Learn to dive software?

I recently went on a cruise and the ships dive shop had a software package
that taught you how to dive. I never made it back to look at this closer. I
am planing on taking dive lessons as I want to go to Cozumel for vacation in
a year. It will be about 6 months before I can take diving lessons and would
like to learn more about diving before I even start. I have search for this
software but have been unable to find it. Anyone know anything about this?

BTW: I have never been diving before.

In article <jBzQa.43147$o86.378@news1.central.cox.net>, coastergeez
<coastergeez@NOSPAMcox.net> wrote:

€I recently went on a cruise and the ships dive shop had a software package
€that taught you how to dive. I never made it back to look at this closer. I
€am planing on taking dive lessons as I want to go to Cozumel for vacation in
€a year. It will be about 6 months before I can take diving lessons and would
€like to learn more about diving before I even start. I have search for this
€software but have been unable to find it. Anyone know anything about this?
€
€BTW: I have never been diving before.
€
€

http://padi.com/english/common/produ...talog/owdc.asp

U¿ytkownik "coastergeez" <coastergeez@NOSPAMcox.net> napisa³ w wiadomo¶ci
news:jBzQa.43147$o86.378@news1.central.cox.net...
> I recently went on a cruise and the ships dive shop had a software package
> that taught you how to dive. I never made it back to look at this closer.
I
....
> BTW: I have never been diving before.

Can I have copy of that software please?
Does it teach how to do trimix in a weekend?

--
Jan Werbiñski O0oo....._[:]) bul, bul, bul
Strona domowa http://www.janwer.com/ [ http://pa54.zgora.sdi.tpnet.pl/jw/ ]
Nasza sieæ http://www.fredry.net/ [ http://pa54.zgora.sdi.tpnet.pl/ ]

In article <jBzQa.43147$o86.378@news1.central.cox.net>,
"coastergeez" <coastergeez@NOSPAMcox.net> writes:

>I recently went on a cruise and the ships dive shop had a software package
>that taught you how to dive. ...

Like many things in life, SCUBA diving requires

o Knowledge
o Equipment
o Skills

There is interactive software that can help to teach the knowledge,
but you will do much beter if a certified instructor administers
the software.

Equipment can be bought/borrowed/rented.

Skills can *only* be learned by in-water practice.
To learn them safely requires the services of a certified instructor.

Talk to one or more instructors and one or more local dive shops.
Take a proper Basic Open Water SCUBA course, which may or may not
include programed learing software. If you wish, you can to your
foinal check-out dives in Cozumel. (Your instructor can explaing
this option.)

--
Charlie Hammond -- Hewlett-Packard Company -- Ft Lauderdale FL USA
(hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com -- remove "@not" when replying)
All opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily my employer's.

"Charlie Hammond" <hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com> wrote in message
news:_nCQa.168$gc.37@news.cpqcorp.net...
> In article <jBzQa.43147$o86.378@news1.central.cox.net>,
> "coastergeez" <coastergeez@NOSPAMcox.net> writes:
>
> >I recently went on a cruise and the ships dive shop had a software
package
> >that taught you how to dive. ...
>
> Like many things in life, SCUBA diving requires
>
> o Knowledge
> o Equipment
> o Skills
>
> There is interactive software that can help to teach the knowledge,
> but you will do much beter if a certified instructor administers
> the software.
>

Thanks for the replies. Like I said, I am going to be taking a class by
certified instructors but just wanted to start learning something NOW! I
cant hardly wait to do this!

"coastergeez" <coastergeez@NOSPAMcox.net> wrote in message
news:X9CQa.44554$o86.6769@news1.central.cox.net...

> Thanks for the replies. Like I said, I am going to be taking a class by
> certified instructors but just wanted to start learning something NOW! I
> cant hardly wait to do this!

If you have a fast connection:

http://www.supsalv.org/pdf/DIVEMAN.exe

See: http://www.americandivecenter.com/pa...pa_sc_door.htm

I have not looked at this and I do not know if it is worth the
effort or the cost.

--
Charlie Hammond -- Hewlett-Packard Company -- Ft Lauderdale FL USA
(hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com -- remove "@not" when replying)
All opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily my employer's.

In article <_nCQa.168$gc.37@news.cpqcorp.net>,
Charlie Hammond <hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com> wrote:
>
>Like many things in life, SCUBA diving requires
>
> o Knowledge
> o Equipment
> o Skills
>
>There is interactive software that can help to teach the knowledge,
>but you will do much beter if a certified instructor administers
>the software.
>
>Equipment can be bought/borrowed/rented.
>
>Skills can *only* be learned by in-water practice.
>To learn them safely requires the services of a certified instructor.

The first sentence is true.

The second is false.

The skills required are not difficult to learn for a typical OW student.

Nor do they (really) require the "services of a certified instructor."

What that certified instructor provides you is a supposed set of standards,
and a place for your next-of-kin (or you) to direct your wrath if you screw
up. I say "supposed" in front of "set of standards" because this group, and
other boards, are rife with allegations of violations of those standards
while training students, some more serious than others.

As such you may or may not actually get a "safer" learning environment by
employing an instructor .vs. doing the academics on your own via one of
these "courses" and then getting in water (e.g. a pool) and practicing,
on your own, the required skills until you reach competency in them.

Further, your right to actually RECOVER if you screw up in a "certified
course" is probably void, as you have likely signed it away when you hired
said certified instructor. Nearly-bulletproof waivers are on ALL the
major agency forms; if you screw up (or even if the instructor screws up!)
you are likely out of luck trying to sue (for that matter, your next of
kin is likely out of luck trying to sue too.)

While shops will (generally) not rent to those who cannot prove
certification, the same is not true of sales, particularly private party
(e.g. eBAY) or Internet dealers (Leisurepro, DiveInn, etc.) In point of
fact I've never been asked for a C-card in ANY dive shop, whether
brick-and-mortar or online.

The ONLY place I've ever been asked for my card, in fact, was at Epcot when
I did DiveQuest a week or so back! There's a first time for everything, I
guess... Funny that Disney, with more lawyers and liability insurance than
God Himself, was the first (and so far) only one to actually challenge me to
produce my credentials.

>Talk to one or more instructors and one or more local dive shops.
>Take a proper Basic Open Water SCUBA course, which may or may not
>include programed learing software. If you wish, you can to your
>foinal check-out dives in Cozumel. (Your instructor can explaing
>this option.)

Not a bad option, but hardly the only one.

Note that SSI (other agencies may also do this) permits the issuance of a
C-card if you can demonstrate the skills and ability to dive, irrespective
of whether you took an actual course.

It is intended for those who have been diving without certification (there
are a LOT of those people) for some period of time, but there is nothing
technically preventing such a cert from being issued to anyone who can
demonstrate the skills and comfort in the water necessary to qualify for an
OW cert, irrespective of how they acquired those skills and comfort.

--
--
Karl Denninger (karl@denninger.net) Internet Consultant & Kids Rights Activist
http://www.denninger.net Tired of spam at your company? LOOK HERE!
http://childrens-justice.org Working for family and children's rights
http://diversunion.org LOG IN AND GET YOUR TANK STICKERS TODAY!

"coastergeez" left this mess on Mon, 14 Jul 2003 17:57:11 GMT for The Way to
clean up:
>
>
>"Charlie Hammond" <hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com> wrote in message
>news:_nCQa.168$gc.37@news.cpqcorp.net...
>> In article <jBzQa.43147$o86.378@news1.central.cox.net>,
>> "coastergeez" <coastergeez@NOSPAMcox.net> writes:
>>
>> >I recently went on a cruise and the ships dive shop had a software
>package
>> >that taught you how to dive. ...
>>
>> Like many things in life, SCUBA diving requires
>>
>> o Knowledge
>> o Equipment
>> o Skills
>>
>> There is interactive software that can help to teach the knowledge,
>> but you will do much beter if a certified instructor administers
>> the software.
>>
>
>Thanks for the replies. Like I said, I am going to be taking a class by
>certified instructors but just wanted to start learning something NOW! I
>cant hardly wait to do this!

Assuming you're taking the PADI course (I'm afraid I don't know if NAUI or
others have a similar product), you'll be using the OW crew pack, which you can
get an additional CD-ROM for (or a VHS tape). It's goofy, and corny, but it gets
the point across, reinforcing the text.

You might also consider picking up the "Encyclopedia of Diving" on CD-ROM, also
from PADI.

Tao te Carl

"It takes a village to have an idiot." - Carl (c) 2003

In article <beut4l$6ca$0@pita.alt.net>, karl@FS.Denninger.Net (Karl Denninger) writes:

>The skills required are not difficult to learn for a typical OW student.

I agree

>Nor do they (really) require the "services of a certified instructor."

Here I think we have a basic difference of opinion.

With respect to in-water skills, the purpose of an instructor is two-fold:

1) Make sure you learn the right (safe) way to dive, and
2) Make sure the learning process is safe.

The chance of getting one or both of this wrong without an instructor
is high enough to justify having an instructor.

If your issue is with "certified", then I aggee to a point, but how
is a non-diver going to know that an instructor is any good other
that by observing that the instructor is certified?

--
Charlie Hammond -- Hewlett-Packard Company -- Ft Lauderdale FL USA
(hammond@not@peek.ssr.hp.com -- remove "@not" when replying)
All opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily my employer's.