Oh boy. Have a look at his new video replacing the "controversial" long hose one.
In this one he is suggesting people don't need to read their dive computer manual!!!
Alec Pierce Scuba - Computer Video (split off from controversial thread Long Hose Good or Bad
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In this one he is suggesting people don't need to read their dive computer manual!!!
helodriver87
Contributor
So, I have my issues with this one. But it's still an improvement. There's no blatant misinformation here. Reality is, what he suggests really is the best way to build functional knowledge of how to work a computer. Just play with the thing. Either on the surface or in a benign environment. Push buttons, watch it do its thing in a situation where you don't need it, and see how it works.
That doesn't absolve you of your responsibility to understand what it's doing or plan your dive without it, but it's a good way to learn. When you get to a point where you're actually utilizing the information it gives you, you should know every button, process, and menu as well as what's going on behind the scenes.
pauldw
Contributor
[Urgent warning about Alec replacing a video with one now supposedly telling people to throw away their dive computer manuals! The horror!]
3:47-3:52 on the video. Doesn't sound like that's quite what he said.
He did say that most dive computers don't come with paper manuals, or at least don't come with anything extensive. Which is true, and has been true of computers and phones and gazillions of other things for years. Then he said that dive computers are designed to work pretty much automatically, and you just use the screen. Which has supposedly been true of dive computers for a long time, and is certainly supposed to be true of the good, recent crop. The idea you'd have to have memorized and assimilated a detailed manual to use a dive computer is nuts. The computer is designed to tell you what you need to know. He says to use the manual if there's something that mystifies you. Perhaps if you're going to use it for atypical purposes, like mixed gases. But for most divers, "a modern computer will take care of you." That was his point, that part in quotes. And he's correct. If it doesn't, it's a worthless dive computer. (My Eon Core doesn't even have a normal manual, just something that lists various tidbits of information in alphabetical order, and that's frustrating; the computer also does its own thing sometimes like when the other day it turned all red on me despite me liking the green color more.)
What's with the carping on this guy? He's already forgotten more than most of us will ever learn about diving. It's like a playground around SB today, where the children are pointing and taunting without two neurons tied together for light.
3:47-3:52 on the video. Doesn't sound like that's quite what he said.
He did say that most dive computers don't come with paper manuals, or at least don't come with anything extensive. Which is true, and has been true of computers and phones and gazillions of other things for years. Then he said that dive computers are designed to work pretty much automatically, and you just use the screen. Which has supposedly been true of dive computers for a long time, and is certainly supposed to be true of the good, recent crop. The idea you'd have to have memorized and assimilated a detailed manual to use a dive computer is nuts. The computer is designed to tell you what you need to know. He says to use the manual if there's something that mystifies you. Perhaps if you're going to use it for atypical purposes, like mixed gases. But for most divers, "a modern computer will take care of you." That was his point, that part in quotes. And he's correct. If it doesn't, it's a worthless dive computer. (My Eon Core doesn't even have a normal manual, just something that lists various tidbits of information in alphabetical order, and that's frustrating; the computer also does its own thing sometimes like when the other day it turned all red on me despite me liking the green color more.)
What's with the carping on this guy? He's already forgotten more than most of us will ever learn about diving. It's like a playground around SB today, where the children are pointing and taunting without two neurons tied together for light.
What would you do?
hammet
Contributor
Well I would have read the manual, so I would not be following his advice. I like to do equipment checks the way GUE teaches as it is thorough and I don’t have to remember for what any letters stand. So again, I wouldn’t follow his advice by just jumping in the water. Both my Shearwaters are turned and settings checked.
I cycle mine before the day's diving, so already know the battery situation. The before the dives I set the computer, so should know the battery situation.
In between dives, I check what the company is showing for SI time etc. And so should know the battery situation, etc.
undrwater
Contributor
I agree that most modern dive computer UI's are pretty simple to read and understand. He also mentioned that if you're not changing gases (nitrox), there's no real reason to read the manual.
I think he missed dive PLANNING though. I frequently use my computer to plan my surface time for the next dive. For that, it's nice to have the manual.
The people who would misread a computer and get themselves in trouble is a small subset, but we've had a post here about someone who was mad at their instructor for just that.
As for the long hose, I'm wearing mine on a single tank setup right now to satisfy my curiosity. It certainly is the most comfortable setup that I've used so far (from the standpoint of hoses pulling and has fatigue).
I think he missed dive PLANNING though. I frequently use my computer to plan my surface time for the next dive. For that, it's nice to have the manual.
The people who would misread a computer and get themselves in trouble is a small subset, but we've had a post here about someone who was mad at their instructor for just that.
As for the long hose, I'm wearing mine on a single tank setup right now to satisfy my curiosity. It certainly is the most comfortable setup that I've used so far (from the standpoint of hoses pulling and has fatigue).
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