Actually, I see them as more than a curiosity. The sets provide an excellent platform with the basic materials needed to learn a lot about robotics, and even programming, and develop test models for robot designs. They can be put together and changed quickly and fairly inexpensively. Once a person developes and programs a good design they might be able to translate it to a more rigid design that can handle temperature extremes, chemical spills etc. The most important aspects to this are learning and development. They provide an interesting platform for kids and adults to learn about and further develop the field of robotics. Many fields of science and engineering benefit from the work of amateurs and hobbyists. Lego has provided a fun system that helps to open up the world of robotics to many who otherwise wouldn't be able to explore it.
I've been watching this whole fiasco with some amusement as irate Mac loyalists, anti-Mac bigots and a few people in between slam Apple, Macs and Mac users. All from what? A quote by an anonymous "Apple Spokesman" in a report from one source getting its information from a different source. Second and third-hand information isn't often very reliable, as Apple's official announcement this morning proves: http://www.apple.com/pr/library/1999/oct/18g4order s.html As was said above, noone knew what was going on and reports from several sources were conflicting each other. Now it seems more ill-will has been bred between Mac users, non-Mac users and Apple because too many people were too quick to become angry over unverified information from an anonymous source rather than patiently wait for the official word from Apple.
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Actually, I see them as more than a curiosity. The sets provide an excellent platform with the basic materials needed to learn a lot about robotics, and even programming, and develop test models for robot designs. They can be put together and changed quickly and fairly inexpensively. Once a person developes and programs a good design they might be able to translate it to a more rigid design that can handle temperature extremes, chemical spills etc. The most important aspects to this are learning and development. They provide an interesting platform for kids and adults to learn about and further develop the field of robotics. Many fields of science and engineering benefit from the work of amateurs and hobbyists. Lego has provided a fun system that helps to open up the world of robotics to many who otherwise wouldn't be able to explore it.
I've been watching this whole fiasco with some amusement as irate Mac loyalists, anti-Mac bigots and a few people in between slam Apple, Macs and Mac users. All from what? A quote by an anonymous "Apple Spokesman" in a report from one source getting its information from a different source. Second and third-hand information isn't often very reliable, as Apple's official announcement this morning proves: http://www.apple.com/pr/library/1999/oct/18g4order s.html As was said above, noone knew what was going on and reports from several sources were conflicting each other. Now it seems more ill-will has been bred between Mac users, non-Mac users and Apple because too many people were too quick to become angry over unverified information from an anonymous source rather than patiently wait for the official word from Apple.