Suggestion Feedback on keeping ScubaBoard members

[gypsyjim]

This question is directed at all members, new and old. It is actually a multiple part question, and is designed to get us all thinking about what ScubaBoard is, or could be for someone just discovering us today or tomorrow.

Two weeks ago on Utila Colleen and I were part of 4 couples with no previous contact who were diving on the same boat for a week, so we had lots of time to chat. It turned out that 5 (6 including myself) of the 9 divers including the DM, were all members of ScubaBoard at one time or another, but I was the only actively participating SM user.

A subsequent conversation with a friend who is also a moderator, has had me thinking about this, so here are my questions:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1) What attracted you to ScubaBoard in the first place?

2) Are you satisfied that the board addresses your needs adequately? And if not what would you change, if you could to make it do so

3) Why do you think other folks who have joined, have not stayed around?

4) Do you have ideas on what the board either did not provide well, or what might have done to scare them away, without becoming participating members?

5) Do you have ideas or suggestions of new ways to both attract and keep new members, new divers involved, and satisfied with this forum?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_________________________________________________________________

---------- Post added March 3rd, 2014 at 08:30 AM ----------

I will start by adding my own 2 cents.

I discovered SB while researching a dive trip back in '05, and was not a terribly active member for some time. I did though, find the info I was seeking.

I did soon after that did make some friends on the board, as both DeputyDan and Herman offered advice and invited my family to join their group for a trip to Bonaire.

I also later asked for underwater photography advice, and got a lot of help from such diverse members as ScubaSteve and DandyDon, who were more than willing to help a struggling novice.

I had a few conflicts in some of the threads along the way, especially early on, with some of the more vocal know it alls, but while that slowed me down a bit and kept me quiet, it did not scare me off. I just spent more time lurking till I became more comfortable standing up for my beliefs, and not afraid of the loud mouths. It just took me time to realize by lurking that they were a small minority, and not particularly as well respected universally as they might have thought, which made me feel less the outsider.

(Note) I think a lot of that 'know it all' attitude seems to have disappeared from the boards, or at least become far less of an issue. I heard a lot of feedback from non member divers between '95 and about 2000 that this "slamming of 'stupid questions' " was a big turn off, but I do not sense this same complaint from my more recent contactsd, when discussing SB. Now it seems more like SB is not supplying what divers are seeking, and they are just moving on to other sources of info.

I know many folks have moved on to FB, but while I enjoy FB a lot myself, I have never seen it as having the potential to reach as many divers, or to serve as a useful search base for dive related questions.

 

[gypsyjim]

I am beginning to understand why mods see the need to split parts of a thread off......

Or at least suggest that those dancing so closely might want to take it to a motel room?

 

[The Chairman]

OOPs..... Sorry to each of you

Just blame it on the fog of war.

 

[The Chairman]

I am beginning to understand why mods see the need to split parts of a thread off......

Or at least suggest the those dancing so closely might want to take it to a motel room?

What? Are you beginning to talk to yourself now?

 

[gypsyjim]

What? Are you beginning to talk to yourself now?

Sometimes you just sit an argument out in the nearest foxhole, and you find yourself all alone.
Sometimes you feel like no one else is listening.

 

[The Chairman]

Sometimes you just sit an argument out in the nearest foxhole, and you find yourself all alone.
Sometimes you feel like no one else is listening.

What did you say? Hopefully they're reading this and not listening. Unless, of course, they have text to speech programs.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

You must be talking about this ( from SFDJ) thought you should pull up the page, because just the last part by itself is out of context :

And of course, keep in mind an even bigger rule than all others mentioned in this article--Rule number one is don't dive with unsafe divers. Try to dive only with people you know are safe, and who dive the same procedures and configurations you do. If you are "stuck" with someone you see gearing up badly, with a poor configuration, try a good natured explanation of why the "Doing it Right" system would have him/her configured differently. Perhaps you can get them safer on this dive. You can always look around on a boat for someone who seems closer to your gear and diving mind set, and try to buddy up with them. Remember, if you don't bring a good dive buddy with you, you have no sure way of knowing you have redundancy. You may decide that the more extreme 120 foot dive you were planning to make is not appropriate without a good buddy, and so you may opt for a different site for your first dive. Use a first dive to check out your buddy, and let them check you out, before you dive with them on that more extreme dive site you are still looking forward to. At least in Florida, most boats will have multiple dive sites you can choose from, so you should be able to pick two dives with your new buddy where you can limit the risk by choice of dive site. And once you find a good buddy you can trust, treat them well--someday your life may depend on them.

​

So as you know Bob, when I write internet articles, I am trying to help divers that are trying to get better, or trying for bigger adventures.
There are plenty of people you can see getting on dive boats, with tanks hanging half off their back, a computer console dragging on the deck behind them as they walk to the platform--and the list goes on...And I am saying to these divers reading my article, that they should avoid them --as they are new divers themselves, trying to become better and safer, and to then do BIGGER DIVES....the bad divers mentioned, would not bother me to dive with....If I though a tank was about to fall off--I would let them know this before they got in the water....but I don't have to worry about who I buddy with on a recreational profile..not to mention I will usually have Sandra and Bill Mee with me, so if we add a really bad buddy, they get all 3 of us to help if needed

I swear Bob, you are trying as hard as you can to take things out of context.....On one hand, you say this is not a "feud" to you....but to hear your points and the way you bring up the distant past, and out of context as well....I could easily get the wrong idea.....

Not to worry though...I almost enjoy this

When I saw John's post I thought it would make a good discussion ... but perhaps not here. So I stayed out of it. However, since you called me out for a post I didn't make, let me just offer my opinion anyway.

I think you're conflating two completely different topics ... one I agree with and one I don't.

The one I agree with is that when you see someone gearing up in a way that indicates they're not putting their gear together right, or they're doing things in a way that might lead to problems (e.g. not securing regs and/or consoles), ask them if they'd mind some advice, and help them get better squared away.

The one I don't agree with is that you necessarily at that point should be having any discussion with them about what gear you use. It's not particularly relevent to them at this particular time ... since they can't go running off the boat and go buy that gear before the next dive. That's a discussion for much later ... if at all. The priority at this point is to help them get squared away ... particularly if you're contemplating going underwater with them.

I never assume that someone else either needs to or wants to follow my gear choices. If they show an interest, I'll happily explain why I made them ... but not in a way that denigrates their own choices. If I see them struggling underwater and I think a gear change might help them I'll offer it up after the dive ... and explain to them why they might want to consider it. But a lot of times people know exactly why they made the choices they did ... and while those choices may not work for me, it's not always a good assumption that they're bad choices. I've seen divers ... particularly those who work in places like Indonesia and the Maldives ... who move underwater like they were born there. I'll never have the skills those people have, despite the fact that their gear looks like something I haven't worn since OW class.

And FWIW - I also agree with you about not doing an aggressive dive with someone you haven't dived with before. That's just asking for trouble. But to be honest I'd apply that even to people who come on board with a DIR configuration, unless I knew them by reputation. The reason is simply that anybody can read JJ's book and go buy some equipment. Wearing the badge doesn't give you the chops ... or the appropriate mindset. I wouldn't consider going to 120 feet with a total stranger, no matter what equipment they were wearing.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[TSandM]

So where's the photos of you in long blade fins?

I didn't get a chance to try them; I would have liked to. I just spent a week in the Philippines with two people using them, who seemed to do much better in the current than I did with my Mares, as much as I like them.

 

[gypsyjim]

While the discussion of which is most valuable, proper skills or proper tools, would be a very good topic, that is the sort of discussion for another thread, no?

I would actually enjoy seeing this thread as it could be educational, and entertaining....

 

[Mossman]

Yeah, where are the moderators today?

BTW, the one dive I dove off a boat with danvolker and Sandra, she wasn't wearing a BP&wing and I don't recall Dan berating her for it. He certainly never said anything about my "stroke gear".

Of course that was a dive organized on rec.scuba. Sure miss the good 'ole days

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

While the discussion of which is most valuable, proper skills or proper tools, would be a very good topic, that is the sort of discussion for another thread, no?

Yes it would ... and I apologize, Jim, for derailing your thread. I probably should've just stuck with the decision I made a couple weeks ago to sit this one out. Hard to do, however, when I keep getting hammered for a conversation I wasn't participating in, and for a post I didn't make.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

---------- Post added March 21st, 2014 at 12:33 PM ----------

Yeah, where are the moderators today?

... participating ... and once they post in a thread they can't moderate it ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)