Petition to have DIR and Tech diving separated.

[Rileybri]

There was is and will be questions specifically related to both tech diving and DIR diving on this forum. That said in my limited experience with diving tech or other wise the two are not mutually exclusive to each other. I am fascinated by the DIR divers/ing but am not personally interested in participation my self. However I am very much interested in tech diving and the related gear. It is time the Scuba Toys recognize the individual importance of both sub sets of our diving community and give them the separate forum listings they deserve. After all UW photography and UW video are not lumped together! I would like to ask DIR questions to the DIR community and Tech Questions to the Tech community. Is that to much to ask????


NOTE: This is neither a complaint nor a problem just an observation. This just seamed to be the most appropriate place for this post. Feel free to move it should the need arise!

[chinacat46]

Makes no difference to me but... What is gonna stop a DIR diver from answering a tech question just because it is a seperate forum? or vice versa

[MSilvia]

It won't stop DIR divers from throwing in their 2 cents on a tech question, or vice versa, but what it will do is make it clear if someone is looking for the DIR perspective on a questionor not. As it stands now, If I have a question about decompression diving, I can't ask it without it seeming like I asked for DIR responses. If I have a question about DIR, there isn't anywhere to ask that won't also solicit the opinions of non-DIR tech and cave divers. There are many variations on the theme, but the bottom line is that the current grouping of diverse kinds of diving into one forum significantly dilutes the value of the advanced diving forum, and also creates an unnecessary impression of hostility when people get answers from people who rightly assume questions there relate to the way they dive when the poster did not intend that.

I'd be very happy to see DIR and Tech separated into their own forums. It seems ridiculous to me to have 100 different forums for variations of recreational diving and different kinds of off-topic chit chat, and then to lump the more advanced diving topics (where the differences arguably matter more) into one area.

[fire diver]

I see your reasoning for the request. If the seperation is made, I just hope it doesn't wind up like the "other" board, where the DIR is an exclusive subset and anyone asking questions that don't follow dogma are immediately torn apart. If we have it, I think it should follow the same "helping out fellow divers" guidelines that the rest of the forum subscribes too.

[MSilvia]

Originally Posted by fire diver

I see your reasoning for the request. If the seperation is made, I just hope it doesn't wind up like the "other" board, where the DIR is an exclusive subset and anyone asking questions that don't follow dogma are immediately torn apart. If we have it, I think it should follow the same "helping out fellow divers" guidelines that the rest of the forum subscribes too.

We have a DIR forum now... it's just lumped in with a bunch of other things that are largely unrelated. It seems to me that clarifying the distinction would help to reduce vitriolic answers to people who don't adhere to DIR practices. I don't see how giving DIR and Tech their own forums would lead to any increase in misunderstandings or perceived hostility.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by MSilvia

We have a DIR forum now... it's just lumped in with a bunch of other things that are largely unrelated. It seems to me that clarifying the distinction would help to reduce vitriolic answers to people who don't adhere to DIR practices. I don't see how giving DIR and Tech their own forums would lead to any increase in misunderstandings or perceived hostility.

Agreed. The level of vitriol (already much lower here than on other forums) should either be reduced a bit or at a minimum, be more contained to the one forum.

[3rdEye]

it's probably a good idea....though the amount of forum subdivisions that exist now is a little over the top. I definitely think a DIR forum is a good idea if we have a decent contingent of DIR divers.

[chinacat46]

As I stated earlier it really makes no difference to me but after Matt clarified things it does seem like a good idea.

[MSilvia]

Originally Posted by 3rdEye

the amount of forum subdivisions that exist now is a little over the top.

There are quite a few, but not when you compare it to other boards. In any case, if "photography 101" and "photography techniques" warrant seperate discussion areas, it doesn't seem reasonable to me for DIR and tech diving to be treated as the same topic.

[cummings66]

I agree, I've seen answers to a tech question cause problems over the two approaches and it'd just be easier to get two forums. If a person wants a dir approach they go there, if a tech approach they go there. There can be a difference in the approaches. I'm certain that each sub group would in the end result in a better overall experience.