@wildcat99s you really don't know how easy it is to kill yourself with a compressor do you? How do you know your compressor is safe and providing breathable air? Do you know how to check it and test it? Even a small amount of impurities can kill you without you even knowing about it ( CO poisoning is just one way and has killed hundreds of people who never knew they were dying).
Yes, i'm aware of the hazards revolving around air compressors. I have an older, but new hamworthy electric scuba compressor and filter... which the filter is about to get an upgrade. But i know my compressor and filter inside and out. I was advised that an lab done air purity test is usually unneeded as long as i keep the filters changed. I fill outside in the country with fresh air and no fumes around so i'm only filtering out moisture, and what little oil that's produced by the compressor itself.. But it gets a smell test before each bottle fill and i'm keep track of the litmus strip inside to see when it needs to be changed.
But when i started getting into scuba earlier this year, that's when all of the covid bs started, and the certification classes was moved to mainly online, with a couple onsite and lake wet classes. and my schedule wouldn't work with that right now. So i went online and found the scuba courses from SSI and that's what got me started, and then i weighted myself and practiced all of the procedures in the pool, until i eventually grew out of the pool. So it's not like i just threw on a tank and went diving. I studied and practiced from multiple sources for 2 months before going deeper and will eventually get certified when the time is right.
I double check all of my gear before i get in the water. and i've learned to rebuild and service every piece of equipment i have and know what's going on with every piece.
But i don't believe that the OP is a troll. I imagine there is a lot of people who want to learn scuba but don't like the idea of being forced to jump through hoops and pay lots of money to get permission to scuba dive. I know scuba attracts a lot of impulse users, and know there are places a person can get certified in under 8 hours of training including water time. They buy equipment, take a few hour class, get certified, do a dive or two, and then put the equipment away to rot until they sell it 15 years later. But scuba is a big money business because it has a high turnover of divers. Yes, some continue to dive and enjoy it, but a majority of them are just impulse hobbiest. So there's usually a price tag on everything involved and think there's some animosity towards people who don't have to rely on someone else before you can go diving, besides a dive buddy. I get safety is a big issue and sure your Passings forum has a lot of great people. but i didn't see very many that died while out diving. I'm sure they're there and sorry to hear about them. But most were divers that died out of water and i won't be there anytime soon.