Catching up on 3D printed guns

So recently there has been a lot of noise about 3D printed guns. As of today, Defcad (your first stop page for weapon related 3D data) is being ordered by the US Department of Defense Trade Controls to take their archives down. I am not going to comment on the futility of the attempt to remove controversial files from the internet, as there are springing torrents of it to life as we speak.

What’s more interesting is that that the DoD is justifying this on the grounds of export and trade regulations a.k.a. “bad states” getting hold of it. While I find the idea of an Al-Quaida member ditching their trusty AK for an expensive 3D printer to print a one-shot plastic handgun with an effective operating distance of about 5 meters somewhat amusing, it goes to show the inability of the institutions to evaluate this new reality that 3D printing will bring.

What we are seeing here is not a problem of gun control or the abuse thereof. It is the canary in the coal mine of what is to come regarding the ability of the general public to manufacture their own goods. Even the official reasoning goes to show that this is not about gun ownership, but rather the monopols of gun manufacturers being inflicted on. This will merely be one of many markets that will try to protect their former market shares, with a lot more to follow. Gun control is just special in the way of how regulated that particular market is.

Personally, I find it to be ironic how the advent of cheap means of production for the general public happens shortly before the height of the capitalistic endgame. While on the one hand this will certainly speed this process up, it also provides new perspectives and alternatives to a tried and failing capitalistic society.

I for one am not worried the slightest about the government taking away my ability to download weapons, but much more about the government trying to take away my ability to print everyday necessities.

Guardian: Piano found on Britain’s highest mountain

“At first they thought it was just the wooden casing but then they saw the whole cast iron frame complete with strings.

“The only thing that that was missing was the keyboard - and that’s another mystery.

“Maybe it’s hidden somewhere else on the mountain.”

He added that a biscuit wrapper with a best before date of December 1986 was found under the piano, giving a clue as to when it was taken there, but not why.

Programming in a nutshell