Subject:
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Re: To quote a scholar
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Tue, 12 Jan 1999 18:05:13 GMT
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Viewed:
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839 times
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Steve Anderson wrote:
> Lego is better engineered in itself though, so you can have a level of
> "isn't this toy a superb bit of engineering!" going on. This mmakes lego
> exceptable for the construction of prototype robots and stuff. The amount
> of research papers printed that use lego robots is really huge.
>
> I have noticed that lego has lost the "construction toy" lead. A lot of
> the sets seem to be toys in themselves, rather than a mechanism for a child
> to learn about construction. The sets are intended to be used for
> "playing" rather then "building", or is this just me having terrible rose
> tints in my glasses.
> --------8<----------
>
> I think he's hit the nail on the head, hasn't he?
Well, I agree about LEGO becoming more "toy" oriented than "construction"
oriented. When I was a kid, LEGO sets that built specific models were far and
away the exception -- not the norm. Now it is completely inverted. "Freestyle"
sets, as they have come to be known, are the rarity... and are nowhere near the
size that they were when I was younger. And just to clear things up, this isn't
a mere subjective statement, made with adult hindsight. I remember a large set
from when I was a kid that was not for any specific models that cost something
like fifty bucks [which was a *LOT* of money for a toy back then]. Allowing for
inflation, such a set today would probably cost about $200 or so. You won't
find "Freestyle" sets that size anywhere. Although you sure find specific model
or theme sets that size. And of course, these "toy sets" don't have anywhere
near the variety or piece count per dollar spent as one gets with "Freestyle"
sets.
You know what I'd really like to see? A Technic ":Freestyle" set. The closest
thing I've seen to it is the Mindstorms RIS [which *IS* pretty good... but they
don't have enough pieces]. A non-RCX version of it would be cool, I think.
Anyways, I don't know if LEGO has lost the lead in the industry. Name one other
building toy that is as popular...?
> > Mark
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | To quote a scholar
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| My mad scientist friend (we've all got them, haven't we?) - a PHd student in robotics and robot design and college lecturer in Maths - had this to say after we were comparing the classic 691 Rescue Helicopter (my first set) with the pap that Lego (...) (25 years ago, 12-Jan-99, to lugnet.general)
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