halemano:
Me thinks you quote me out of context to re-say something the rest of us all ignored because it only applies to a small few. I covered the vast majority nicely in the rest of what you didn't quote (see below). Furthermore, as an instructor/guide in Wailea I often certify the new spouse, or guide for the diver who's new spouse doesn't dive, so I am sure there are plenty of divorced divers that wouldn't have a book in their library unless the standard was every student gets a book. As I understand it that is the PADI standard and from what I've seen of marraige in this day and age, it's valid. With your LDS's blessing, that may only be the first standards violation in your certification with them.
Whoa... umm... ya' know... I'd love to what the HECK are you talking about??? PADI may want to *require* each of us to have a book... but I'm not sure it's supported in real world law... as far as the copyright thingie... OK... if it would make everybody happy we won't photocopy the question sheets... we'll simply answer the questions on separate pieces of paper with the questions numbered... no copyright violation involved... questions answered... tra-la.
Now... my take on the difference between PADI and NAUI... [Please note... it is a *review* based on being an active student of the art... it is current...]
We recently went through the PADI AOW course. Not bad, mostly a review of more basic skills... with some extra depth added in. Long on ideology and social responsibility... rather short on the "WHYs and HOWS". My personal feelings was that, while it was an adequate course it was about 25% substance and 75% fluff. (My wife... who is BRAND NEW TO DIVING puts it at 50/50)
We recently completed a NAUI NITROX course... much longer in the "WHYs and HOWs"... much more math and physics orientation... good explaination of the subject matter... I saw it as about 65% substance and 35% fluff. (My better 3/4's sees it about 70/30... notes it repeated itself a lot in the forumlas... multiple variations of the same thing... very text book, less propaganda.)
Now... these are my personal views as a customer. They are also given from the perspective of somebody who got certed back in 1970 and still has some pretty clear recollections of how much more difficult it was back then... of course, I'm willing to concede that that may be colored by the fact that I was barely 18 at the time and MANY things seem more difficult to some at that stage of the game...
Personally my choice is NAUI (I'm not sure about the other agencies... haven't had any real experience with them so as to have a foundation on which to form a judgement... so, rather than pontificating... )
This thread is facinating... I'm beginning to wonder, based on some other threads I've seen taking a similar confrontational twist... if there aren't a series of competative 'troll games" going on on Scuba Board... the consistances seem to be "emotional arguments with little basis throwing out attacking charges that are vague and unanswerable"...
I could be wrong... but, again... it's a perception...
I'm also a bit distrubed by the number of people who have "instructor" or some such under their names (on BOTH sides of the arguement) who are always saying "I don't remember exactly"... or "I don't know" ... or some such...
I'm thankful to those who DO quote chapter and verse...
The problem 'FROM A STUDENT POINT OF VIEW' is that WE *do* expect someone who takes our money and signs our cards to know the answers... or to find the answers. YOU are our mentors and the people we trust our futures and... to no small degree... lives to. We expect you to be able to not just quote the book... but to explain why the book says what it says.
I'm not pointing fingers at ANYBODY in particular or on either side of this debate... it's a general observation. If you want to be leaders... then please lead like leaders should... otherwise... with WE THE STUDENTS, the value of your coin becomes greatly deminished and, at least in my eyes, tends to make your certification agency of choice look much more "entreprenurial" than "educational"...
We don't mind good honest debate... but folks... this is getting silly... From a student's point of view... it really looks like... well... I'd prefer not to describe what it *really looks like*... suffice it to say... "not good"...
[Now... before somebody goes wonkey on me... I'm 54 years old, retired and have held division and department head positions in the computer industry... I have SOME concept of how leadership works...]
OH... and if you AREN'T an instructor... I'm really not particularly facinated by you're assessments... if you want to give your impressions as a student... cool... but I get a sense that there are more than a few who have "ScubaBoard Veteran" or some such who are simply exercising their freedom of speach by trying to sound like instructors... in which case... you may be voicing yourself... but you're not, in my personal opinion, doing diving any good...
