I bought the DIR book, and although I am changing my gear configuration, it is more because BP/wing owners rave about it so much rather than because it's DIR. I appreciate what GUE and DIR have done to foster more and safety-minded thinking in recreational dive circles, however. I think you've done us all a tremendous service.
I may never take the DIR-F course (don't dive much) but I may. But I'll likely dive with DIR divers who seem very willing to share their training and ideas (most without being condescending, I might add--the ones on this board are very good folks). Your book has convinced me to be very careful about diving my limits, changing my mindset, generally getting more serious. We'll never know how many injuries or deaths DIR concepts prevent because they got either sloppy or simply uninformed divers to do it right. You are to be commended.
As for running a business, anyone who does knows your employees have bad days (no excuse, but it happens), more often your
customers have bad days and a couple of these can make your most cheerful employee less than cheerful in a hurry. Goofy things happen when your product goes through many hands. One of my former partners was fond of saying, "This would be a great business if it weren't for the customers."
I suspect you run a fine business, and I am going to get your new wing when available, the timing is perfect.
Not that you need to defend yourself on this issue, but I'll throw my 2 cents in on your pricing. If you believe you have a superior product and you want it to be sold only by shops with helpful, experienced staffs, the only way you can do this is through price control because your stuff
will be sold by inexperienced and/or unqualified people at the local warehouse or Internet shop otherwise. You cannot control that, if you let price float that will necessarily happen, to the detriment of your experienced dealers. I don't mean to put words in your mouth, but I suspect, knowing your philosophy, you are very interested in your gear being sold by reputable shops with good people, and one of the only ways you can ensure this is through price control.
Genesis, this is not anti-competitive, by the way! It would be if JJ were colluding with Scubapro and other manufacturers trying to get most of the industry on board with price collusion a la OPEC. That's not the case. You can find all kinds of cheap stuff at leisurepro, and that's a good thing. I don't think only being able to get Halcyon at a high-quality LDS is a bad thing. The consumer has plenty of choices, the industry is plenty competitive, and I respect JJ's right to sell the way he wants to. Interestingly, I signed your petition, but I will happily buy Halcyon gear when I feel it's the best choice for me, and I don't have any problem with their pricing policies.
Thanks very much for posting here!
