Another reason is for legal protection which PADI is pretty good about for themselves and their instructors. If you handed in a photocopy and never had your own book and then were part of an incident at some point down the line, an even mediocre lawyer could make the point that "this person was certified without even having a manual".nathan837:I am sure that the reason behind PADI ensuring all students have their own copy of the manuals is not solely profit driven, but to make sure divers (open water's especially) have a valuable resource on hand to refer back to once they have finished their course and not so they walk away from a course with just a C-Card (even if it takes a while to get it). Providing photo copy knowledge reviews to students so the manuals can be re-used is simply a cost cutting technique by LDS. I believe it reflects unprofessionally on PADI or any organisation and the instructor when a student is handed a tatty, dog-eared manual with a few photocopied sheets