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> It seems that if you were an "original Techie"  that's ok, but to express
> and interest later in the game is like babysitting a little brother.

I don't think this is fair or true. I'm also a "newbie techie" and I don't
feel like anyone has "babysat" me at all. I think the tech community, in
general, is interested in spreading knowledge and making things safer.

All the complaints about "fashion" are something else. For example, I
was diving a while back with a guy that was in a very high paying profession.
He was starting his cave training and I was finishing mine but it was
obvious there was a significant difference between us. I got the impression
that he was only there for the badge. He'd read about cave diving and came
down to get the certification. In fact, it was pretty clear to me that he
didn't even *like* cave diving. And he didn't even have basic diving skills
like bouyancy down. I just imagine this guy or someone like him getting
hurt, causing all kinds of lawsuits because it wasn't "safe", and having
the tech diving community banned or restricted (as we are starting to see in
some Florida caves). *That* is what scares me about "fashion". The removal
of the freedom by people that don't really love the activity.

On the other hand, I came into diving and cave diving from the speleology
side. I was a dry caver long before I ever put a reg in my mouth and I
took up diving primarily as a skill to enhance my knowledge of cave systems
and hydrology. I found myself quite welcome in the cave diving community
and I've even helped cave divers learn more about the other side of caving
including rope techniques and the science itself. It's been a pleasant
experience all around and I've been accepted in three separate areas of
the world without any problems at all. So newbies certainly can be welcome.

I don't care what *anyone* does as long as it doesn't effect me. You can
dive breathing pure CO for all I care. Natural selection has gotten us this
far and I don't see a reason to give it up now. But when the legal system
starts pushing me around, I'm not going to be so open minded. Personally,
I'm enjoying my new home in Switzerland where there is no certification
and if you die it's your own damn fault.

Devon

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