The Ethics of Full Disclosure on ScubaBoard

[The Chairman]

I've changed no positions.

When someone quotes the one, you suggest that they are misrepresenting you. I get that you are enamored with alternative facts, but this is just stupid.

You simply don't like people who disagree with you. You've complained about it to me for a long, long time. You've even asked me to silence people who had the temerity to disagree with you. I'm sure you'll deny that as well... it's what you do best.

Some people choose to assign false motives, I'll bet that was on purpose too.....

It's simply an observation that's supported by your behavior in this thread. If you meant 'common', you should have used 'common'. You didn't. You used an emotionally charged word to convey your disgust. Good job and now you have distanced a few more potential customers. That's you prerogative, but don't expect us to think you're a saint.

Hey, it's apparent to me that you have to have the last word here. So, go ahead. I'm done trying to reason with an unreasonable person. It's also apparent to me that you care more about disemboweling your opponent verbally than gaining a new understanding. That's how you come across and if that's NOT your motive, than maybe you should try a different tack. Just a thought. Just a perception. Yours to ignore as you see fit. Just remember that you're making opponents out of fans and potential customers. Not a good business practice in my mind.

 

[Bubblesong]

Tobin, you are clinging to your misused word choice like it was MONEY! "vulgar" is not exactly an SAT word, so you might want a refund on your vending-machine-diploma in Diplomacy.
Alright, little Abolone of Bolonge. I am going to stop trying to pry you off your Rock of Rudeness, to which you are suckin' down hard.
But no grilling apron for you!

 

[cool_hardware52]

You simply don't like people who disagree with you. You've complained about it to me for a long, long time. You've even asked me to silence people who had the temerity to disagree with you. I'm sure you'll deny that as well... it's what you do best.

LOL,

I'm the one who cannot tolerate disagreement? That pretty rich coming from you. Clearly you are either ignorant of, or choosing to ignore your reputation held by the untold numbers you have driven away from SB.

The question I'm asked routinely on Facebook by very experienced divers is "who bothers with Scuba Board anymore, I haven't been there in years......"

I have never once asked you to squash those that disagree with me. Only those persist in making knowingly, demonstrably false statements or advocate unsafe practices.

Tobin

 

[cool_hardware52]

Tobin, you are clinging to your misused word choice like it was MONEY! "vulgar" is not exactly an SAT word, so you might want a refund on your vending-machine-diploma in Diplomacy.

I never claimed any sort of degree in Diplomacy. I rather enjoy my reputation for being blunt.

I'm fully aware advocating for moral behavior is like taking a bat to a hornets nest. Those with deficits will quite reliably lash out every time.

Tobin

 

[The Chairman]

LOL,

Lie all you want. As bad as you make us out to be... you're still here. I find that ironically funny. You hate me and yet here you are. Thanks for the Monday morning chuckle.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

As a new diver, long time SB lurker, former admin/mod for a sports related message board and relatively new poster here, this thread was of great interest to me to see how this type of thing is handled,

As a new diver and poster here, it is hard to decide who is giving you solid advice and who is just trying to sell product no matter the cost.

Having read over this I have two takeaways:

1. I think SB and all the admins/mods here do a great job working to make sure there is transparency. For that matter, they do one hell of a job in general as it is very difficult (read as impossible) to run a board and make everyone happy. Kudos to all those that help out to keep this board being one of great value to divers of all experience levels.

2. I will never buy a single thing from Deep Sea Supply. The anger and rude behavior I have seen here has turned me off completely. I have a great respect for my OW scuba instructor and as such I value her opinion. There are those on this board that have been a huge help as well. Some even recommending a competitors item because it would suit my specific diving needs the best. I have respect for people like that. All were respectful and handled controversy in other threads (yes I search old threads by posters so I can get an idea of how they interact with others and if a post I see may just be them having a bad a day and venting).

The actions and posts I have seen from @cool_hardware52 are frankly disgusting. They are rude verging on condescending and as a businessman I would think you would want to tread lightly and be sure to represent your brand in the best light possible. You failed at this and as such I will never do business with Deep Sea Supply.

I am not posting this to be rude but am doing so in hopes that people will see how their comments in a public forum can help or hurt their business and hopefully they think before letting those fingers hit the keyboard.

 

[C Dub]

no, but new boat come soon. If I can get the boatyard to give me a refit quote. The deal is made for the boat and the bank is onboard.

The above post is worthless without pictures, we want PICTURES!

 

[KenGordon]

As a new diver, long time SB lurker, former admin/mod for a sports related message board and relatively new poster here, this thread was of great interest to me to see how this type of thing is handled,

As a new diver and poster here, it is hard to decide who is giving you solid advice and who is just trying to sell product no matter the cost.

Having read over this I have two takeaways:

1. I think SB and all the admins/mods here do a great job working to make sure there is transparency. For that matter, they do one hell of a job in general as it is very difficult (read as impossible) to run a board and make everyone happy. Kudos to all those that help out to keep this board being one of great value to divers of all experience levels.

2. I will never buy a single thing from Deep Sea Supply. The anger and rude behavior I have seen here has turned me off completely. I have a great respect for my OW scuba instructor and as such I value her opinion. There are those on this board that have been a huge help as well. Some even recommending a competitors item because it would suit my specific diving needs the best. I have respect for people like that. All were respectful and handled controversy in other threads (yes I search old threads by posters so I can get an idea of how they interact with others and if a post I see may just be them having a bad a day and venting).

The actions and posts I have seen from @cool_hardware52 are frankly disgusting. They are rude verging on condescending and as a businessman I would think you would want to tread lightly and be sure to represent your brand in the best light possible. You failed at this and as such I will never do business with Deep Sea Supply.

I am not posting this to be rude but am doing so in hopes that people will see how their comments in a public forum can help or hurt their business and hopefully they think before letting those fingers hit the keyboard.

Oh dear. You have it all backwards.

Tobin knows what he is talking about when it comes to the stuff he makes and sells. The risk on these forums is that you are hearing echos from people who do not know what they are talking about but repeat what they 'know' which they learned here.

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

Oh dear. You have it all backwards.

Tobin knows what he is talking about when it comes to the stuff he makes and sells. The risk on these forums is that you are hearing echos from people who do not know what they are talking about but repeat what they 'know' which they learned here.

You state I have it all backwards. I would ask you this, how can my opinion be backwards when it is MY opinion?

I never once mentioned Tobin didn't know what he was talking about when it comes to his product. I am sure he knows it inside and out as any manufacturer should.

My point was that as a reader of this forum and a diver who buys dive gear, the attitude, arrogance and plain rude behavior seen here and in other threads turned me off and has driven me away as a potential customer. It seems to me many feel posting here is "safe" and they really let their personalities run free. If that personality is a rough, rude and condescending, it will turn customers off.

If one thinks SB is a little message board that only divers read then they would be mistaken. Do a quick search for "review of..(insert any scuba gear here)"

9 times out of 10 SB will pop up in the top ten results. If I am looking at a BP/W from Deep Sea Supply and google it..then come across the above posts or other posts where the "holier than thou" attitude is spewed, I am going to be much less likely to purchase. Now had I done that search and saw posts like I see from other companies *(There is one in particular that stands out to me as being a prime example of how to conduct yourself as a business in an open forum) then I would likely be more apt to buy what I was originally looking to purchase.

So I would pose to you that I do not have it backwards at all.I made a decision on future purchases based on the history I have seen here; which is volatile at best.

Again, no dog in this fight and was just posting what I have gotten from this thread. After all, my feedback and the feedback of others is what helps the admins/mods to develop other forums/sub-forums and threads.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Oh dear. You have it all backwards.

Tobin knows what he is talking about when it comes to the stuff he makes and sells. The risk on these forums is that you are hearing echos from people who do not know what they are talking about but repeat what they 'know' which they learned here.

Not always. Long time association with Tobin ... I was one of his early product testers, and brought the first DSS equipment to the Puget Sound area (that I'm aware of). Love the stuff. Never once found a DSS product that I would call anything but top quality and in most cases innovative.

That said, I'd never do business with Tobin again. It's not even so much his bluntness, his complete contempt for any opinion other than his own ... and his tendency to be downright insulting to anyone who expresses anything he doesn't agree with. It's more his insistence that he will ONLY sell you what HE thinks you need, rather than what you want to buy. His company, his right, I suppose. But as someone who has more experience, more training, and more bottom time than Tobin does, I got tired of being treated like a newby. There's just too many other products on the market to choose from that don't force you to deal with a man who makes Donald Trump look humble.

If you're into being told what you want, by all means ... DSS is a great choice. If you want to have some input into your own equipment purchases, there are better options.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)