The tree goes back to 2006 when the movement appears to have first started. It's enlightening to look through the details of the branches and see the variations that have come about, but it's also interesting to look at the tree as a whole to see how the movement exploded into all of the different designs we see today.
So one question I have is whether the next several years will yield the same amount of variation, or will there be a leveling-off and stability, or will the maturation of the most "fit" designs lead to less variation than we have seen so far?
I also wonder if there are other similar movements that we could look to for some indication. My feeling so far is that the RepRap movement is unique in how it is a convergence of hardware and software that both enables and feeds off of creativity and innovation. There is almost a positive feedback loop at play that is leading to innovation faster than I personally have ever been exposed to. The evolution of the RepRap movement may be without true precedent.
Thoughts?
D
