Subject:
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Crazy idea for third-party Factory-like service
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.cad
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Date:
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Fri, 26 Aug 2005 15:46:59 GMT
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Viewed:
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1252 times
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All right, the new LDD and LEGO Factory have inspired this idea, which is a dumb
one but I have to get it off my chest anyway:
Somebody with reasonable technical skills and a decent amount of time on their
hands could set up a service similar to LEGO Factory, but based on LDraw models.
Here’s how it would work:
- Entrepreneur decides the selection of parts he can get in quantity, and at what prices. He obtains a decent selection of each in bags of (say) 10, and makes this list available somewhere.
- He puts up a web site running some CGIs which do the following things...
- LDraw user makes a model, perhaps with reference to the published parts list, though not necessarily restricted to it.
- User uploads the LDraw file to the web site. It calculates the cost (using even bags, i.e. multiples of 10 of each part), and also lists what parts are left over (in the model but not available).
- User can choose to post the model publicly, as on LEGO Factory.
- Anybody can then find the model, download the LDRAW file, read the description, and if they choose, place an order for those parts (plus get a list of parts that are in the model but not available, which they may choose to obtain elsewhere or substitute something from their own collection).
- As a nice little extra feature, when you place such an order, it isn’t executed right away – instead, it just goes into a BrickLink-style shopping cart. So before you execute it, you can remove bags of parts that you know you already have a lot of, or add some extras that you also want.
- If entrepreneur runs out of some parts, well that just means he’s doing well. He orders more (from other BrickLink sellers if necessary), adjusting prices now and then as required by the market.
- If you really want to get fancy, you could have two prices for any model: one for all new parts (or as much new as possible), and another one for used (good condition) parts, to make models more accessible to folks on a budget.
I know, it’s a crazy idea, but it would probably work. The main reason I don’t
like it is because it would compete with LEGO Factory, and probably blow its
socks off, at least initially – it’s going to be a long time before LEGO Factory
has a big enough selection of parts, in small enough lots, to make it practical
for any serious modeling. But this system would enable ALEs to immediately
upload their carefully crafted MOCs, and let others buy at least most of the
pieces they contain, including pieces that LEGO doesn’t make anymore (but are
still reasonably easy to find).
I really want to be able to buy something like Quantum Manor or Jake’s
locomotive! I could imagine someone doing the above making that possible within
a couple months. Much as I love what LEGO Factory is trying to do, it’s hard
for me to imagine it handling models like that for a long time to come.
Best,
– Joe
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Crazy idea for third-party Factory-like service
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| (...) Beautiful idea! If I may add a slight suggestion... How about just writing some code for bricklink and selling it to them which takes an mlcad model and scans Bricklink for the best deal for those pieces or all pieces from one vendor etc. Kind (...) (19 years ago, 27-Aug-05, to lugnet.cad, FTX)
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