JJ, this post of yours is too long. DIR is for people who want it, not
necessarily people who need it. The first thing Parker Turner told me before
he even said "hello" was "take the cotton out of your ears and put it in
your mouth". I am glad to see you have time for more - I don't. It is just
too obvious.

Smart people go to the pros for answers - the rest .............


-----Original Message-----
From: Jarrod Jablonski [mailto:JJ@gu*.co*]
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2001 5:49 PM
To: Gordon Cancio; allysonclagett@ea*.ne*;
Michael.Waldbrenner@wa*.de*; bryon@be*.co*;
pina3@be*.ne*; evlink2001@ho*.co*; quest@gu*.co*;
cavers@ca*.co*; techdiver@aquanaut.com
Subject: RE: GI and SS to Merge



>I think it is HYPOCRITICAL of the DIR bigshots to declare that a DIR
>person must not dive (rule #1) or listen (Rule #2) to strokes; but it is
>perfectly DIR to sell a stroke gear.

Funny that this touched off so much debate. In truth I first thought it a
troll (not sure I am unconvinced of this impression), then I thought the
discussion a bit funny, and now I find it interesting to see these multiple
perspectives. I felt that this deserved at least a semi official comment
since I was being challenged as hypocritical (caps left out<G>).

My initial thoughts that this was a troll were as much for the practical
implications of trying to identify a "stroke" prior to gear purchase as for
the arguably naive understanding it represents. Financial issues aside, it
is imminently difficult and questionable to force this sort of
relationship. On a deeper level I personally see it as undesirable to
alienate people that are searching, in flux, transitioning, skeptical or
just plain resistant. I have seen that quite often the individuals most
resistant to these concepts become the most avid and appreciative
supporters. In some ways these people are the ones that understand the
benefit the most. For example, we have had an array of divers with solid
experience (many hundreds of dives) that come into a DIR fundamentals class
the die hard skeptic and leave amazed that such a class  could improve what
they expected were excellent skills. People tend come to an idea or not in
their own time and in their own way.  Before everyone tries to take this in
some non supportive of DIR direction my feelings about people coming into
an idea on their own does not mean that I will involve these divers in my
own or in group dives but it also does not mean I see any cause to
intentionally alienate the possibility that they may wish to adopt the
ideas in the future.

Of course all of this ignores the financial issues associated with such
actions. Most will wrongly say that that is the real issue here. However,
it is part of the issue because we built a company to service what we saw
as a meaningful and worthwhile niche of divers. People that fully represent
and cater directly to that niche are in a great position and hats of to
them. I think that is great and in time I am sure they will prosper. DIR is
now sufficiently popular to support properly focused individuals and in
time this will grow even more substantial and support ever larger
infrastructures. I think that where possible full DIR can be extremely
supportive and beneficial. I also see the benefit to strong support for DIR
and appreciation for where other individuals are at any given moment in
time.

At the outset my personal motivations were to serve like minded divers and
create a positive influence on what I saw as a declining industry. Both GUE
and Halcyon lose business because of their philosophical approach. They
unintentionally alienate people that would otherwise be customers and
intentionally make choices that are not in the interest of profitability.
We could easily catapult ourselves into much greater market share and
substantially more generous earnings by riding our popularity. There are
entire markets that Halcyon could leverage using name recognition to sell
people what they think that they want. Yet we work very hard to find a way
to promote what we believe while being as inclusive and helpful as
possible. Some people imagine DIR to be a fad but I see the excitement as
an obvious indication that supporters and skeptics, divers and instructors,
shop owners and manufacturers feel the energy of change in this industry.
Some are afraid, some are resistant, some ambivalent, and some energized.
Yet it is there in almost tangible way. Regardless of what any of us wish
to say or do about that reality these ideas will march on and take their
own shape. In this future I see Halcyon and GUE's efforts in the context of
facilitation and not enforcement. We are excited about making diving more
fun and safer but we are not the police or the government and we plan to
continue doing our best to make great equipment while remaining true to our
principles.

Good Diving,
JJ






Jarrod Jablonski

President-
Global Underwater Explorers
CEO Halcyon Manufacturing/Extreme Exposure

GUE (www.gue.com) is a non-profit educational, research, and exploratory
organization with hundreds of dedicated members around the world.
Halcyon manufacturing (www.halcyon.net) and Extreme Exposure
(www.extreme-exposure.com) produce some of the scuba industry's most novel
and robust diving equipment designed by many of diving's most active
explorers.




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