insane!

Of course, I understand that you're working within the framework that currently exists, so you're not necessarily arguing the morality of it. My point, however, is that there's a huge shift in manufacturing on the horizon, and with it will come the obsolescence of those authoritarian methods that are currently used to maintain the stranglehold on Man's creativity.

[Mechanizor]

Your mention of "stolen files" intrigues me: I'm trying to envision a group of 3-D printing commandos raiding Mattel's HQ in the middle of the night, making off with filing cabinets full of designs...

It really would have to be a literal theft like that, because otherwise there's no theft involved -- copying is not stealing. Frankly, the entire argument for "intellectual property" is fallacious, it's just that we've been conditioned for centuries to equate ideas with property. One owns what's in one's head, but when one lets that out into the public sphere, then it's out of one's control. Expecting credit is fine (else it's plagiarism), but to actually believe one is entitled to use threats of violence-backed punishment to "keep" one's published ideas from being used by others is rather insane!

Of course, I understand that you're working within the framework that currently exists, so you're not necessarily arguing the morality of it. My point, however, is that there's a huge shift in manufacturing on the horizon, and with it will come the obsolescence of those authoritarian methods that are currently used to maintain the stranglehold on Man's creativity.

I have to disagree on some of your notions here at least in the current system of affairs.

When you create a brand and you spend tons of money, time and hard work on it in order to make a living off of it, and someone just comes and takes it from you without asking, giving credit or putting any effort or capital into it, that's just plain theft... How artists, creators, engineers, thinkers suppose to make a living if everything they do get shared publicly without getting paid for it?!!
Even some of the well known corporations and governmental insinuations are the biggest criminals on this planet when it comes to IP theft...

I'm not saying if you draw a circle or a square and claim these your own creations and everyone on the planet who draws a circle or a square or make a use of them should pay you royalties! Nor I'm saying if you wanna download a publicly traded program you should sell a kidney in order for you to use it! There should be a balance and a cap on how things should be operated and handled especially for the common good.

[1F409]

I've already acknowledged that you're operating within the current framework, so why would you would then "disagree on some of your notions here at least in the current system of affairs"? As for the scenario where "someone just comes and takes it from you without asking, giving credit or putting any effort or capital into it", I think that lumps a lot of things in together that don't necessarily belong, resulting more in the appearance of theft. As for your question about how creators could "make a living if everything they do get shared publicly without getting paid for it?!!", I think requires a longer, separate answer, perhaps one which you're not going to like! I'm too tired to attempt that right now, so instead I'll leave you with a link to lawyer Stephan Kinsella's free 2008 PDF book, Against Intellectual Property... https://mises.org/library/against-in...ual-property-0

Now, as for 3-D printing, my own use case probably explains best where I'm coming from: Personally, I don't care for the look of all those joints on today's action figures, so it would be nice to be able to pose a computer model the way I want it and print out a custom statue at whatever scale I prefer. If I had to wait for Mattel to cater to my interests, I doubt I'd ever see it. Even if I were to approach them for "permission" to do it myself, they're as likely to slap me with an injunction as to cater to my unique tastes -- unless they can somehow find a way to squeeze some money out of me for it! Moreover, despite the fact that I'd have done all of the work, we all kind of know that Mattel would then stride in, co-opt the idea, pretend like it was theirs all along, and push me out.

They've made their money many times over. It's time we stopped letting them hold our childhoods to ransom.

[Mechanizor]

I've already acknowledged that you're operating within the current framework, so why would you would then "disagree on some of your notions here at least in the current system of affairs"? As for the scenario where "someone just comes and takes it from you without asking, giving credit or putting any effort or capital into it", I think that lumps a lot of things in together that don't necessarily belong, resulting more in the appearance of theft. As for your question about how creators could "make a living if everything they do get shared publicly without getting paid for it?!!", I think requires a longer, separate answer, perhaps one which you're not going to like! I'm too tired to attempt that right now, so instead I'll leave you with a link to lawyer Stephan Kinsella's free 2008 PDF book, Against Intellectual Property... https://mises.org/library/against-in...ual-property-0

Now, as for 3-D printing, my own use case probably explains best where I'm coming from: Personally, I don't care for the look of all those joints on today's action figures, so it would be nice to be able to pose a computer model the way I want it and print out a custom statue at whatever scale I prefer. If I had to wait for Mattel to cater to my interests, I doubt I'd ever see it. Even if I were to approach them for "permission" to do it myself, they're as likely to slap me with an injunction as to cater to my unique tastes -- unless they can somehow find a way to squeeze some money out of me for it! Moreover, despite the fact that I'd have done all of the work, we all kind of know that Mattel would then stride in, co-opt the idea, pretend like it was theirs all along, and push me out.

They've made their money many times over. It's time we stopped letting them hold our childhoods to ransom.

I understand where you're coming from, and I'm not against that part of your discussion per-se as long as your intention is to improve on any product that's already out, and many manufactures do this everyday, creating parts to work/improve or to replace certain parts of what you already own or have, like car parts for example. However I'm not a lawyer or a law maker to tell you what is permissible and what isn't, but I'm sure there are certain limitations (legally) to what you can do when it comes to sharing some of this stuff publicly!

You always can learn, study and discover new things in life whether in science, engineering, art and whatnot and share that knowledge or offer it for free if you choose to.

However that is different from taking someones' idea/work and infringe upon it and claim it's yours, or to sell it...

At the end of day Copyright and trademark laws exist for a reason.

Do I think things went out of control where you cannot breath without taking a permission or pay for it, yes I do, but do I also think people and companies or even governments abuse what's out there and steal it by giving the creators or owners a big middle finger, absolutely.

I can share some of my past experiences here, but I really don't want to because it's painful and it brings bad memories. I'm a person who loves to give a hand or share knowledge when I'm able to without asking for anything in return other than thank you or God Bless, but I also don't like to get screwed for it, and sadly a lot of people in this world love to do just that!

[1F409]

Please do let me know if you check out that book, as I'm curious to see whether the writer's argument will sway you.

[Mechanizor]

Thanks for the link. I'll take a look at it when I have the spare tine and the mood. :-) Right now, I have a lot to deal with and my brain cells are running out of steam!