Documentation< Previous | Contents | Next >
6.1. Documentation Sources
Before you can understand what is really going on when there is a problem, you need to know the theoretical role played by each program involved in the problem. One of the best ways to do this is to review the program’s documentation. Let’s begin by discussing where, exactly, you can find documentation since it is often scattered.
How to Avoid RTFM This acronym stands for “read the f***ing manual,” but can also be expanded in a Answers friendlier variant, “read the fine manual.” This phrase is sometimes used in (terse) responses to questions from newbies. It is rather abrupt, and betrays a certain an-
noyance at a question asked by someone who has not even bothered to read the documentation. Some say that this classic response is better than no response at all since this at least hints that the answer lies within the documentation.
When you are posting questions, don’t necessarily be offended by the occasional RTFM response, but do what you can to at least show that you have taken the time to do some research before posting the question; mention the sources that you have consulted and describe the various steps that you have personally taken to find infor- mation. This will go a long way to show that you are not lazy and are truly seeking knowledge. Following Eric Raymond’s guidelines is a good way to avoid the most common mistakes and get useful answers.
➨ http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
How to Avoid RTFM This acronym stands for “read the f***ing manual,” but can also be expanded in a Answers friendlier variant, “read the fine manual.” This phrase is sometimes used in (terse) responses to questions from newbies. It is rather abrupt, and betrays a certain an-
noyance at a question asked by someone who has not even bothered to read the documentation. Some say that this classic response is better than no response at all since this at least hints that the answer lies within the documentation.
When you are posting questions, don’t necessarily be offended by the occasional RTFM response, but do what you can to at least show that you have taken the time to do some research before posting the question; mention the sources that you have consulted and describe the various steps that you have personally taken to find infor- mation. This will go a long way to show that you are not lazy and are truly seeking knowledge. Following Eric Raymond’s guidelines is a good way to avoid the most common mistakes and get useful answers.
➨ http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html