Is PADI popular because it's cute?

[Scuba-Stu]

Actually, sir, to give Walter, Hoomi and DHMO credit where it's due the situation is worse in many cases.

The kids (10-21) just watch the DVD because they can't read. They watch a chapter and do the quiz. That is not the instructors' fault or the agencies fault. Maybe we should talk not only about schools but about parents who educate their kids in front of a flat screen TV.

The smarter people read the books and you can have interesting class time with them. However every year we get more and more video people and less people who know how to read.

The other thing that has changed a lot since I was a kid is that even filling in a registration form seems like a major "overload" for some people. A lot don't even know how to hold a pen/pencil/writing instrument.

Now there are eRDPs so that students don't have to learn how to use a table or a wheel.

Maybe I'm just old fashioned...... my nearly 17 year old stepson doesn't know if he wants to go to the Naval Academy or compose gangster rap...... now that's my fault!

Bitter?

 

[leapfrog]

Bitter?

No, actually his mother and I had a heart to heart with him just a few minutes ago and looking at his unique skills and abilities, he has told us that he is going to seriously consider a life of public service because that way he could be both Commander in Chief (without having to do any military service) and do stand up performances where it doesn't matter if the audience can't understand a word he's saying (without needing a college degree).

 

[Hoomi]

Eh. My 24 year old son wants to blow things up.

In fairness, he's not chaotically destructive; what he would really like to do is get with a pyrotechnics company and apprentice with them, and learn how to do such things the proper way. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of pyrotechnics companies around the area, and from what he's found researching, there isn't a trade school or college program anywhere to learn pyrotechnics. It's pretty much a career of finding a pro and convincing him or her to take you on as an apprentice.

And, of course, not blowing yourself up in the learning process.

Hmmm... I wonder if he'd be interested in joining the Navy for a UDT?

 

[emttim]

Its probably because they did a better job at marketing.

Sounds about right.

Well, now that it's where it belongs, I'll respond.



Absolutely not. PADI is the largest certification agency for one reason and one reason only. It's the same reason McDonalds is so large. It's fast. Quality is low, but most folks don't care about that, they just want it now.

That's funny. I've met SSI divers who don't know jack **** and my girlfriend's cousin did a class through a NAUI instructor who, due to apparently a massive amount of intelligence, had his students try to go to get fills for the second day without anyone who was actually certified with them and they predictable got turned away. His solution was to have them use some nitrox tanks he happened to have. Nevermind the fact they weren't even certified divers, forget about the fact they had no nitrox training right, because he was going to train them on nitrox concurrently that day.

So by those two anecdotes, SSI and NAUI are low in quality and thus crappy dive agencies.

The only problem is those anecdotes are as worthless as your presumed anecdotes on why PADI sucks. I stopped reading the rest of the thread after Walter's post because I made a fair assumption that the thread evolved into another round of agency bashing.

To the OP's question, I don't think PADI's popular because their name sounds cute. I agree with the other posters who have said it's because of their excellent marketing. PADI is a much better business than NAUI, SSI, and the rest of the much smaller dive agencies are currently. I won't say ever will be, because who knows what agencies will do what differently in the past, but as of now PADI pretty much is the Microsoft of dive agencies. And ironically, most of you people probably hate them for the same reasons people hate Microsoft.

 

[Walter]

I made a fair assumption that the thread evolved into another round of agency bashing.

You'd be wrong.

So by those two anecdotes, SSI and NAUI are low in quality and thus crappy dive agencies.

I've never read SSI standards, so I have no first hand knowledge, but judging from what SSI instructors have told me, SSI standards seem to be pretty much on a par with PADI's, so no argument from me on that point.

NAUI's standards are better, IMO, than PADI's, but you are certainly correct in the fact there are some terrible instrutors to be found with all agencies. OTOH, my point was about standards, not individual instructors.

You should remember that a question was asked about PADI, the response I have was about PADI because that was the question. Yes, other agencies gutted their standards, but PADI got a big head start and as a result is far larger than any other agency.

 

[Scuba-Stu]

NAUI's standards are better, IMO, than PADI's, but you are certainly correct in the fact there are some terrible instrutors to be found with all agencies. OTOH, my point was about standards, not individual instructors.

QUOTE]

I agree, I think realistically the quality of the course whatever it is, and whichever agency it is, depends almost entirely on the instructor. I cannot comment on the standards, but NAUI and PADI’s materials (books, video, and audio) for all recreational diving specialties (nitrox, rescue, etc.) seem almost identical.

 

[Walter]

I agree

Maybe, but you certainly aren't agreeing with me.

I think realistically the quality of the course whatever it is, and whichever agency it is, depends almost entirely on the instructor.

While that can be and sometimes is true, it's pretty rare. In most cases, the quality of a class can be linked directly to the agency's standards.

 

[Scuba-Stu]

Maybe, but you certainly aren't agreeing with me.



While that can be and sometimes is true, it's pretty rare. In most cases, the quality of a class can be linked directly to the agency's standards.

Thats why i said "almost"....

 

[Walter]

Thats why i said "almost"....

You said:

I think realistically the quality of the course whatever it is, and whichever agency it is, depends almost entirely on the instructor.

...as an explanation of why you agree with me while I believe the quality of the course whatever it is, and whichever agency it is, depends almost entirely on the agency in most cases. There are very rare exceptional instructors who improve on the base quality provided by agency standards.

 

[Scuba-Stu]

You said:



...as an explanation of why you agree with me while I believe the quality of the course whatever it is, and whichever agency it is, depends almost entirely on the agency in most cases. There are very rare exceptional instructors who improve on the base quality provided by agency standards.

..and there are even more intructors that turn a blind eye to agency standards.