Dave,
Correct. John has been complaining on these lists that he has
been "Ripped off" on "His" designs and that his business is failing
and so on. While I commend him for taking the time and risks
associated with producing a commercial product such as his plans, I
do not see his failure as a result of being ripped off.
If there was such a huge market for his plans and/or designs, he
would be as rich as Bill Gates. However, as many people learn in
business, there is only X amount of people willing to pay X amount
of dollars for any given product. If you can't find enough
customers willing to pay the price for the product, then the market
isn't big enough to support the costs.
Just because he is the "First to use window channel" does not
guarantee a person success in a marketplace nor does it grant him
any rights to the variety of machine designs that are out there,
similar, identical, or otherwise. Furthermore, just because he was
the "First to use window channel" does not make his plans the only
option, the best option, or the end-all-cure-all for those that want
a small CNC machine.
Just as there are dozens of people on this group, there are dozens
of ideas of what people want in a small CNC machine. Not all of
them have the: need, desire, or willingness to build a CNC machine
out of hardware store products. Some folks actually want a machine
tool of higher quality, some folks may not want to actually build
it, some fold don't have the ability to assemble the bits and
pieces, etc.
My builds have had varying purposes - the most recent being as a
platform for learning about electronics. The previous one was as a
woodworking router with travels and overall size that would fit a
given work area and shop floor space. Other folks may want a "plug
and play" machine and so on. We are all different, we all have
different needs or perceived needs for a CNC machine.
> Chris,
>
> John has put together a lot of different designs. To say that all
> were so unique as to have no part ever done in a similar way before
> would be silly.
>
> But, when you look at the one machine John did design and make
plans
> for, and then you look at the free plans, you have a hard time
finding
> any difference.
>
> In my book that is not a parallel design.
>
> But, like you said in so many words, there is nothing new under the
> Sun. almost every design is just some other design with something
> different.
>
> Look at all the machines that are based on a Bridgeport. Look at
all
> the machines that are router based with a flying gantry. Almost
> everythings is based on those designs. I think the Hex-a-pod is
about
> the most unique thing that has come along.
>
> Dave
>