RTFM

Maybe it's because I'm an avid reader that I like reading the instructions that come with pretty much anything you can buy or use. I’ve often been accused of being a “cereal reader” since I find enjoyment in reading the blurbage that adorns these packages. I’m not sure why most people seem to have an aversion to reading instructions, but they cheerfully proceed to start using something without even referring to the idiot-proof “Getting Started” sheets that are handily included. Instruction manuals should not be the course of last resort when all else fails, but the path to enlightenment and knowledge before the journey begins.

As the complexity of products has increased, so has the length and detail required for the instruction manuals. Everyone has a smartphone, but how many have actually read the 200 pages of instructions that come with it? When stymied, of course, many users will Google a solution and try to follow the steps to see if that helps. Most of the time, it does. Sometimes, it does not. While there is almost always a YouTube video providing the answer to any question, who makes these videos in the first place? More than likely, it was someone who has read and understood the instructions.

When looking for answers to questions that haven’t been yet asked, it’s important to qualify the source of information. If I buy a computer, I can generally find a PDF hardware manual, a PDF owner’s manual, and a PDF technician’s manual – all available from the manufacturer. If I install peripheral products, I can find similar documentation from the respective manufacturers as well. If I install an OS such as Windows 7, I can tap into a veritable black hole of knowledge from MSDN for thousands of different modules and functionalities. I can still RTFM, but it has grown to tens of thousands of pages that get updated every few months or so (at least in the area of computer technology).

If that new software you want to use comes with a 700 page instruction manual, you should read the instructions before even buying the product. It costs nothing but time to learn what it can and cannot do. You may even discover that it’s not what you really needed all along. Thoroughly perusing the complicated assembly steps before beginning may help you finally understand why Tab A has to fit into Slot A in the first place. Or not. All you have to do is read.