Defense Distributed: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
removed inflammatory, subjective statement
Line 14: Line 14:
}}
}}


'''Defense Distributed''' is an online, [[open-source]],<ref name=about/> nonprofit<ref name=guardian2/> [[Normative ethics|ethically-questionable]] organization designing a [[firearm]], called a [[Wiki Weapon]],<ref name=f20120823/><ref name=NYT1>{{cite news|last=Bilton|first=Nick|title=Disruptions: With a 3-D Printer, Building a Gun With the Push of a Button|url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/07/with-a-3-d-printer-building-a-gun-at-home/|newspaper=The New York Times|date=2012-10-07|accessdate=2012-12-15}}</ref><ref name=reason20121212/> that may be downloaded from the internet and "printed" with a [[3D printing|3D printer]].<ref name=f20120823>{{cite news|last=Greenberg|first=Andy|title='Wiki Weapon Project' Aims To Create A Gun Anyone Can 3D-Print At Home|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/08/23/wiki-weapon-project-aims-to-create-a-gun-anyone-can-3d-print-at-home/|accessdate=2012-08-27|newspaper=Forbes|date=2012-08-23}}</ref> Among the organization's goals is to develop and freely publish firearms-related design schematics<ref>[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/07/30/3d_printed_assault_rifle/ Hobbyist builds working assault rifle using 3D printer]</ref> that can be downloaded and reproduced by anyone with a 3D printer.<ref name=pcm20120824>{{cite news|last=Poeter|first=Damon|title=Could a 'Printable Gun' Change the World?|url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2408899,00.asp|accessdate=2012-08-27|newspaper=PC Magazine|date=2012-08-24}}</ref>
'''Defense Distributed''' is an online, [[open-source]],<ref name=about/> nonprofit<ref name=guardian2/> organization designing a [[firearm]], called a [[Wiki Weapon]],<ref name=f20120823/><ref name=NYT1>{{cite news|last=Bilton|first=Nick|title=Disruptions: With a 3-D Printer, Building a Gun With the Push of a Button|url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/07/with-a-3-d-printer-building-a-gun-at-home/|newspaper=The New York Times|date=2012-10-07|accessdate=2012-12-15}}</ref><ref name=reason20121212/> that may be downloaded from the internet and "printed" with a [[3D printing|3D printer]].<ref name=f20120823>{{cite news|last=Greenberg|first=Andy|title='Wiki Weapon Project' Aims To Create A Gun Anyone Can 3D-Print At Home|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/08/23/wiki-weapon-project-aims-to-create-a-gun-anyone-can-3d-print-at-home/|accessdate=2012-08-27|newspaper=Forbes|date=2012-08-23}}</ref> Among the organization's goals is to develop and freely publish firearms-related design schematics<ref>[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/07/30/3d_printed_assault_rifle/ Hobbyist builds working assault rifle using 3D printer]</ref> that can be downloaded and reproduced by anyone with a 3D printer.<ref name=pcm20120824>{{cite news|last=Poeter|first=Damon|title=Could a 'Printable Gun' Change the World?|url=http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2408899,00.asp|accessdate=2012-08-27|newspaper=PC Magazine|date=2012-08-24}}</ref>


After raising over {{currency|20000|USD}} via a [[Crowd funding|crowd-funding]] appeal,<ref name=f20120823/><ref name=pcm20120824/> suffering the confiscation of its first 3D printer,<ref name="wired"/> and partnering with private manufacturing firms,<ref name=guardian2>{{cite news|last=Hotz|first=Alexander|title=3D 'Wiki Weapon' guns could go into testing by end of year, maker claims|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/nov/25/3d-wiki-weapons-guns|accessdate=2012-12-15|newspaper=The Guardian|date=2012-11-25}}</ref> the organization began live fire testing of printable firearm components in December 2012.<ref name=wired3>{{cite news|last=Beckhusen|first=Robert|title=3-D Printed Gun Only Lasts 6 Shots|url=http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/12/weaponeers/|accessdate=2012-12-15|work=Danger Room|journal=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|date=2012-12-03}}</ref><ref name=Forbes3>{{cite news|last=Greenberg|first=Andy|title=Here's What It Looks Like To Fire A (Partly) 3D-Printed Gun (Video)|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/12/03/heres-what-it-looks-like-to-fire-a-partly-3d-printed-gun-video/|accessdate=2012-12-15|newspaper=Forbes Online|date=2012-12-03}}</ref>
After raising over {{currency|20000|USD}} via a [[Crowd funding|crowd-funding]] appeal,<ref name=f20120823/><ref name=pcm20120824/> suffering the confiscation of its first 3D printer,<ref name="wired"/> and partnering with private manufacturing firms,<ref name=guardian2>{{cite news|last=Hotz|first=Alexander|title=3D 'Wiki Weapon' guns could go into testing by end of year, maker claims|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/nov/25/3d-wiki-weapons-guns|accessdate=2012-12-15|newspaper=The Guardian|date=2012-11-25}}</ref> the organization began live fire testing of printable firearm components in December 2012.<ref name=wired3>{{cite news|last=Beckhusen|first=Robert|title=3-D Printed Gun Only Lasts 6 Shots|url=http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/12/weaponeers/|accessdate=2012-12-15|work=Danger Room|journal=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|date=2012-12-03}}</ref><ref name=Forbes3>{{cite news|last=Greenberg|first=Andy|title=Here's What It Looks Like To Fire A (Partly) 3D-Printed Gun (Video)|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/12/03/heres-what-it-looks-like-to-fire-a-partly-3d-printed-gun-video/|accessdate=2012-12-15|newspaper=Forbes Online|date=2012-12-03}}</ref>

Revision as of 16:07, 6 May 2013

Defense Distributed
DD Rings Black
Screenshot
Type of site
Open source digital publishing
URLwww.defdist.org
CommercialNo[1][2]

Defense Distributed is an online, open-source,[1] nonprofit[5] organization designing a firearm, called a Wiki Weapon,[6][7][8] that may be downloaded from the internet and "printed" with a 3D printer.[6] Among the organization's goals is to develop and freely publish firearms-related design schematics[9] that can be downloaded and reproduced by anyone with a 3D printer.[10]

After raising over US$20,000 via a crowd-funding appeal,[6][10] suffering the confiscation of its first 3D printer,[11] and partnering with private manufacturing firms,[5] the organization began live fire testing of printable firearm components in December 2012.[12][13]

Defense Distributed has to date produced a durable printed receiver for the AR-15[14][15][16], the first printed standard capacity AR-15 magazine[17][18][19], and the first printed magazine for the AK-47[20][21]. These files are available for download at the organization's publishing site, DEFCAD.[22]

History

Founding

The defensedistributed.com domain name was registered on 4 June 2012.[3] The website was unveiled in conjunction with an Indiegogo campaign of the same name in July 2012, where the organization asked to receive US$20,000.[6][23] Indiegogo suspended the crowd-funding campaign for a terms of service violation after three weeks, refunding the money raised without offering public comment.[23][24] Defense Distributed continued the appeal on its own website, however, accepting contributions through PayPal and the crypto-currency Bitcoin, and met its fundraising goal in September 2012.[25]

The organization has been predominantly represented in public since July 2012 by Cody Wilson, who is described as a founder and spokesperson.[8][26]

Defense Distributed lists its members as a mix of students, IT professionals, engineers, and programmers from the United States and Germany.[1]

Purpose

According to the Defense Distributed website, the nonprofit is organized and operated for charitable and literary purposes, specifically "to defend the civil liberty of popular access to arms as guaranteed by the United States Constitution and affirmed by the Supreme Court, through facilitating global access to, and the collaborative production of, information and knowledge related to the 3D printing of arms; and to publish and distribute... such information and knowledge in promotion of the public interest."[1][5] The websites once had a “Manifesto” page presenting string of quotations from American and British historical figures that could be broadly read to support the right to arms and freedom of speech,[6] but the site's manifesto link now directs users to an online version of John Milton's essay Areopagitica.[27]

The organization’s motivations have been described as "less about [a] gun... than about democratizing manufacturing technology,"[28] In an interview with Slashdot, Cody Wilson described the Wiki Weapon project as a chance to "experiment with Enlightenment ideas… to literally materialize freedom.”[29]

At Bitcoin 2012 in London, Wilson explained the organization as interested in inspiring libertarian forms of social organization and technologically driven inversions of authority.[30]

DEFCAD

In December 2012, as a response to Makerbot Industries' decision[31][32][33] to take down firearms-related files at the popular 3D printing file library Thingiverse, Defense Distributed launched a companion site at defcad.org.[34][35][36] DEFCAD currently hosts all of the files Defense Distributed believes to have been "censored"[35] from Thingiverse, as well as other files submitted by the public and those related to the Wiki Weapon project.[22][36][37]

In March 2013, at the SXSW Interactive festival, Wilson announced a repurposed and expanded DEFCAD that would serve as a 3D search engine and development hub, while maintaining the spirit of access endemic to Defense Distributed.[38][39][40] The new DEFCAD was deemed "The Pirate Bay of 3D Printing"[41] and "the anti-Makerbot"[40] even before its launch, and has to date raised over US$80,000 through a crowd-funding appeal.[42]

Administration

Legal status

Defense Distributed is a pending 501(c)(3) tax exempt charity, and not a weapons manufacturer.[5][8][13] The organization operates to publish intellectual property and information developed by licensed firearms manufacturers and the public.[5]

Cody Wilson has a Type 7 Federal Firearms License (FFL), however.[43][44]

Legal troubles

Stratasys confiscation

Learning of Defense Distributed's plans, manufacturer Stratasys, Inc threatened legal action and demanded the return of the 3D printer it had leased to Wilson.[11] On September 26, 2012, before the printer was assembled for use, Wilson received an email from Stratasys claiming that he was using the printer "for illegal purposes".[11] Stratasys immediately canceled its lease with Wilson and sent a team to confiscate the printer the next day.[11][13] Wilson was subsequently questioned by the ATF.[11]

The Undetectable Firearms Act

Defense Distributed's efforts have prompted renewed discussion and examination of the Undetectable Firearms Act.[8][44][45][46]

Reception

Defense Distributed has received both strong praise and criticism. It has not been endorsed by the National Rifle Association (NRA), which to date has offered no public comment on the organization or its activities. Defense Distributed has been obliquely endorsed by the Gun Owners of America (GOA).[47] Critics have accused the organization of endangering public safety and attempting to frustrate and alter the US system of government.[48][49]

Commenting on Defense Distributed’s frequent theatricality, Aaron Timms of Blouin News described the organization as performing “the greatest piece of political performance art of [the 21st] century.”[50]

Open source software icon Eric S. Raymond has endorsed the organization and its efforts, calling Defense Distributed "friends of freedom" and writing "I approve of any development that makes it more difficult for governments and criminals to monopolize the use of force. As 3D printers become less expensive and more ubiquitous, this could be a major step in the right direction."[51][52]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "About Us". Defense Distributed. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  2. ^ "Defense Distributed". Defense Distributed. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  3. ^ a b accessdate=21 September 2012 "Whois Search Results: defensedistributed.com". {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Missing pipe in: |url= (help)
  4. ^ "DefenseDistributed.com Site Info". Alexa Internet. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d e Hotz, Alexander (2012-11-25). "3D 'Wiki Weapon' guns could go into testing by end of year, maker claims". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  6. ^ a b c d e Greenberg, Andy (2012-08-23). "'Wiki Weapon Project' Aims To Create A Gun Anyone Can 3D-Print At Home". Forbes. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  7. ^ Bilton, Nick (2012-10-07). "Disruptions: With a 3-D Printer, Building a Gun With the Push of a Button". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  8. ^ a b c d Doherty, Brian (2012-12-12). "Disruptions: With a 3-D Printer, Building a Gun With the Push of a Button". Reason.com. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  9. ^ Hobbyist builds working assault rifle using 3D printer
  10. ^ a b Poeter, Damon (2012-08-24). "Could a 'Printable Gun' Change the World?". PC Magazine. Retrieved 2012-08-27.
  11. ^ a b c d e Beckhusen, Robert (2012-10-01). "3-D Printer Company Seizes Machine From Desktop Gunsmith". Wired News. Retrieved 2012-10-04.
  12. ^ Beckhusen, Robert (2012-12-03). "3-D Printed Gun Only Lasts 6 Shots". Wired. Retrieved 2012-12-15. {{cite news}}: More than one of |work= and |journal= specified (help)
  13. ^ a b c Greenberg, Andy (2012-12-03). "Here's What It Looks Like To Fire A (Partly) 3D-Printed Gun (Video)". Forbes Online. Retrieved 2012-12-15. Cite error: The named reference "Forbes3" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  14. ^ Beckhusen, Robert (2013-02-28). "Watch the New and Improved Printable Gun Spew Hundreds of Bullets". Wired. Retrieved 2013-04-12. {{cite news}}: More than one of |work= and |journal= specified (help)
  15. ^ Farivar, Cyrus (2013-03-01). ""Download this gun": 3D-printed semi-automatic fires over 600 rounds". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2013-04-12. {{cite news}}: More than one of |work= and |journal= specified (help)
  16. ^ Biggs, John (2013-03-01). "Defense Distributed Prints An AR-15 Receiver That Has Fired More Than 600 Rounds". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  17. ^ Greenberg, Andy (2013-01-14). "Gunsmiths 3D-Print High Capacity Ammo Clips To Thwart Proposed Gun Laws". Forbes Online. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  18. ^ Franzen, Carl (2013-02-07). "Defense Distributed Unveils New 3D Printed Gun Magazine 'Cuomo' (VIDEO)". Talking Points Memo. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  19. ^ Beckhusen, Robert (2013-02-08). "New 3-D Printed Rifle Magazine Lets You Fire Hundreds of Rounds". Wired Danger Room. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  20. ^ Ingersoll, Geoffrey (2013-03-08). "3D Printing Company Names AK-47 Magazine After Gun Control Congresswoman". Business Insider. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  21. ^ Branson, Michael (2013-04-08). "Defense Distributed Releases Printable AK Magazine". The Fiream Blog. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  22. ^ a b Bilton, Ricardo (2013-02-19). "3D-printing gun site DEFCAD now attracting 3K visitors an hour, 250K downloads since launch". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  23. ^ a b Roy, Jessica (2012-08-23). "WikiWeapon Campaign to 3D-Print Your Own Gun Suspended by Indiegogo". Betabeat. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  24. ^ Martinez, Fidel (2012-08-27). "Indiegogo shuts down campaign to develop world's first printable gun". The Daily Dot. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  25. ^ Greenberg, Andy (2012-09-20). "3D-Printable Gun Project Hits Its Fundraising Goal Despite Being Booted Off Indiegogo". Forbes Online. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  26. ^ Brown, Rich (2012-09-07). "You don't bring a 3D printer to a gun fight - yet - Yahoo! News". News.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  27. ^ "Want a Free Download of a Semi-Automatic Rifle? Print One!". thelibertarianrepublic.com. 2013-03-03. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  28. ^ Brown, Rich (2012-09-06). "You don't bring a 3D printer to a gun fight -- yet". CNET. Retrieved 2012-09-21.
  29. ^ "Should We Print Guns? Cody R. Wilson Says "Yes" (Video) -Slashdot". Hardware.slashdot.org. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  30. ^ "Bitcoin2012 London". Bitcoin2012.com. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  31. ^ Maly, Tim (2012-12-19). "Thingiverse Removes (Most) Printable Gun Parts". Wired. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  32. ^ "MakerBot pulls 3D gun-parts blueprints after Sandy Hook". BBC News. 2012-12-20. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  33. ^ Pepitone, Julianne (2012-12-20). "3-D printer MakerBot cracks down on blueprints for gun parts". CNN Money. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  34. ^ Limer, Eric (2012-12-21). "There's a New Site Just for 3D-Printed Gun Designs". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  35. ^ a b Bilton, Ricardo (2012-12-21). "Fighting 'censorship,' 3D-printed gun designs find a new home". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  36. ^ a b Robertson, Adi (2012-12-21). "3D printed gun enthusiasts build site for firearm files after MakerBot crackdown". The Verge. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  37. ^ Klimas, Liz (2012-01-09). "Website to The Blaze: People Rushing to Download Online Blueprints for 3D Printed Guns". The Blaze. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  38. ^ Greenberg, Andy (2013-03-11). "3D-Printable Gun Project Announces Plans For A For-Profit Search Engine Startup". Forbes Online. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  39. ^ Farivar, Cyrus (2013-03-11). "3D printing gunmaker forms company to flout copyright law, à la the Pirate Bay". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  40. ^ a b Bilton, Ricardo (2013-03-11). "Expanding beyond 3D printed guns, DEFCAD is officially the anti-MakerBot". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  41. ^ "'Pirate Bay' for 3D printing launched". BBC News. 2013-03-12. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  42. ^ "DEFCAD.com". DEFCAD. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  43. ^ "US grants first license to sell 3D-printed guns". Daily Mail. 2013-03-18. Retrieved 2013-03-21.
  44. ^ a b LeJacq, Yannick (2012-12-10). "Defense Distributed's 'Wiki Weapon': U.S. Congressman Steve Israel Offers First Legislative Challenge". Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  45. ^ Hsu, Jeremy (2012-12-10). "3D-Printable Guns Face Federal Ban". Mashable. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  46. ^ Brown, Rich (2012-12-10). "The Undetectable Firearms Act and 3D-printed guns (FAQ)". CNET. Retrieved 2012-12-15.
  47. ^ Rosenwald, Michael (2013-02-18). "Weapons made with 3-D printers could test gun-control efforts". The Washington Post.
  48. ^ "The 15 Most Dangerous People in the World". Wired Danger Room. 2012-12-19. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  49. ^ Morozov, Evgeny (2013-03-16). "Open and Closed". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  50. ^ Timms, Aaron (2013-03-29). "The future of 3D printing might be scarier than you thought". Blouin News.
  51. ^ Raymond, Eric (2012-08-23). "Defense Distributed". Armed and Dangerous. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  52. ^ Kopstein, Joshua (2013-04-12). "Guns want to be free: what happens when 3D printing and crypto-anarchy collide?". The Verge.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Defense_Distributed&oldid=553798351"