The basics (series)

I learned about 3D printing one year ago and it took its time till I made the decision to buy one myself and now I´m at least "google-smart" enough to ask the right questions in the right forums :)
So this will be my attempt to connect all relevant parts of 3D printing in a practically short way and continually update it to give a good impression of what home 3D printing can do.

Topics:

• Hardware 
• Different parts and their names
• The "reprap" concept and the difference to industrial printing
• Design
• CAD programs and what to do with them
• Applications and model databases
• Art

• Material
• Filament and its properties
• Firmware
• Slicing
• Firmware itself
• Periphery
• Filament self production
• 3D scanners

to be started...