You could also use #14 welding goggles. I guess NASA faked those, as well. Also, NASA doesn't make the glasses. They just say don't be stupid and stare at the sun, which apparently is something flat Earthers need reminded of.
As for what makes the solar eclipse different, nothing. It is still absolutely the same unless you are in totality, but that only lasts a couple minutes. The Sun is still every bit as bright in the parts that aren't blocked by the moon and will still damage your eyes. It was about 80% covered where I was and while it was a bit darker out, the sun was still overpowering to glance at.
I think the point that Pete is trying to make here is this:
* The pupils of our eyes change size to allow in more or less light as needed - so we see better at night but don't get dazzled in the daytime.
* During an eclipse, it gets dark.
* Hence the pupils open up wider to allow in more light during totality.
* So when small "beads" of light appear around the edges of the moon, our eyes are allowing in more of that light than they would normally do if you happened to glance at the un-eclipsed sun in daylight.
* Hence, the damage to the retina due to those small beads of light happens faster than the retina would be damaged if you looked at the uneclipsed sun.
What others here are saying - that it's dangerous to look at the uneclipsed sun - is also true...it's just a matter of degree. What Pete points out is that because of the reaction of the pupil, damage due to staring at the first parts of the sun as it emerges from totality will happen faster than staring at the uneclipsed sun...and that's true.
The pupil can change from about 2mm to 8mm in diameter - giving a 16:1 variation in light input. Hence, if your pupil was FULLY opened during totality - then damage due to the first rays of sunlight would theoretically happen 16 times faster than if it was fully constricted and staring at an uneclipsed sun.
However, the pupillary response is very fast - just a fraction of a second - so as those first beads of light appear, the increase in overall brightness will ramp up and the iris is going to start shutting out light...so I very much doubt that you'd be looking through a fully open iris for more than a very small fraction of a second.
Everything here depends on how the eye adjusts the iris when there is a very small patch of intense light...and that's something that has not been well studied.
So I score this argument as a tie. You're both right - you're just arguing about different things - and all of the arguments involved depend very subtly on aspects of how the eye work that I'd lay good odds that none of us here understand.
Bottom line: Don't look at the sun without the right eye protection...EVER.