Is "the first rule of Scubaboard is that you don't talk about Scubaboard?"

[SeaCobra]

There aren't any links, these conversations were done in person, not on-line. I am comfortable that you try and will continue to look out for the best interest of all involved.

At the Beneath the Sea show I sometimes receive criticism for my belief that the most important person at the show is the paying customer in the lobby with their wallets out to buy a ticket. I really do not care for the ball gown and tuxedo wearers, and I grimace at the fact I have to wear a suit and tie at certain times.

I have been reminded about a time a few years ago at the Friday night party when a woman sought me out and asked when the door prizes would be awarded. I apologized and informed her they already had been. She got quite upset and claimed I did not make any announcement as to when the tickets would be drawn. I assured her that I had and even had the support of a number of folks surrounding us assuring her I did indeed. Yet, somehow she managed to miss the announcement and the 20 minutes of drawing tickets, calling numbers and applauding the winners.

But, I did not call her claim, her opinion, bone headed. I did take it personally as I do not want this to happen to even one of our customers. In subsequent years I have added a specific time when tickets will be drawn, added signage about that, have asked the dj to make a few of those reminders and point it out in the evenings announcements prior to the drawing.

I have not had a similar complaint in the past 2 years. I doubt that woman will ever know the impact she had, but I do.

 

[irishsquid]

... There are members of Scubaboard that are the resource, SB itself is not a resource (just my opinion). Just as a brick and mortar dive center is not a resource, but the people inside it are...

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but; I don't understand this comment and I realize that it is your opinion. A Dive Center usually sells equipment and services, not necessarily information (other than training materials, which are a resource). Based on that statement, I can assume you believe a library is not a resource, the librarian is? What about the information contained in the books? Are they also not resources or is it just the author that is the resource and what if he/she was biased?
Take away the library, LDS, SB, etc., how would a person access the "resources"? The location where the information is located is also the resource (my opinion).

... Yes, you have done follow up. But in a recent conversation (done in person) with Sherwood Scuba about their SR1 reg and negative comments posted here on Scubaboard, they did not experience the kind of follow up you describe. Likewise with Dive Tech in Grand Cayman.

Do you have a link to these instances? I've done an admittedly narrow search on the SR1, but; the posts I've found had a fair amount of discussion for both pro and con. Did even less for Dive Tech and didn't find much discussion. I'm still lazy today also.

 

[SeaCobra]

I do not feel you are being argumentative in the least, just asking solid questions. A library and a dive shop are a bit different with the library itself being a warehouse of information, but not all the books are as valued as the others or offer the same level of information. I imagine that is where the librarian comes in, to guide the patron to what best suits their needs. A dive shop is stocking physical inventory that a person needs information to purchase wisely. So, I guess this could be a similarity where a professional dive center sells the information about the product(s) to guide the consumer to what fits their needs.

Now, I realize that not all dive centers are created equal and some might say that the dive center I talk about only exist in the utopia vision in my mind. Sadly, that is a pretty fair observation.

Regarding Sherwood, I was looking at stocking the SR1 and was doing a bit of research and found good and bad, both here and elsewhere. When discussing this at the Sherwood booth at DEMA, well, the Sherwood folks were a bit emotional, but also calmly expressed not being contacted by Scubaboard. Please keep in mind that I am simply relaying information that I received in person from people that I personally know and trust.

 

[irishsquid]

Thanks for the explanation, SeaCobra. I believe I understand your thoughts better on the resource comment. I didn't see Pete's request for the link or your response, or I woudn't have been an echo. I understood that you was talking about a personal conversation. I was wondering if the Rep mentioned the particular thread(s) and would have liked to view it for my own perspective. Like you, doing my own limited research, I found both pro and con discussion; which BTW still supports the follow-up claim.
I don't care where you're from, now that last comment was argumentative.:d

 

[The Chairman]

When discussing this at the Sherwood booth at DEMA, well, the Sherwood folks were a bit emotional, but also calmly expressed not being contacted by Scubaboard.

Yet they have their own forum here: Sherwood SCUBA. Somehow the obvious facts fly in the face of your dogged determination to prove your initial point. Since it's inception on May 2, 2006 we have created our Q&A Forums where over a hundred entities (88 manufacturers and 13 agencies) have their own private place right here on ScubaBoard. From Aeris to Zeagle, we have provided a place for manufacturers to field comments and suggestions for their products as well as to answer any criticisms. Now, we don't force any manufacturer to actually answer any of these questions, but that is certainly not our fault.

The overall tone of your messages leaves me to feel that there is some bitterness over the power shift caused by the internet. People who were the big fish in their little pond now find themselves over shadowed by the information freely available not only on the internet, but right here. What used to be their private domain to tell people unequivocally what is right and wrong, white or black has been demolished, not by the internet: but rather by their customer's desire to not be held hostage by their LDS and their pecuniary interests in selling them a particular line of gear. Rather than rely on the biased opinion of a shop salesman, they would rather rely on unsolicited reviews by their peers. This is not yours or ScubaBoard's fault, but simply the evolution of the information age.

 

[SeaCobra]

Yet they have their own forum here: Sherwood SCUBA. Somehow the obvious facts fly in the face of your dogged determination to prove your initial point. Since it's inception on May 2, 2006 we have created our Q&A Forums where over a hundred entities (88 manufacturers and 13 agencies) have their own private place right here on ScubaBoard. From Aeris to Zeagle, we have provided a place for manufacturers to field comments and suggestions for their products as well as to answer any criticisms. Now, we don't force any manufacturer to actually answer any of these questions, but that is certainly not our fault.

This is why I was hesitant to answer with specific examples as you will simply pick things apart ad nauseum. I am well aware of the Sherwood folder, it is one of the places I found info on the SR1 to begin with. I also said that my conversation was not online, it was in person.

 

[SeaCobra]

The overall tone of your messages leaves me to feel that there is some bitterness over the power shift caused by the internet. People who were the big fish in their little pond now find themselves over shadowed by the information freely available not only on the internet, but right here. What used to be their private domain to tell people unequivocally what is right and wrong, white or black has been demolished, not by the internet: but rather by their customer's desire to not be held hostage by their LDS and their pecuniary interests in selling them a particular line of gear. Rather than rely on the biased opinion of a shop salesman, they would rather rely on unsolicited reviews by their peers. This is not yours or ScubaBoard's fault, but simply the evolution of the information age.

Haha, now this is becoming the comical entertainment I have come love about Scubaboard. There is no bitterness. I do not speak negatively about Scubaboard. Good, solid, truthful information is always a good thing and it doesn’t matter where it comes from. Whether that be a textbook, an internet forum or a lively chat around a picnic table by the beach. I simply do not hold Scubaboard in the lofty regard that you do, it is just a different opinion, nothing more. And quite frankly, this discussion is not doing anything to change that.

Power shift? What power shift? There’s power? Sorry, I don’t really see that either. IMHO the only person with any power is the consumer and they wield it with their pocketbook as they always have. Perhaps misinformation is found out quicker than before. A true professional, someone knowledgeable and running their business in an ethical way will withstand honest scrutiny whether it comes in person or via some digital path. If someone comes in and wants to discuss something they read about on the internet, they are welcome to do so.

 

[drbill]

Heck, I frequently talk about ScubaBoard both with other members I see and with divers that I meet in my travels. I try to promote it when I meet a diver who is not a member. I had no idea I wasn't supposed to talk about it. Was that buried somewhere in the TOS?

 

[gypsyjim]

Heck, I frequently talk about ScubaBoard both with other members I see and with divers that I meet in my travels. I try to promote it when I meet a diver who is not a member. I had no idea I wasn't supposed to talk about it. Was that buried somewhere in the TOS?

OH, I think Pete and other would be happy with us speaking of SB outside of our internet world, as long as we are reasonably polite.

It is others who do not seem quite so happy to hear the words: ScubaBoard

 

[GoProHonduras]

Every Instructor course I ask my candidates if they are on Scubaboard, and if not encourage them to join, as I believe it's a valuable resource, and the discussions, debate and opinions teach them different outlooks and perspectives for their own future teaching.