Can I just take a moment to rant a little? It’s post Christmas and there are a ton of new people getting into 3d printing for the first time. With that, there seems an uptick in people complaining about new users and their basic questions. I just find this to be disgusting behavior, and needed a moment, a spot, to spout my own frustrations.
People often act as if you didn’t bathe yourself in the blood of an ender 3, that you have no right to 3d printing. That somehow before someone can truly be accepted into 3d printing, they must first feel the pain and frustration of decades of poorly made 3d printers.
I just don’t get why there has to be this level of attempted gate keeping and putting others down. Especially as people are discovering 3d printing for the first time. You know, there’s lots they don’t know, didn’t know, didn’t think about, didn’t ever have to discover. I think by chastising people, putting them down, we set a bad example and image of what this hobby can be. To me, I think about all the stupidest little mistakes I’ve made in life, that is just a huge DUHHH, and I can’t ever imagine insulting someone because they didn’t think about this dumb little thing that we all just do instinctively and without thought now.
I saw one post where people were harping on a lady for buying a 3d printing, but not even knowing what to do with it, where to start, or any of that. They harped on her for not doing research and all that, and yada yada. It’s like okay though, we all make impulse purchases. Her reaching out to the community though isn’t, and shouldn’t, be a bad thing or something to make fun of her over though. Not everyone wants to go on a solo journey of discovery, some people want to engage the community and be a part of it, want to learn from it, grow within it. That’s something that always frustrated me greatly when the phrase “google it” was so common. Like dude, I asked you because I wanted to learn from you, my friend, my fellow human being.
The amount of dumb mistakes and things I did during my journey learning 3d printing. I can only imagine how it would have been, how discouraging it would have been, had there been someone talking to me the way I see some of these “gatekeeper” types talk to new users.
Actually, I do know how it can go. When I was originally learning to do graphics, I was trying to mimic an FX shot of a jet flyby using a miniature and a green screen. My mother came in, asked what I was doing. I explained. She said I was stupid, and what I was doing was stupid, and then walked out.
That moment made it difficult for a long time to open up. Even these days, I tend to keep things under wraps until they’re ready enough because of the lingering damage that comment left. People making disparaging comments towards new users, it’s the same kind of damage flinging at people. At a moment when they’re excited, opening themselves up to something new, and they’re just getting trashed on.
I don’t want people to have to deal with the frustrations I’ve dealt with for years with DIY and budget 3d printers. I want to see people have the ease and fun that I commonly experience now days. I think people getting into the hobby now days are lucky and rich with awesome choices that make the whole experience much more approachable.
I love the booming and growing consumer side of the market. Like a lot of folks in that segment may not be as technically minded, but they’re still having a blast. They’re getting the same joy I get. To make something from seemingly nothing. They may not be out their modeling and engineering their own models, but they’re still having a blast.
3D Printing doesn’t have to be niche. We don’t have to keep it niche. We should open this world, this hobby, up to everyone, regardless of their skill level, their desire to tinker, or be a cad power user.
Like damn dude. Even if you’re just a mid 20s something and you want a printer just to print silk pla flexi dragons, do it, go for it, and if you need support and I see it, I’ll freakin’ help ya. If you don’t understand the purge line needs to be removed, I don’t care. I’ll tell you to remove it, and carry on. 3D Printing is awesome, and I think it’s awesome seeing others getting into it, enjoying it, discovering it, in all their own ways.
Anyway, I need to to stop slacking and get back to Fusion.
. I personally enjoy helping out users when I have some free time and I see many of the same forum users doing the same. So I think we have a pretty healthy new user environment here.
Makes me consider. We need a pinned thread or guide like “So you decided 3d printing was a good idea” and just cover all the basics. This is a plate, clean it, this is a purge line, remove it, this is a tree support, don’t eat it, it’s not an actual tree and you’re not a beaver.
Imagine I consider the glue usage as the smallpox to eradicate 
