Open Source Laser Business Opens In New York 96
ptorrone writes "If you can't stand the idea of a cookie-cutter laptop and you live in New York City, you have a new option: laser-etching. Phil Torrone, an editor at Make magazine, and Limor Fried, a former fellow at the tech-focused art studio Eyebeam R&D, are working together on Adafruit Laser Services, a new, by-appointment-only business in Manhattan that etches custom artwork onto customers' laptops, iPods, cell phones, and other gadgets." The entire business will be open source. From the Adafruit Laser Services site: "We are publishing how to use the high powered laser system, set up, techniques, business practices and templates. You could start your own laser business, we'll even help you."
Are the lasers frickin'? (Score:5, Funny)
That should be.
Re:Are the lasers frickin'? (Score:5, Informative)
Dude (Score:2)
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Re:Are the lasers frickin'? (Score:4, Funny)
shark = new Shark();
laser = new Laser();
laser.setType( TypeFactory.createType( "Fricken" ) );
shark.mount( laser );
I think that will do...
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----------------
"Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!
Reason: Don't use so many caps. It's like YELLING."
GODDAMMIT! Lameness is INTENTIONAL!
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shark = new Shark();
laser = new Laser();
laser.setType( TypeFactory.createType( "Fricken" ) );
shark.mount( laser );
} catch(InterruptedBySecretAgentException austin) {
son.shoot(austin);
} finally {
this.cackleMadly();
}
Adafruit? (Score:1)
How open source is the business? (Score:5, Funny)
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wait for it. (Score:5, Funny)
you know it's going to happen.
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Nice Slashvert. (Score:1, Insightful)
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but a completely open-source business? If that's not novel, it's certainly unusual. I think it's pretty cool. Hopefully we get a follow-up post in six months to see how well the concept works.
What would be really interesting, though, would be to have some more "standard" open source businesses... laundromat, convenience store, teriyaki joint, etc. The kinds of shops that don't take immense resources to start up.
I suppose the franchise concept provides a closed-sourc
My god... (Score:2)
trust me, equipping a landromat takes resources.. immense resources....
Well, the site's farked, but check out flickr (Score:2)
wow [flickr.com], laser-etched nori!
Oh! Oh! Can I Be First? (Score:5, Funny)
Open Source? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Open Source? (Score:4, Informative)
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With Roland TB-303 being in really short supply, the x0xb0x is a really good alternative for creating Acid sound. It is true to the original reverse engineered clone. Sounds the same as the real thing.
I've got one kit from them, and Im pl
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Maybe I am asking a bit much from their offer to "help", but we're all in the holiday spirit of giving, right?
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Re:Open Source? (Score:5, Informative)
Language does that (Score:2)
Not, you nailed it... (Score:2)
No, you hit the nail on the head with your first sentence. It's not Open Source. It's way cool, very neat, but it's not Open Source. Typical Slashdot rocket trajectory, high on fumes.
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link? (Score:2)
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I was about to send you an email asking the same thing: what are the start-up and operating costs? (start-up would be cost of the laser device, and operating - your electrical bill)
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Re:Open Source? (Score:5, Insightful)
Wow, we need to stamp THAT out quick. Look what happened to "hacker".
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It's a pretty intriguing question actually. Maybe not open source, but businesses can certainly be a lot more open. At Slim Devices we pushed that envelope quite a bit by inviting customers to participate meaningfully in developing the products. <plug>There is an interesting article [fastcompany.com] just posted at Fast Company which asks Is this the company of the future?.</plug>
I believe it _is_ a model that will work well for many other companies, a
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Um, the term "Open Source" was in use in the business information and intelligence communities for a long time before someone decided to use it for computer source code and all-around informatic hippy-ness. Anything that's known on the street, published in a newspaper or magazine, is open sourced; this is the opposite condition of something which is secret or privileged. And by the way, who the hell made you the language police?
Re:Open Source? (Score:5, Insightful)
Compare Microsoft's software with Wal-Mart's business model: we see the output of it, but we don't quite know what techniques they used to get there (like upper-level management techniques, how they decide where to locate their stores, etc.) Try to track down the manufacturers for Wal-Mart products. Try to get a tour of the factory to see the working conditions. Hell, try to take a look at Enron's accounting practises (oops. Too late for that one).
There are many companies in many sectors who go to great lengths to protect their "source": what it is they're doing that will eventually be their output. An "open" company (okay, I admit that the "source" part is unnecessary, but it does add context to what is meant by "open") will let you see the practises of the company, so that company can show it has nothing to hide.
With business as with software, openness builds trust.
- RG>
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Not only what's in Coca cola?
But, How to make it. (how much of x and y, and how to make a batch)
How to build the machines that make it. (how to build a bottling line, etc.)
The business logic for how to market and sell it.
If they hedge their raw products through purchases on the open market, the math behind how they buy and sell the options, etc.
I could go on and on..
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenCola [wikipedia.org]
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Did someone say (Score:2)
Open Source? (Score:1, Funny)
Freakin' open source lasers!
Will eventually migrate to manufacturers (Score:1, Interesting)
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garbage (Score:1, Insightful)
Free Capitalism (Score:1)
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hold executive bonuses in escrow for a few years (Score:1)
... and give your workers all the money, reserving none of it for return on investment, equipment replacement, taxes, energy, buildings, marketing, etc.
We'll all be pleased to hear how that works out for you.
Not necessary. We can extrapolate from existing businesses where they give your executives all the money, reserving none of it for return on investment, equipment replacement, taxes, energy, buildings, marketing, etc.
Corporate bonuses need to be kept in escrow for two or three years just to be sure they are warranted. Having to plan more than 2 months into the future would likely force executives to start working for the best interests of the companies rather than their individual wallets.
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Manufacturer support? (Score:2)
I guess it really doesn't matter if you're just blasting a CO2 laser in the vague shape of words or something. Sure, alig
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I've done some work on the laser etchers by Laser Systems. The CO2 laser is a sealed RF pumped unit from 15-50 watts. The alignment to get it to the target is no big deal. I have aligned one that was knocked out of alignment
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Due to the laser power and wavelength (invisable and starts fire) the laser unit is factory sealed. The alignment I was talking about is entirely downstream of the laser head. The alignment is completed with all interlocks in place and functional. The lid is opened, the mirror tweaked and tape replaced and then the covers are closed and the alig
Is this new? (Score:3, Insightful)
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In some sense, nearly every form of viral marketing is a pyramid scheme itself, the difference being that the products and services promoted successfully through such a method usually have a value or utility associated with th
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Yeah, and as a member of the scheme you know this because that's the appeal... the concept of getting others involved and getting a cut of their income is widely the basis of recruiting others into such an organization. How can you claim this isn't true?
As for lack of value in a service or product: are you crazy? Just about everyone out there knows that WalMart is a (small) step above a second hand store and look at the people flock to i
a boring cookie-cutter business (Score:1)
The intro began with:
""If you can't stand the idea of a cookie-cutter laptop..."
Why would such a person want a cookie-cutter business? If you follow directions closely, you will have a duplicate of the original business. Well you might as well open another t-shirt business, taco shop or Starbucks and join the retail lemmings of the world. A business must have some thing or things unique to prosper.
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But the crux of this discussion is the word 'open source'. Is it appropriate? And the unique thing my post h
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I don't see laser shops on every street corner, so it's obviously not yet 'cookie-cutter' enough. It's still a relatively new idea (using lasers to etch various things like laptops, etc)
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Look at gcc or glibc or linux kernel or libstdc++. These are all hugely popular and used programs with no equally popular forks. It's not wort
Macdonalds of Laser Etching? (Score:1)
Though there is one problem,how does one etching business gain over the other?Is it purely like Burger King where its based on geographical location or through special things the shop can do.
If this comment is crap,just mod me down
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That question is rooted in a traditional business model, which is what this type of business is trying to not be.
Instead of thinking that competition is part of the business plan by default, why not think cooperation instead. If your shop uptown gets a large order that it can't handle and meet the delivery date, you hand off the excess production to another shop downtown.
If you can't afford to pay for a promotion, c
YES!!! (Score:1)
I can't figure you lot out... (Score:2)
Adafruit? (Score:1)
Old-school hacker connection (Score:2)
OrgName: L0pht Heavy Industries
OrgID: LHI
Address: 46 Waltham St
City: Boston
StateProv: MA
PostalCode: 02118
Country: US
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We're very sorry Mr. Smith... (Score:2)
In Toronto, Canada.... (Score:1)
If you are in the Toronto Area you can visit
http://laseretch.sublimeideas.com/ [sublimeideas.com]
There are also 20 free etching giveaways....