The business model certainly worked well for Makerbot - it allowed them to cash out for big bucks. It seems that Thingiverse must haqve been the main driver of that deal, since their hardware/software was pretty much all open-source and very similar to all the other filament printers out there. Whether it makes sense for designers to give away their work-product is another matter - I suppose it's easier than trying to sell it.

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com