Homebrew PCBs

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
>