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."
Re:Are the lasers frickin'? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Open Source? (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Open Source? (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Open Source? (Score:3, Informative)
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, and in fact I've spent plenty of time wondering just how far you could take it. As an extreme, imagine if a new business were to begin with open discussions of strategy, fund raising, hiring, executive comp decisions, etc. Discuss it all on forums and let an open community create the whole thing, not just the products.
Re:Open Source? (Score:1, Informative)
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 planning to use the schematics to make another box without purchasing anything from them.
Still, they are great!