Would you share your PDC data?

[psychocabbage]

I am on both sides of the fence here..
On one side I can see where it may be beneficial to help generate stats and I love me some stats..

On the other side, perhaps some people and their more "relaxed" mode of diving would cause some agencies or something to mandate more rules and govern our sport more.

I dive because I enjoy the freedom. I dont want to help anyone create the "Scuba Police".

On an offshoot, if any of the data were traced to a person, and they dove incorrectly, they would be ridiculed mercilessly.. Judging by how a majority on this function...

If you had a Maybe I would of chose that.

 

[RAWalker]

Isn't it amazing that the OP asked specifically that those that answer NO explain why and then the others have the audacity to call us paranoid.
I know that a large percentage of the people that answered yes are just altruistic. What worries me are the others that are just naive.

 

[Sas]

Isn't it amazing that the OP asked specifically that those that answer NO explain why and then the others have the audacity to call us paranoid.
I know that a large percentage of the people that answered yes are just altruistic. What worries me are the others that are just naive.

Anyone who thinks that they currently have any privacy at all and that not handing in PDS data is going to protect their privacy, is just naive.

 

[Madacub]

Improving the software and algorithm....I'm still having a hard time seeing how this data is going to do that. My computer's algorithm is based on the NOAA tables which were created after extensive, controlled scientific studies. This is nowhere near that sophisticated so there's going to be no improvement provided that will change those tables. I can't see it but if you can please explain. What I do see is a collection of data that is intended to reveal diver's habits...what are they doing when they are diving. Are they sticking to the rules, following the profile recommendations, etc. That's behavior not physiology. The only result, therefore, that could come out of this data is more cautions on bad behavior. And, maybe, more rules forced upon you to govern your behavior as a diver. But nothing that's going to change those scientifically-based tables that the computers run on.

I just am looking for the real value in doing this and no one has made that clear yet. Since this started I've taken a skeptical position, granted. It's fair and is the customary thing to do when deciding any endeavor, in business proposals, politics and, especially, in scientific research just to name a few. I pointed out these observations....This appears to me to be a collection of data taken by an unrepresentative sample of the diving community (only those who are willing to provide it, not a randomly selected group from the entire population), taken with a collection of instruments whose accuracy can't be traced to any standard and haven't been calibrated since they left the factory, to provide a limited set of actual data and another set of "derived" data whose derivation methodology hasn't been explained, to reach conclusions about divers in general and is, therefore, something that could effect us all, participating or not. And that effect could include legal consequenses, though not highly probable but real just the same. (That's not paranoia, it's fact.) So, why are we doing this? If a serious Principle Investigator were to propose such an experiment it wouldn't pass a peer review in a sixth-grade Biology class. So....Can someone please provide an explanation of why this is worth doing and, if you can, I'll plug right in.

Forget about my previous concerns....what are you going to DO with the data? What's your hypothesis?

Totally agree with all the above. Unless the data is properly collected and corrected for, it is useless for any scientific analysis.

*dave*: I did not answer the poll, not an easy yes/no. I would like to say yes, but I see 3 problems. Anonymity has already been pointed out. The second is bogus data. The internet being what it is, how would you control for that? (Maybe that is one reason DAN wanted the computer manufacturers onside? For authentication?) The third is usefulness of data without information on age, gender, obesity, diving conditions, exertion level, hydration level, etc. QUOTE]

As *dave* points out:

The data collected would actually have limited value. There's just too many variables to produce definitive results. Still, it would be far better than what we currently have.

It is the variables and holes in the data which I believe would make it virtually worthless in court, but I'm not an attorney, either. Perhaps one will weigh in.... Regardless, if this is a concern for you, I hope you're not diving a PDC.... Especially one with the IR transmitter. I've heard satellites can read those.

But I disagree about "virtually useless in court". You have an unfounded faith in the system. Actually, the variable and holes would make it virtually useless for the real world diving study purpose intended.

"Still, it would be far better than what we currently have". Totally disagree. I thought what we have is based on properly collected data. Please correct me if I am wrong.

A good idea *dave*. Pity the discussion has not stayed on track (or not rigorously enough on track for me:mooner. I see that the site James is referring to is attempting to collect some other information about the dive that would make the data meaningful. Making an email address manadatory would be one additional good step. You can't do serious work with data that is not verifiable.

 

[SharkSighting]

Is there a "Google Maps" for PDC data that people can share their dives on?

 

[geokr]

Isn't it amazing that the OP asked specifically that those that answer NO explain why and then the others have the audacity to call us paranoid.
I know that a large percentage of the people that answered yes are just altruistic. What worries me are the others that are just naive.

What's interesting is that after all this debate the numbers in favor are increasing....???

 

[divingguru]

I would, but I haven't logged a dive in 7 years. I do download memorable dives to have a look at the profiles.

 

[scubadada]

I have voluntarily transmitted my 169 dive profiles to DAN PDE since buying a Dive Rite computer in January 2008. They've collected in excess of 180,000 profiles since the program's inception and I'd like to think valuable new information will result regarding exposure and risk of DCS when a sufficient number of DCS episodes has been collected.

I'm not interested in having my PDC software automatically transmit my data. I would rather make the decision to participate or not myself.

Good diving, Craig

 

[Kern]

"Still, it would be far better than what we currently have". Totally disagree. I thought what we have is based on properly collected data. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Almost all DC's & tables used for recreational diving are based on neo Haldanian algorithms. These are based on the concept of keeping the difference between the tissue tension & the ambient pressure below a critical level so as to prevent the formation of bubbles & thus prevent DCS. As this turns out not to be the case, more data from real dives probably wouldn't hurt.

What's interesting is that after all this debate the numbers in favor are increasing....???

Only paranoids take any notice of other paranoids.

 

[mmcnamara]

Yes... if I was paid for my participation and guaranteed confidentiality