@2airishuman Service a reg, for a new diver? I look forward to servicing my own regs one day, but it is not a new diver skill. Nor is hydro on a tank - I don't even know what the requirements are for cert work on a tank to be legal, but I know you have to meet some sort of Federal requirements in the US. However, I would absolutely be interested in better ideas on used gear. I did not have much luck with what I found on the used market when I was looking.
I am with you on floats. There is a balance between portability and visibility, and I think we ere too far to the side of portability even when we shouldn't. I trust most powerboat drivers as far as I can throw them. My ideal F&F would be equipped with a cannon to ward them off while I dive.
There is absolutely no reason you can't service your own gear as a new diver. Read 2 books on reg service (see this thread:
Wolfinger's "Regulator Savvy" versus Harlow's "Regulator Maintenance and Repair" ) and you'll have all the knowledge you need to service nearly every reg made.
Hell, I had 30 dives under my belt and repaired my brother's reg (which I had serviced--my first ever and it was free-flowing so needed a little adjustment) on a dive boat while I was puking. Regulator service and repair is almost trivial for anyone with some experience building things. If you're not experienced at building things, take a class in regulator service (not the PADI class that tells you what a reg is but doesn't tell you how to repair it) and you'll soon find that you don't think it's that difficult either. Plus you don't have the worry that your service tech was a little hung-over or pissed off when your gear was on the bench. Bonus, (or in my case the reason to do it in the first place) you can save a dive on the boat when something isn't going quite right.
I'll agree with what others have said about "inviting death". Too much hyperbole for me. Don't push dive shop sales falsehoods on new divers please.
As others have said, you also don't need to service your gear nearly as often as manufacturers or dive shops might want. I've service my scubapro rig, bought used, exactly once in the 8 or 9 years I've had it. It breathes perfectly. The only reason I serviced it was to change it to DIN for some new (used) tanks. Similarly, I agree with vis being largely unnecessary, but I've never had a problem with any shop filling my tanks with valid hydro and a vis sticker, no matter where I've taken my tanks. If you want to do your own vis, invest $50 in a set of stickers and save your $5 a year or whatever it is. For me, that just wasn't worth the effort.
As far as new versus used, I appreciate your thought process on why you bought new. I put a post together eons ago (or what feels like it anyway) about buying used versus new. Here's a link:
Buying used, a discriminating shopper's primer
EDIT: Last one, I promise. Since cost seems to be a factor for you (and most of us) here's another discussion about buying new gear at "budget" prices.
Getting started "on the cheap"
Good discussion on your blog. I don't agree with everything but it's well thought out. Thanks for sharing.