The "other" end of the DIR question

[detroit diver]

I seem to get a sense of DIR as a marketing tactic. Does anyone else?

Absolutely! If you take a class of theirs, you will be doing the marketing for them. You won't believe what a difference it makes in your diving.

I assume that's what you're speaking of, yes?

 

[Don Burke]

I seem to get a sense of DIR as a marketing tactic. Does anyone else?

Not me.

You can be DIR without a single piece of Halcyon or Extreme Exposure gear.

 

[H2Andy]

well, unless you are giving stuff and instruction away for free, you HAVE a
marketing tactic, even if not well articulated...

GUE/DIR, like PADI, has a marketing tactic. they target different audiences, and their
"products" are different, but they both charge you money for a product (be it
instruction or certification, or whatever).

i think it's unfair to blame any business for having a marketing tactic. that's what
businesses do.

also, i wouldn't blame the business for providing a product/service that people
want to buy.

 

[H2Andy]

Not me.

You can be DIR without a single piece of Halcyon or Extreme Exposure gear.

but you would have to take the DIR class, wouldn't you?

can you be DIR without ever taking the class?

 

[Don Burke]

can you be DIR without ever taking the class?

As far as I know, you can.

 

[archman]

can you be DIR without ever taking the class?

Ha! Is that like being a solo diver without taking the class?

 

[H2Andy]

you're confusing the DIR philosophy as set out by J.J. and offered in the DIR-F
class and the "general" concept of doing it right (no caps)

they are not the same thing. notice i used caps.



i can't speak for them, but I dont' think any DIR divers
would consider another diver a DIR diver unless they
have at the very least taken the DIR-F class and
re-configured their equipment to meet DIR standards.

 

[archman]

If something's in caps, it's an acronym. When was the last time you ever heard anyone use "dir"?

Therefore, use of the acronym "DIR" doesn't exclude non-JJ DIR divers, unless by definition such qualifications are required.

I always figured any joe could qualify as a DIR diver if they conformed to the book in both equipment and technique. Isn't that what the class is about? ('cept DIR-F is even more abbreviated)

 

[H2Andy]

I always figured any joe could qualify as a DIR diver if they conformed to the book in both equipment and technique.

can they? that's exactly the question i was asking.

i suspect that they can not. it's like me reading the NAUI book and following what it says and suddenly declaring myself a NAUI diver. i believe i would be treated with a certain degree of skepticism, to say the least.

 

[quimby]

Ha! Is that like being a solo diver without taking the class?

What does that mean?? I guess you take the class by yourself. But but if it were PADI who would you pay..yourself?