pedro_rj:
The logic behind rec divers requests seem pretty solid to me:
1 - Shearwater arguably makes the best computers for reasonable prices
2 - many rec divers would benefit from AI
3 - would be nice to have the best computers with AI
How that can be detrimental to the tec community is beyond me.
Shearwater made the best technical diving instruments for several years. What made them the best technical diving instruments made them less optimum recreational diving instruments.
But 'tech is cool'... So recreational divers want them.
But recreational divers don't want the functionality that makes them the best technical diving instruments...
So what, exactly, would make a 'recreational' Petrel the best recreational computer?
The screen? No...
The algorithm? No...
The size? No....
What people are asking for is a Suunto with the name Shearwater on it.... in a 'cool' black case with bolts holding the screen on... and a technical 'heritage' that makes the user seem to be a more accomplished, trained or educated than they actually are...
The same type of customers are evident in every market. Brand label snobs, who want cheap and simple, but want it to look prestige.
I cite, in analogy, the Porsche Boxter.... a cheap Volkswagon with a cool supercar-heritage brand name for people who don't want deal with the reality of driving a supercar. You don't need to be an accomplished driver to cruise around in a Porsche Boxter... but you can imagine you are... let others imagine you are...
The Mazda MX5 was a far better car in the same performance range.... but it didn't have the 'cool' heritage name.
A dozen existing rec computers already fulfill exactly what divers are asking for on this thread.... But they want a cool 'tech heritage' name and image... not Suunto, Mares etc etc
Porsche made money out of the Boxter... but it seriously lost reputation. It became an embrassment... and deterred sales to Porsche's core market. The Boxter was a 'hairdressers' car. Porsche became the only supercar manufacturer to have a faux supercar in their line.
Should Shearwater make a faux tech computer? A sheep in wolf's clothing? How would that benefit them?
Dollars in the bank at the cost of reputation? That's called selling out... Greed, not prestige. The next, inevitable step would likely be a real sellout... and Shearwater would get swept up by one of the big, nasty companies...