Hi Flexon,
I guess you have to ask LEGO itself to get a proper answer - and let us know ;-). James Jessiman the creator of the original program and the LDraw File Format feared to be asked to shut down his site back in the 90s but it newer happened. I guess there are several reasons for it:
* At the time LEGO had no software to build digital. LDraw filled a niche. The group even consulted with LDraw folks in a conference held in February 2001 in New York to gather input for the upcoming LDD.
* The geometry of the LDraw parts, especially all round shapes are rough compared to today's state-of-the-art CAD data and does not qualify for reproducing clones
* It uses it's own measuring system - the LDU or LDraw Unit which makes it harder engaging for example a 3D-printer to get real bricks out of the data.
* As you've already pointed out it is free - we do not comped or make a profit out of their creations
There has occasionally been some contact with the group. They used LDraw for example on LU because the parts where light-weight compared to their LDD data and we got part shapes in return. Sure there is the LDraw exporter in LDD but I guess in the end it boils down to a statement by a LEGO executive when talking about LDD-LDraw conversion: What is LDraw? :-)
w.
I guess you have to ask LEGO itself to get a proper answer - and let us know ;-). James Jessiman the creator of the original program and the LDraw File Format feared to be asked to shut down his site back in the 90s but it newer happened. I guess there are several reasons for it:
* At the time LEGO had no software to build digital. LDraw filled a niche. The group even consulted with LDraw folks in a conference held in February 2001 in New York to gather input for the upcoming LDD.
* The geometry of the LDraw parts, especially all round shapes are rough compared to today's state-of-the-art CAD data and does not qualify for reproducing clones
* It uses it's own measuring system - the LDU or LDraw Unit which makes it harder engaging for example a 3D-printer to get real bricks out of the data.
* As you've already pointed out it is free - we do not comped or make a profit out of their creations
There has occasionally been some contact with the group. They used LDraw for example on LU because the parts where light-weight compared to their LDD data and we got part shapes in return. Sure there is the LDraw exporter in LDD but I guess in the end it boils down to a statement by a LEGO executive when talking about LDD-LDraw conversion: What is LDraw? :-)
w.
LEGO ergo sum