> Computers will continue to improve with better guidance, correction of
> errors, ease of use, readability, battery life, etc.
>
> Adam
Your time and money would be far better spent improving your diving skills,
improving fitness and getting a comprehensive understanding of decompression
instead of relying on electronic gizmos to do it for you. If it fails
during a dive what are you going to do then?
The only computer you can rely on (hopefully) is the one between your ears.
If you are worried about the computer algorithms being updated as we get a
better understanding of hyperbaric physiology, then PC based computer
programmes such as Decoplanner, Zplanner, Proplanner and many others, are
far more likely to be available with new programming than those hard coded
into a dive computer.
To my knowledge the only software upgradeable wrist computer currently made
is the VR3 by Abysmal, and even, as it's another bit of electronics, is not
100% reliable.
In addition, due to the variability of each individual divers physiology and
susceptibility to a DCI, be it Nitrogen or Oxygen related, the algorithms
used in decompression software (irrelevant of make or model) make these
small differences insignificant.
More recent models of dive computer use variations of RGBM, Gradient factors
and other 'deep stop' calculations and are more conservative than the older
models, but in the final analysis, whether you get bent is largely down to
you the diver, NOT the bit of electronics.
Learn about decompression, get fit (lower BMI) and increased cardiovascular
performance, and dive safely.
Dan Bracuk - 19 Oct 2004 00:28 GMT
"Tony Howard" <tony@samesamediving.com> pounded away at his keyboard
resulting in:
:Your time and money would be far better spent improving your diving skills,
:improving fitness and getting a comprehensive understanding of decompression
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
:Learn about decompression, get fit (lower BMI) and increased cardiovascular
:performance, and dive safely.
If your computer fails during a dive, all the understanding of deco
theory in the world is not going to help you if you were not keeping
track of your profile as you go along. There might be some people out
there who want to do that, but I ain't one of them.
Dan Bracuk
Is it my imagination, or do Buffalo Wings taste like chicken?
The Best of rec.scuba http://www.pathcom.com/~bracuk/RecScuba/
Adam Helberg - 20 Oct 2004 05:10 GMT
> "Tony Howard" <tony@samesamediving.com> pounded away at his keyboard
> resulting in:
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Dan Bracuk
If you're really concerned about the computer failing you can take another as a
backup. I see some people doing that. They're compact and not that expensive.
Adam
nospam@all.please.net - 20 Oct 2004 05:22 GMT
>> "Tony Howard" <tony@samesamediving.com> pounded away at his keyboard
>> resulting in:
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> Adam
Good plan.
Alan Street - 20 Oct 2004 06:19 GMT
> >> If your computer fails during a dive, all the understanding of deco
> >> theory in the world is not going to help you if you were not keeping
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Good plan.
But not enough, right :-)