Solved: Who am I talking to?

[lowviz]

@The Chairman

Dear sir,
Would you consider making dive professionals (DM and above) immediately distinct from 'just divers' on this fine social board? I gain a lot of insight by being able to determine the 'flavor' of the poster and have recently been greatly surprised to learn of their professional status. I find this to be most unsettling.

It matters. You (posters) are or aren't posting as a professional. The unwashed massed don't always know this. Your SB persona does not reflect this as it should. No, we aren't all the same. Professionalism comes with obligations, titles, and transparency.

Show yourselves...

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

After reading all of these posts, I really miss Lynn even more. She represented the best in what was on offer on SB.

... and in real life she was even better than her posts ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[TMHeimer]

I totally get that, Tom.

But in my profession (Code of Ethics | National Society of Professional Engineers) you don't get to be whatever you want to suit the moment.

So a scuba professional can spout off his/her loose opinions on the board yet come done on someone when it suits them?

Whoa, pages of replies since yesterday. I ask the same question as Bierstadt about giving example of instructors coming down on someone. I suppose it's happened. There was one instructor years ago who did that a lot and many couldn't stand the guy (in fact, the only guy I got into a serious argument with in my 11 years). Some of the posts following back there get into defining what a professional is as well. Me, having assisted OW courses as a DM for a mere 4 years, or some Master Instructor who certified thousands? It's not black and white. I consider myself a highly accomplished professional clarinetist who can be of help to aspiring players (my book will be published hopefully by June). Yet, I figure there are probably a hundred thousand others who play better than me in the world. What is MY status compared to theirs? Probably the same with any "profession".

Someone mentioned TS & M' expertise coming from years of experience before she actually became a DM. She was Cave certified well before that. Likewise with me--Masters Degree in clarinet but I learned so much more "out in the field" playing.

 

[CT-Rich]

If you have an idea, or opinion a professional tag isn’t going make your idea more valid. Defending it vigorously will. This is the democracy of ideas. There are plenty of armchair experts that whip their certification and explain what they learned in class and their virtual “dives of the minds”.

 

[TMHeimer]

Wow - in this day and age? Why not just add your social security number, credit card numbers, and bank codes? Do the words Identy Theft mean anything to ya?

Yeah, agree for sure. I do include the town I live in, but certainly not the actual address, phone numbers, etc. I suppose someone could find all that out if they really wanted to. They'd most likely be disappointed....

 

[boat sju]

I'm not about to read through all of this but I will say that I do place value on a post based on a person's dive count. Not that I discount replies from less experienced divers but I do consider the "perspective". And it bugs me when someone either overstates our UNDERstates their dive count.

FWIW, I just consider myself a pretty average diver but I've met one instructor that scares me and I will not dive with again. Not sure what the takeaway from that is.

 

[lowviz]

...//... it bugs me when someone either overstates our UNDERstates their dive count. ...

Well, that's a problem.

If you go to your profile you will see # of Logged Dives. I don't log dives anymore, so, get used to seeing my dive count. It is real and meets all stated standards.

So a scuba professional can spout off his/her loose opinions on the board yet come done on someone when it suits them?

Yes that statement was early on in this discussion when my ideas were still forming.

Allow me to restate:

"So would it be proper for a scuba professional to both offer personal opinions and also invoke standards while using the same personna?"

I didn't get that exactly right, but it better shows what I was thinking at the time. None of this is of any relevance at this point in the thread. The thread has gained a life of its own and I'm enjoying watching it all play out and wind down.

What a ride!

 

[kelemvor]

The

Perdix gets all the fanboy praise because they really are that good.

To be fair, Petrel is pretty good as well.

 

[T.C.]

There are titles and titles that can show who you are talking to, but trying to enforce that over a quarter million users is beyond my ability.

And how would you even know; does the OP expect you to personally verify every professional's credentials?

Not to mention the possible liability from listing a professional whose credentials are revoked.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I’m not an instructor or dive professional.
But coming from just a regular diver, I don’t really think it matters one way or the other if someone chooses to down play their experience level or pro status. It’s an internet forum after all, anybody can be anything they want, or not want. It’s not like it’s a face to face discussion. If it was, I can assure you the tone in many cases would be entirely different!

Instructors are really good at instructing and relaying information. That doesn’t always mean they are really good at real world diving in all sorts of environments, or have a ton of experience diving in all types of locations and conditions. I’ve seen some train wrecks out there that somehow were instructors.
Until I actually meet them in person and go for a dive will the real truth be exposed.

When I see someone With the title “instructor” with 2000+ dives (or whatever number), I usually take it with a grain of salt. That doesn’t tell me if those dives were teaching dives in 20’ of water day after day, or if there was some really adventurous radical dives where their real world diving skills were supremely challenged.

 

[T.C.]

Wow - in this day and age? Why not just add your social security number, credit card numbers, and bank codes? Do the words Identy Theft mean anything to ya?

All this information (Real names, phone numbers, website URLs, Physical addresses) is readily available on a shop's website. I doubt anyone is at risk for Identity Theft for posting it on their profile.

Hell, in the Army, almost every document has your SSN on it. I've stopped worrying about ID theft, because there's nothing I can do to stop bureaucracy. In 17 years, I've never had any issues with identity theft.