Click, Print, Shoot: Downloadable guns possible

A bit dangerous trying to fire live ammunition. The device might explode in your face
 
Haha, the next versions of 3D printers will have software/DRM/? to prevent printing guns and weapons. This will prevent people renting the machines from printing guns. But when 3D printers ate cheap enough for everyone to access, there'll have to be some other protection.
 
Boris Becker said:
Haha, the next versions of 3D printers will have software/DRM/? to prevent printing guns and weapons. This will prevent people renting the machines from printing guns. But when 3D printers ate cheap enough for everyone to access, there'll have to be some other protection.
Click to expand...

Now it will be even easier for bad guys to have guns. Previously in high government control locations bad guys had to import, bribe or manufacture their own (which is not hard considering the tech has not changed significantly in the last 100 years) now this will make it even easier. As for DRM, we know it works because DVDs/Blurays/ebooks/software no longer get pirated.
 
...And pray it doesn't explode in your hand. Guns aren't exactly something you want to DIY...huge forces involved for a couple of split seconds. Flying plastic shrapnel FTL.
 
HavocXphere said:
...And pray it doesn't explode in your hand. Guns aren't exactly something you want to DIY...huge forces involved for a couple of split seconds. Flying plastic shrapnel FTL.
Click to expand...

Impurities in cocaine and over doses don't stop drug addicts from buying drugs. It should not be hard for more organised criminals to perfect designs and be able to "print" safe and reliable weapons.
 
Space_Chief said:
Now it will be even easier for bad guys to have guns. Previously in high government control locations bad guys had to import, bribe or manufacture their own (which is not hard considering the tech has not changed significantly in the last 100 years) now this will make it even easier. As for DRM, we know it works because DVDs/Blurays/ebooks/software no longer get pirated.
Click to expand...

I said DRM of some kind will work on rented 3D printers because you'd be dumb trying to hack a rented piece of equipment in case you bricked it meaning you'd have to pay a packet
 
Boris Becker said:
I said DRM of some kind will work on rented 3D printers because you'd be dumb trying to hack a rented piece of equipment in case you bricked it meaning you'd have to pay a packet
Click to expand...

DRM usually works on the input software side. Software is encrypted, printer has key to decrypt. The software is what is protected, not the printer. One could enter instructions to make a gun and just "protect" them with a key to print a teddy bear, or one could enter unprotected instructions.

I suppose the printer's DRM could be some form of super smart artificial intelligence which is able to know every element you're printing cannot possibly be combined into a gun, and if it can, it will refuse to print it. As you can see such a concept is ridiculous. For it would exclude virtually any printing at all because in theory with a little retouching almost anything could be a gun part. Illicit gun makers wouldn't just rely on a printer to print a complete gun, they'd get it to tool elements thereof and then customise them to fit their own concept.

BTW even if you were right, and i don't think what you say makes a lot of sense, bricking a device (and reprogramming it to do whatever you wish) would be a small price to pay for the privilege of making illegal weapons.
 
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