I actually think it could be more extreme. The printer industry is the way it is because most people don't really need one, so customers skimp instead of optimizing for long-term usage. I predict even fewer people will need devoted 3D printers in their homes - especially if there are local versions at a place like staples/kinkos.

that is, until we're printing food. The French Culinary Institute has been working on 3D food printers for years.

There are people working on machines that recycle plastics that you find around the house into filament you can use in an FDM printer.

That would be amazing. The amount of non-recyclable plastic that I throw away every day is insane. I feel horrible for the environment.

You might like this, then, a 'Lyman Extruder':

Instructions and Pictures: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:30642

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JebhbxgjBgA

Pellets, 3$ a pound on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p3984.m570.l1313&...

and to be sold commercially by LulzBot.

Plastic, not resin based, but people are still looking into doing cool stuff to solve the challenge you mention.

There are still some of us who remember HP :)