How was PADI veiwed when they started

[quimby]

Originally Posted by Mr Mares

When PADI started up, how were they viewed at the time by the diving community, They, like GUE had links to a manufacturer, was this frowned upon at the time? Was the trainning they offered considered to be good? Who was around at the time for them to compete with?

The above posts listed who was in the arena then. And on the east coast the outlook was LAC was regional, NAUI and YMCA were not affiliated with mfgs or shops and classes were being taught in YMCA's swim clubs etc. without direct connections to shops. Then we come down a step and NASDS started and you HAD to own a shop to be a instructor and essentially sent in your money and got your credentials. One other movement was the new word PROFESSIONAL now being thrown around for equipt (IE scubapro) and I believe PADI tied into their concept of professional and developed from there.
In a nutshell LAC,NAUI,and YMCA had the higher stds and NASDS and PADI were developed to expand the market by introducing such inovations as the resort course, etc.etc. etc.....