Computers and Decompression Planning

[TomG]

My opinions on this subject are:
It's an example of supply and demand. Divers want the latest and coolest equipment on the market, they want to be trained in the shortest possible time, for the least amount of money, and the schedule better fit mine, not the dive shop's. If not, they'll find something else to spend their money on, and it won't be diving. Isn't this the same in our everyday life? Everyone wants things done cheaper and faster. If the equipment manufacturers or shops would only sell multi-gas computers to those who "have the training" to "do it right", that would be the ideal world.

We all know that the average joe who walks into their local dive shop isn't necessarily doing deep diving, where multi-gases are used. Gert, you said it yourself, only 1% of folks really should be into decompression diving.
I'm beginning to see this board going the way of the old milwaukeescuba.com, in that the discussion seem to revolve around deep, mixed/multi-gas, deco, DIR, if you're not diving deep, you're not diving, "mine are bigger than yours" mentality, extreme diving.

I also see lots of comments from some posters who have to tell how many folks they "have saved" or how deep they've been, or how dive shops are ripping people off, you can make it cheaper than the dive shops sell it for, etc. I believe that was the downfall of milwaukeescuba.com, and why the average diver gets out of, or doesn't stay with local diving, and will be the downfall of some smaller dive shops.

Gert, seeing that you're now a dive shop owner, if someone comes in and wants to buy a multi-gas computer, perhaps with the intention of using the multi-gas feature later, or not using it at all, would you still sell it to them?

Sorry for the ranting,

Tom.