[podperson]

I think this article misses not only "the" point but pretty much all points about the "maker" revolution. The maker revolution is about the world of "atoms" being converged into the world of "bits". Just as desktop publishing technology engulfed specialized information-centric industries such as mathematical and musical typesetting, 3d printers are the first step towards what Neal Stephenson referred to as "matter compilers" in The Diamond Age -- where the gap between design and physicality is almost trivial -- the idea that this will look like guilds or mass cottage industry or whatever is wrong-headed: it will look like something we've never seen before.

(I think matter compilers are going to far, and we'll probably use standardized recyclable lego-like pieces rather than atoms but the idea is basically sound).

[wmf]

3d printers are the first step towards ... where the gap between design and physicality is almost trivial

Maybe the author is thinking of the next few years and you're thinking about the next few decades.

[podperson]

Perhaps. I don't think that we'll return to the guild system in the next few years either :-)