So I notice for certian certs you need to have a specific amount of dives under your belt. I also notice that below peoples names that there is an amount of dives.
What qualifes as a dive?
As you've already seen, there is a wide variety of opinion in what people consider a loggable dive. For most instances, it's pretty much a personal decision what you log and the requirements are what you choose to make them. Just be aware that if you're trying to meet the qualifications for a specific course, the instructor may choose not to accept or count certain dives towards your total.
My advice: Log what YOU want and if you are interested in taking a specific course, discuss the requirements with the instructor ahead of time to make sure you have a clear understanding what types of dives are acceptable before enrolling.