Why do computers rot the brain?

[Uncle Pug]

Walter once bubbled...
While better training would have prevented the problem in the first place, we aren't likely to get better train for the majority of divers.

It is a sad and probably irreversible state of affairs.

However I know for a fact that some can be taught to ascend correctly without a computer... (my joy is remedial education.)

Just a short while ago I had a young fella... brand new diver with <20 out for a few dives. During the ascents he stuck with me like glue. I was impressed. But then he was using me for a visual cue and his brain was still healthy.

I do agree with you Walter in this... the vast majority of what passes for divers today with what passes for training today... do need ascent alarms with bells, whistles and flashing displays.

 

[Uncle Pug]

MikeSnickjbdcostanzazboss once glubbed...
A bunch of stuff.

You guys crack me up... you have never learned to do it the way I'm doing it and yet you still think you know that dive computers are better

I did what amounts to a square profile 110' 30 minute dive yesterday with another guy who was using two computers.

Neither one of us were anywhere near the NDL.

His bar graph told him so. My brain told me so.

Buy and use your computers..... I'll use my brain.

BTW... we did our second dive an ~hour later... 33fsw for 51 minutes.

Neither of us died.

 

[boomx5]

If we were to stand back and look at the sport of diving as a whole, would we see it has gotten safer with the advent of computers? Or, would we see that people are getting themselves into more trouble by relying to much on computers and not thinking for themselves (i.e. not knowing how to calculate bottom times or dealing with computer failure etc.)? Do we have any evidence that supports any of those arguments?

 

[Walter]

There's no way to tell. My guess is there would be no difference in accidents as a result of computers.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Maybe... we need computer control bc's. That way the diver couldn't ascent to fast no matter what.

 

[JamesK]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
Maybe... we need computer control bc's. That way the diver couldn't ascent to fast no matter what.

Not only that, their bouyancy would be much better too!

 

[boomx5]

Untill someone comes along with a one of those HID light things and the electromagnetic field produced by the light causes the computer controled suit to inflate accidently and shoots you to the surface like a Polaris missle. Any takers? Or, maybe not.

 

[Uncle Pug]

I'm sure it has not only been considered but has probably already been proto-typed.

Just add a microchip to your HUB bub.

 

[ERP]

I use a computer, and quite honestly I trust it's ability to keep track of my Nitrogen more than my own ability to read the correct column off a table.
I do "plan" my dives and I run the actual numbers through the tables afterwards to stay in practice.

Uncle Pug has a point it's easy to put a computer on your wrist or console and never think again. A computer is a tool and used to supplement your thinking I don't really see anything wrong with it, but you shouldn't be relying on it.

As for ascent alarms, as a beginner it's difficult to get a grasp on just how slow an ascent needs to be to be safe. Again an ascent rate indicator can be a good tool as long as it's used as a reference to become accustomed to the other ascent rate queues not as something you do your ascent eyes glued to.

Just the thoughts of a nebie diver so take them with as much salt as required

 

[rcohn]

Uncle Pug once bubbled...
If you do use one... better have two... or even three or four..
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=169951#post169951

You hyperlinked the wrong thread, see: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7840&perpage=15&display=&pagenumber=1

Ralph