linuxmemes

Most people don’t even read the error messages. They’re never gonna read a whole manual.

try to RTFM for Microsoft...lol shits updated too much and all the old information is still there and outdated. convoluted mess of shit is all they are

still, RTFM...always

For appliances at least, 95% of "the manual" today is useless CYA safety disclosures in 17 different languages. Manuals today rarely contain useful information.

I mean this is true and yes but in an age where documentation is increasingly terrible, the idea of a service manual for something you bought is basically a foreign concept, and half the shit you buy doesn’t come with a meaningful manual does it really apply the same way?

Like sure, knowing the post error codes on my motherboard or linux stuff is possible because it’s documented. But the appliance example? That is increasingly false and those manuals are increasingly becoming 5 page idiot guides: “here is how to turn the system on and off, here is how to turn heat up/down, contact authorized vendor for issues” and if you don’t do that then you void your warranty. Any more robust documentation is locked to “authorized vendors” and costs $$$, if it even exists (and doesn’t just say “replace system when it stops working correctly)

RTFM is an obnoxious retort for people, arguably in community, not to engage with a member of the community. I don't mind reading the manual, but perhaps you can point me to where in the manual I could get further insight.

Reading a manual is also a skill. Being able to compartmentalize manual info into buckets of "obvious and I don't need to read on", "could be helpful", "interesting, but it gets there I ain't touching it" takes either training or just getting lucky after a certain number of reps.

Video games trained millennials to do this. NES, Sega, SNES, even Atari games very often told you real shit in the manual. They were written to be read and contain training material. There were no tutorials other than reading and trail and error.

Part of the fun of buying a game was getting to RTFM on the way home.

I once read the first 3 chapters of the Git book and my coworkers think I'm some kind of Git wizard

I mean in general, "read things -> learn" is a good approach to life imo.

The idea that manuals in linux are a good way to learn and understand new software is peak linux neckbeard bs, and I will die on this hill. I congratulate OP on the exact type of autism that lets them feel this is an effective and useful method for learning new software, but if there is desire to have a greater adoption of linux maybe its bad to be snarky at folks for not instantly understand the terminal based documentation conventions of some dudes in the 70s. Maybe an alphabetical* list of all possible options is okay for referencing or searching, but is objectively insane way to learn or understand a problem.

I work in maintenance, people act like I’m doing magic, but 90% of the time all I’ve done is read the fucking manual, the other 10% is just basic awareness.

I don't Linux (yet), but I do work in Audio Production. I LIVE for good manuals. I always read them, and because of that, I'm always working from a starting line of intelligence with new gear. I keep manuals in pdf format on my computer in like borderline autistic order. RTFM is the best piece of advice anyone can have, ever.

One of my pet peeves is how many new things do not come with a manual and I have to go and find one. I am one of the fortunate ones who can learn by reading and then trying. It seems that many cannot.

I work in IT. I've read so many manuals that I don't need to read manuals almost ever.

As soon as you learn the design language for stuff, it usually just makes sense where to find stuff and how to fix it. It's rare that I have a problem that I can't solve just by looking at it.

If I ever get stuck, guess what? I RTFM. That's basically my job. I RTFM because end users can't be arsed to do it themselves. If everyone read the manual, I'd be out of a job.