<ignorant guy>
So is a compound bow with a "release" not most of the way to being a crossbow?
A crossbow is like a gun. You point it at the target and pull the trigger. The bolt will go where the sight is pointing.
Any other bow (Longbow, flat bow, recurve and compound) requires the user to get absolutely everything perfect, identical to the previous shots, in order for the sight to have any meaning.
Two untrained people will most likely achieve a decent (identical) result with the same crossbow.
Even two trained people will achieve different results with the same bow.
The release-aid I used with my Compound bow did, to some extend, take some of the skill out of it, but my fingers just couldn't take it any more.
The very day I buy a house with a few acres I'l lbe visiting Quicks Archery in Waterlooville.