Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Lego Welcomes Hack Of Their Design Program

Posted by Zonk on from the come-on-in dept.

fdiskne1 writes "We've all heard about big companies suing their customers for hacking a product they purchased. It's about time we hear about a company that welcomes it. One of the most geek-friendly toys has just gotten geek-friendlier. CNet News.com has a story about how the Lego company is cheering the fact that people are hacking their public design program to better fit their customers' needs. Lego has a free program (available for Windows and Mac) that allows a person to put in their own 3D design and the program will tell the customer which Lego 'palettes' they need to order to complete the design. The problem with it was that the palettes each contained a number of bags of different shape and color Lego blocks. If someone needed only one block out of a particular palette, they would end up with many bags of bricks they didn't need. The hack involved someone taking an inventory of how many bricks are included in each bag. The program would then tell the customer how many BAGS of each to order, greatly reducing the number of bricks the customer would have ended up not using in the project. I can think of many companies that wouldn't think of doing such a thing. In fact, I can think of many companies that would intentionally use the flaw in their program to make the customer buy even more."

18 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. lego pron by eh0d+is+my+daddy · · Score: 0, Funny

    heh

    --
    eh0d is EVERYBODYS daddy now. TekMonkey (649444): Can a moderator or admin ban this guy? Just look at his record.
  2. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 5, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  3. The "I'm Not Going To Prom" page by ChrisF79 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Take a look at this lineup. Think these folks went to prom?
    http://www.lego.com/eng/factory/design/bios.asp

    --
    Finance tutorials and more! Understandfinance
    1. Re:The "I'm Not Going To Prom" page by brer_rabbit · · Score: 2, Funny

      More like "future terrorists". Really, what exactly is this kid implying with his "Detachable Skyscraper"?

    2. Re:The "I'm Not Going To Prom" page by dr_dank · · Score: 3, Funny

      Maybe he meant Michael Jackson's prom.

      --
      Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
  4. Re:Nothing too big imho... by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 4, Funny

    Depending on the mix of bricks in the different bags, this could be an interesting knapsack (partition) problem, as in NP-tricky.

    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  5. Re:That's Great! by fracai · · Score: 1, Funny

    This is going to be the best prom ever, eh?

    Sadly, I read that as:
    This is going to be the best PORM ever, eh?

    --
    -- i am jack's amusing sig file
  6. But you have to ask.... by petra13 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is it really possibly to buy too many legos?

  7. A toast... by tktk · · Score: 3, Funny
    to the Lego company...

    errr....just as soon as I finish building my chapagne glass.

    1. Re:A toast... by Jozer99 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Wait a sec, the champaign is going to take me hours more! JYou try finding all the little clear pieces in this pile!

  8. Re:Lego without limits by Blue-Footed+Boobie · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm glad you corrected that, I was just about to make a LEGO noose to Do Myself In...

    --
    DAMN YOU OCTODOG! DAMN YOU TO HELL!
  9. Re:That's Great! by lpangelrob · · Score: 4, Funny
    Ouch...

    When building your robot, just remember to use more of these and less of these. Your body will thank you.

    --
    -Rob

    Biblical fiscal responsibility

  10. Re:Different materials? by Bimo_Dude · · Score: 5, Funny

    ceramic

    Look Mom! I made a working Lego Tesla co<<<ZZZZAP>>>

    --
    "Teleporting Rodents with D-Cell Battery Displacement" theory -- IgnoramusMaximus (692000)
  11. Re:Long Term Ideas. by radishes · · Score: 2, Funny

    But sir, no one worries about upsetting a droid.

    --
    [ Reply to This | Parent ]
  12. Re:All toys should be Lego compatible by Red+Flayer · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes, I agree that all toymakers should make their toys compliant with an open standard.

    This way, MA government will be able to use today's toys with the toys of 2030.

    --
    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  13. Re:Where do I get this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well, you can build yourself one any time you like.

  14. What do I need to build Serenity? by Mahali · · Score: 2, Funny

    Someone get this to the guy who built a Lego version of Serenity from Firefly.

    I need to know what to buy!

  15. Re:Where do I get this? by Basehart · · Score: 2, Funny

    "There are no lego stores in my country."

    So I take it you don't live in Legoland?