A simple feature that would save many prints would be a contact switch on the filament feed to detect when the filament is gone.
5 axis printing is so far fetched right now, but I can see the reason.
I think an over temp back up is necessary in the near future, if the thermistor fails, the printer could start on fire…
Benchmarking, @Jonathan_Buford hit the nail on the head when he compared 3d printing to 80s era computers. We now need a standard benchmarking technique. One that considers speed, precision(xyz), material, and print volume. This needs a standard method outside of “print yoda” at some random size.
The features you mentioned are very doable right now. I don’t think a 5 axes machine is very difficult. I think it’s a software problem. Not a hardware problem.
Hw blames Sw, Sw blames Hw. A true 5 axis system is really hard for additive manufacturing.
I might not have the experience to know. Do you know why it is hard?
Think about what you would build on. Now think about how you would extrude a material through that structure. You are left with 2 options build surface starts as a wedge, or you have very limited access to axis 4 and 5. Either way it really isn’t worth the hassle imho. Disolvable support material is a better solution.
I like dissolvable material support as well. But it’s expensive. I was thinking that you could have a starter piece of plastic that is clamped down and then build on top of that. Actually, this would get rid of the print bed altogether.
Go ahead a try, there will be alot of learning
you’re probably right
I am not saying don’t do it. The rep rap community would not exist if people were afraid of hard.
I have to graduate first 
What degree? And if you have the time, tinker. I use more of my tinkering skills then I do my EE skills, and I am working currently.
Physics, specifically quantum computing theory. In comparison, I have limited experience actually building stuff, which in many ways is more satisfying.
Do you mean that you use your tinkering skills more than your EE degree at your job?
Build things then. there is no time like now. Use the materials that you have access to (broken scanners, printers, and other such things).
yep. Much of what I do involves making things work. Most of what I did while tinkering was “making things work”. You learn a lot from that, I do use the theory I learned as background knowledge a lot. but I am more likely to use a soldering iron, saw, or a drill then actually calculate currents using KVL or solve Maxwell’s equations…