Blindly trust computers?

[Fastmarc]

My whole point is: if my computer dies, it's an inconvience. Nothing more. How Suunto can be held accountable for a diver dying because of a computer faillure is beyond me. But then, I'am european and do'nt understand American law.

From what I read there was an instance where a computer indication that there was plenty of air left and as such time to surface, but they were out of gas. The diver went OOA and drowned.

 

[dmaziuk]

... and I looked at the PDF and the complaint is about AL replacing faulty computer without telling the user the replacement may also be faulty.

Granted, there is some reason to it: when I call for RMAs on faulty brand new hard drive, some agents ask if I want the RMA for the entire purchase order. The fact that it is class-actionable against the reseller and manufacturer is... only in California.

 

[BRT]

If the computer shuts down, what do they do? Perfect recipe for panic if you ask me.

"They" don't have computers. "They" were watching me with my computer. If my computer shuts down I look at my second computer. That being said in that particular situation we are fishing on the bottom and tables make sense.

 

[kelemvor]

... and I looked at the PDF and the complaint is about AL replacing faulty computer without telling the user the replacement may also be faulty.

Granted, there is some reason to it: when I call for RMAs on faulty brand new hard drive, some agents ask if I want the RMA for the entire purchase order. The fact that it is class-actionable against the reseller and manufacturer is... only in California.

Yes, but only in so much as any dive computer sold by any manufacturer may also be faulty. Maybe I'm wrong, but I had the impression that the lawsuit hinged basically on that nuance.

 

[BRT]

From what I read there was an instance where a computer indication that there was plenty of air left and as such time to surface, but they were out of gas. The diver went OOA and drowned.

My computers don't try to tell me anything about air consumption or amount of air left.

 

[kelemvor]

My computers don't try to tell me anything about air consumption or amount of air left.

Okay, well suppose your SPG and depth guage failed. Same thing.

 

[dmaziuk]

Yes, but only in so much as any dive computer sold by any manufacturer may also be faulty. Maybe I'm wrong, but I had the impression that the lawsuit hinged basically on that nuance.

Yeah... my computer's manual starts with the legalese to the effect that it shouldn't be trusted, you'd expect that to cover the "may be faulty" contingency. I wonder if the suit implies that is not actually enforceable and has no legal standing and dropping a fifty mil to not let it go to a decision is cheap at the price.

 

[BRT]

Okay, well suppose your SPG and depth guage failed. Same thing.

More chance of junk falling into the tank valve and stopping air flow. I've seen that. I suppose both my computers could fail along with my SPG. I would just start up.

 

[Fastmarc]

My computers don't try to tell me anything about air consumption or amount of air left.

It seems this one was air integrated. It was showing much more air than was actually available.
I've seen online that some of these air integrated computers will simplify the info and give you a time to surface which I think is a combination of gas remaining and remaining NDL.

 

[Kimela]

This is why I always dive with 2 computers that are not the same make / model / manufacturer.

This makes good sense to me - especially in light of this law suit. Coincidentally, between my husband and I we own two Cobras and two Geckos. Both MY Gecko AND Cobra are dead - expensive paperweights. And he hasn't used his Cobra in a couple of years because of its unreliability.