I think the new e-learning is a great idea, gives people one more option for learning and is in no way any different than current home study programs, just a different form of delivery. Its also NOT a replacement for current programs, its just an "in addition to" method. I'm sure it will bring people into diving that might not do it otherwise.
Re: Independent Instructors. I was one once and totally understood then that I was operating at a disadvantage to diveshops. A shop has a lot more to offer a student and a customer than an independent. PADI may not support an independent, but they do allow them. Of the top 3 agencies, PADI #1, SSI #2, SDI #3, only PADI allows you to be an independent as SSI & SDI require you to be affiliated with a shop. As a shop owner, I pay for the right to membership in the IRRA and its benefits. I'd be pissed if they were giving these rights to others who didn't pay for them.
I've taught for a number of years and watched others teach and in my experience, diving is taught in the water. I've seen students that had no problem with academics, but couldn't cut it in the water and quit. In the water is where the real repoir and trust between student and teacher is built, not in the classroom. Its also been my experience that for the vast majority of people, time restraints are the biggest obstacle to learning to dive. We as people have less and less leisure time these days. If we can give a way to shorten class time, thereby allowing more time to be spent where the actual learning is happening, this is a good thing!