But dissing the whole field of experimentation and entrepreneurship around amateur fabrication comes off as highly elitist and antisocial.
I have not heard any blanket dissing of the entrepreneurial / amateur community - just those that are unrealistically inflating claims and capabilities. Big and over inflated claims confuse the whole community and takes people back a few steps. For example, if I come up with an idea for a new gadget and I see on the internet a new whiz bang machine that can make it for me for a fraction of the traditional cost - I will chase it. When I find out a few thousand dollars and a few hundred hours later that it is all bullshit - that sucks. Time and money wasted that could have been used outsourcing and getting a real product that is sellable. You cannot beat reality - it will smack you in the face every time.
Manufacturing technologies are not and will not advance at the same speed as smart phones. The costs and challenges associated with manufacturing are not plummeting nearly as fast as the 'makers' would let you believe. I AM a maker and have been for a long time. It is how I make my entire living. All I can hope for is that people be more realistic in their claims.
If you consider it a toy for people who enjoy dabbling in such things - well, some of them out there at least seem to fit the bill. I still stay away from it, because I don't want to build, or constantly maintain, a finicky, fidgity machine. I don't even like working on my own car anymore - takes too much time from hobbies I enjoy a lot more.
There is truth in that. My gripe is that the machines usefulness is radically over inflated and is not being presented as a toy/novelty/learning device. It is being presented as a machine that can print out your dreams perfectly with only a pinch of challenge.