One of my favorite artifacts is a copy of the original Whole Earth Catalog, a maker's dream. It collated just about everything one could need to make anything.

Most of the people in my generation grew up with at least some knowledge of how to make and fix things, even though many chose not to, preferring to buy what they needed ready made. But the current generation grew up thinking that work meant sitting in a cubicle writing code or driving around selling real estate. To these people, the idea of making is a novel one.

Reading some of the stuff on the net, it's amazing how exciting the idea of making the simplest thing is. It is becoming clear that people are realizing that, in many cases, they are being had, paying much more for ready made items and, more often than not, getting the added benefit of toxic materials and ingredients that are co casually tossed into the mix by most manufacturers.

This renewed interest in making things is an opportunity for those of us who know how to make stuff. We have much to offer these neophyte makers and they are obviously hungry for the information. A business opportunity?

D.D.