When Do You Read the Instructions?

An anonymous reader asks: "I originally submitted this as a poll, but the answers I'm guessing, were way too long. However, I would like to ask the crowd at Slashdot: When do you read the instructions?" "So when do you reach for that instruction booklet? Do you:

• ...research on the internet, in magazines and also pestering friends who own one, so you're an expert before buying said item?
  
  
• ...carefully read the box and all of the instructions even before unwrapping the protective plastic?
  
  
• ...study the instructions and the quickstart guide?
• ...refer to the instructions and study the quickstart guide?
  
  
• ...lose the instructions when throwing the packaging away, but study the quickstart guide hoping for the best?
  
  
• ...look at quickstart guide when it's not obvious how to turn it on?
  
  
• ...frantically search the instruction book after letting the 'magic smoke' out of your appliance hoping you'll find somewhere saying it's suppose to do that?
  
  
• ...after it's been smashed to pieces with a hammer?"

Comments

Importance...

[megaversal]

Depends on how important it is... if it's for my servers that thousands of users at work need to access, you can be sure as hell I read the release notes.

If I'm just playing around... that's it, I play around and look at the manual if there's a problem.

#define instructions

[kipple]

if you call "instructions" that small piece of paper that goes with the object, well, no I don't read them. They are usually useless - spending more pictures and pages for the dummy window (l)user, and not telling any technical detail. It's more entertaining to search for the "technical manual" on the Net, if there's any.
The only case when I -very quickly- read them it's when I'm looking for the default password of a piece of networked equipment. which usually it's not even written down.

cheers

---

open source is like poker: would you trust a deck of card that you cannot see being shuffled, but you have to trust who said it was done?

Re:#define instructions

[forkazoo]

Huzzah! I remember when "manuals" had enough information to write drivers, as a matter of course. Dot Matrix printer manuals used to come with documentation of the printer control codes, and instructions on how to make a BASIC program to do graphics, and such. Modem manuals used to come with full explanation of the AT command set and all redgisters. (And no, I'm not speaking in hyperbole, I'm citing specific examples!)

Nowadays, you are lucking if the modem manual says "User are to make under installing the device apon application to Window 97 device mangler by demanding d:\setup with perseverance." And then repeating the same thing in French, German, Korean, and Afrikaans, so the book looks thick and informative.

Old school manuals, I used to read cover to cover, excited to learn new things. New school manuals, I just don't bother, unless I don't have teh opportunity to use the device, and I am bored, I might flip trhough it while waiting at a red light on the way home, or something...

I'm confused

[MyGirlFriendsBroken]

Are there devices out there which are not operated by a hammer?

It Depends

[Ann Elk]

• If I'm buying something I've never used before (software, home electronics, kitchen appliance, whatever), then I: a) research it to death on the Internet, b) research it to death at the library/book store, c) research it to death by pestering my friends, then d) go to a store and make an impulse buy.
• If it's something new to me, then I always read at least parts of the manual. How much of the manual (and how closely I read it) is usually determined by the complexity of the product. Did I read the manual when I bought my first USB pen drive? No way. Did I read it when I bought my first DVD player? Somewhat. Did I read it when I bought my first wireless access point? You bet.
• If I'm upgrading something, then I may or may not read anything. Did I read the release notes when upgrading from Mozilla 1.7.3 to 1.7.5? No. Did I read them when upgrading from Fedora Core 2 to Fedora Core 3? Of course.

Study the instructions and the quickstart guide

[u-238]

When you first get it, you're usually too excited to be bothered by a thick manual. The quickstart suffices for a while, while you fiddle around with it.

But for complex gadgets with more than an on/off switch, and I'm talking things such as digital cameras, mp3 players and the like, there are typically more options than you could manage to figure out on your own, even if given the time. A lot of the extras in gadgets like these are harder to do than a street fighter combo.

Take the time to read through the entire manual, usually while sitting on the pot, and aquaint yourself with all the tricks and extras it has to offer. There's no other way.

problems

[PerlDudeXL]

If I have problems with some specific hardware I look into the manual or if I need some tech-specs
like horizonal or vertical frequencies of a monitor. Most of the time those QuickStart guides
are useless for be because they focus on setting up the hardware in windows environments.

I bought a new TFT Flatscreen and the manual was provided on a CD. My luck was that the screen
accepted my XOrg settings and worked right out of the box. The manual itself was a set of html pages
that didn't work under linux using firefox due to some hardcoded uppercase filenames (probably javascript)
that couldn't be found. If instruction manuals are provided only on CD - please as a PDF.

Re:Difference between boys and girls

[david duncan scott]

I'm not so sure that they learn faster. They may pick up particular tasks more quickly, but they may also miss (I know I have) whole areas of function simply because they haven't stumbled into them yet.

Reading the manual gives you the CD-ROM drive. Playing with things gives you the cup holder.

Re:Difference between boys and girls

[Bishop]

And those of us who read the documentation, and aren't affraid to break anything, learn the fastest.

At a minimum I will skim the docs. Even if the item is very simple. The item may use new features or have a different interface. I want to get the most out of anything I buy.

The sibling post's cd-rom or cup holder comment is true.

Safety

[c]

If there's a potential safety issue (beyond just using electricity), I definitely read the instructions. You don't assemble and use something involving exposed chunks of metal spinning at thousands of RPMs without reading unless you've got a deathwish. That means power tools, small engines, etc. Ignore the safety sections of the manuals, though. That's always generic boilerplate drivel like turn off the engine and let it cool before filling with gas and don't touch the blade when saw is operating. The important stuff is in the assembly, operation and maintenance sections.

I might read the instructions for expensive/irreplacable items, as well. Unless I don't own them.

c.

on the throne

[kcornwell]

I read instructions for nearly everything I buy while I'm on the can. The time required is usually enough to scan for anything important or interesting. The technical specs are almost always interesting, and sometimes I miss a feature that is not obvious in the product (think cell phones).

Depends on risk to life and limb

[74Carlton]

My new table saw? yeah, I read the directions. A portable radio? no.

Re:Difference between boys and girls

[jaelle]

Actually, as a girl (more or less) I do a bit of both. Something very complex (like C++) I'll read up on it some first, then get in and break it. I break Linux distros regularly.

It did take me awhile to get over a childhood of being yelled at for messing with stuff my brother always got to play with.

Leave girls alone and give 'em tools, and they'll break stuff too!