Solved: Who am I talking to?

[lowviz]

@The Chairman

Dear sir,
Would you consider making dive professionals (DM and above) immediately distinct from 'just divers' on this fine social board? I gain a lot of insight by being able to determine the 'flavor' of the poster and have recently been greatly surprised to learn of their professional status. I find this to be most unsettling.

It matters. You (posters) are or aren't posting as a professional. The unwashed massed don't always know this. Your SB persona does not reflect this as it should. No, we aren't all the same. Professionalism comes with obligations, titles, and transparency.

Show yourselves...

 

[rhwestfall]

@JohnnyC : yeah, that makes an interesting point. It is the same reason I will not go for a professional ranking. To have to regurgitate/spew the "party line" isn't what I am willing to do.

 

[Lake Hickory Scuba]

It matters. You (posters) are or aren't posting as a professional. The unwashed massed don't always know this. Your SB persona does not reflect this as it should. No, we aren't all the same. Professionalism comes with obligations, titles, and transparency.

I like transparency, and of course I could create a really cool avatar representing my company, or I could go as far as listing all my credentials down below in my signature, including all our social media accounts, making it easy for someone to do a little bit or personal research on who I am. But I will try to make it even easier for you.

My name is Bryan Stafford, Co-owner of Lake Hickory Scuba Center Inc., in Taylorsville, North Carolina, located on Lake Hickory. I currently teach through 5 training agencies, all listed below.

Scuba Schools International 1-800-874-3236
I currently hold an Assistant Instructor Trainer Title #70411

Professional Association of Diving Instructors 1-800-729-7234
I currently hold a Master Scuba Diver Trainer Title #241401

Professional Diving Instructors Corporation 1-765-281-0133
I currently hold an Instructor Trainer Title #201960

Scuba Educators International 1-765-281-0600
I currently hold an Instructor Trainer Title #004141

Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques 1-765-281-0600
I currently hold a 3 Star Course Director Title #USAF00I313000008

I encourage all my students to contact the agencies I teach through, not only to verify who I am, and who I represent, but also for quality control on myself. I tend to give more of the (posters) credit, for being able to determined if I am a professional or not. I will state however, since the NEW ScubaBoard format was released, the labeling system has been messed up. My label used to say Course Director, instead of Public Safety Diver, not that it matters, but I was told that the system chooses the highest rank of group we associate with. Maybe ScubaBoard, @The Chairman, can set it to where we can choose which label we want to show. Happy Diving.

 

[Wookie]

Maybe ScubaBoard, @The Chairman, can set it to where we can choose which label we want to show. Happy Diving.

I got there, but it was a challenge. If I screwed up the rest of your account, (deleted permissions) please let me know....

 

[Patoux01]

Looks to me that the aim would be to prevent instructors using scubaboard as a way to attract students without fully disclosing it. eg "Yes dive shop X is the best there is, don't go to Y they suck" when the guy happens to teach at X without saying it. But I might be wrong.

 

[tech_diver]

I'm not sure the label 'professional' or 'non professional' really answers the question of 'who I am.'

When I read a post that freaks me out, the first thing I do is look around to see 'who am I talking to?' If I can't tell anything about them from their profile, they become another anonymous voice on the internet that has giving me something to think about and research. If they are someone with a respectable background, their words carry more weight but even a professional can be wrong.

Also, an expert in one area is not necessarily an expert in all areas. I've been in the dive industry a long time and have a lot of experience in equipment design but don't bother asking me anything about diving sites in the U.K. (never been diving there.)

Over the years, there were times when I would post on SB as an industry professional as part of my job but in my current position, I'm just posting as myself.

I want people to know who they're talking to when they read my stuff. My online presence has more weird personal information than people usually want to know. ... makes them sorry they asked


.

 

[Wookie]

Looks to me that the aim would be to prevent instructors using scubaboard as a way to attract students without fully disclosing it. eg "Yes dive shop X is the best there is, don't go to Y they suck" when the guy happens to teach at X without saying it. But I might be wrong.

Does anyone really read those type of subjective review? I must be the most hassled guy on the planet, as I think all reviews suck. I refuse to leave a review, good or bad, for whatever I bought, because all reviews suck and are biased. I may be having a bad day, or just not hit it off with the mechanic or service writer or whomever. That doesn't mean the mechanic's shop sucks, but if I left a review, someone might get the impression that I think they do.

If someone leaves a review of XYZ dive shop, I am sure to ignore it. I don't get this fascination with subjective reviews of goods and services.

 

[Lake Hickory Scuba]

I got there, but it was a challenge. If I screwed up the rest of your account, (deleted permissions) please let me know....

@Wookie , thank you for the change. But it completely locked my account. Had to call Pete on the phone to get logged back in. Now I see that it has changed to IDC Instructor.

 

[The Chairman]

Looks to me that the aim would be to prevent instructors using scubaboard as a way to attract students without fully disclosing it. eg "Yes dive shop X is the best there is, don't go to Y they suck" when the guy happens to teach at X without saying it. But I might be wrong.

Yeah, I really hate the negative crap by a guy disguised as a customer but really a competitor. You would be surprised how often we delete such posts. We have tools. We have the best tools. We can spot a shill from three hundred yards and take them out before you even know they're there. Well, often they're pointed out to us, so someone saw them first. But it's not hard to trace an account back to its source. When we do, we have all sorts of options. Delete the account. Combine the account with the original account. Whatever feels appropriate at the time.

 

[Kharon]

QUOTE="lowviz, post: 8209527, member: 95155"
Oh.

Well then, that really speaks to my perception of dive professionals. No standards, no ethics.

Never mind.
unQUOTE

Time for you to go to the ignore list - bye.

 

[Wookie]

@Wookie , thank you for the change. But it completely locked my account. Had to call Pete on the phone to get logged back in. Now I see that it has changed to IDC Instructor.

Well, I'm not trying again....