Can anyone explain what SurfGF is and how it's used in small words, or is it too complicated to sum up in a post? I feel like I'm almost following here...
Also, to the instructors who keep posting about how it's the instructors prerogative to set course requirements--again, I'm really interested to hear what yours are and your reasons. You obviously know a lot more than I do, and on a macro level I do believe that seemingly idiosyncratic practices by those with a lot of experience are not to be categorically dismissed if they can't yet be fully explained. Humans are intuitive animals, not computers, and we often guess at the right answer by going with our gut before we can show the mathematical proof for it. But no one in this thread has said anything that could reasonably be interpreted as saying you shouldn't be allowed to set those kinds of rules; people are just debating the wisdom of those rules individually. So the repeated insistence on your right to make the rules kind of comes across, to me at least, as if you're trying to shut down the discussion. Maybe that's not your intent, but I'm probably not the only one reading it that way.
If it is your intent, I'd ask you to consider how you'd feel if you happened to overhear either of the following conversations between me and another new diver.
Other diver: Hey, I notice you dive with [your preferred configuration--Perdix, AI + SPG, etc.] Have you ever tried [alternative]?
Me: Nope. This is how [your name] says to do it.
OD: Oh...but what about [reasonable, if flawed, counterargument]?
Me: (shrug) I'm not going to question [your name].
OD: Uh...OK
Vs.
Other diver: Hey, I notice you dive with [your preferred configuration--Perdix, AI + SPG, etc.] Have you ever tried [alternative]?
Me: I thought about it, but this is what [your name] teaches because [reasons].
OD: Oh, OK. I never thought of that. But what about [reasonable, if flawed, counterargument]?
Me: Yeah, I heard about that, but [well-thought-out response].
OD: Hmmm, interesting.
Also, to the instructors who keep posting about how it's the instructors prerogative to set course requirements--again, I'm really interested to hear what yours are and your reasons. You obviously know a lot more than I do, and on a macro level I do believe that seemingly idiosyncratic practices by those with a lot of experience are not to be categorically dismissed if they can't yet be fully explained. Humans are intuitive animals, not computers, and we often guess at the right answer by going with our gut before we can show the mathematical proof for it. But no one in this thread has said anything that could reasonably be interpreted as saying you shouldn't be allowed to set those kinds of rules; people are just debating the wisdom of those rules individually. So the repeated insistence on your right to make the rules kind of comes across, to me at least, as if you're trying to shut down the discussion. Maybe that's not your intent, but I'm probably not the only one reading it that way.
If it is your intent, I'd ask you to consider how you'd feel if you happened to overhear either of the following conversations between me and another new diver.
Other diver: Hey, I notice you dive with [your preferred configuration--Perdix, AI + SPG, etc.] Have you ever tried [alternative]?
Me: Nope. This is how [your name] says to do it.
OD: Oh...but what about [reasonable, if flawed, counterargument]?
Me: (shrug) I'm not going to question [your name].
OD: Uh...OK
Vs.
Other diver: Hey, I notice you dive with [your preferred configuration--Perdix, AI + SPG, etc.] Have you ever tried [alternative]?
Me: I thought about it, but this is what [your name] teaches because [reasons].
OD: Oh, OK. I never thought of that. But what about [reasonable, if flawed, counterargument]?
Me: Yeah, I heard about that, but [well-thought-out response].
OD: Hmmm, interesting.