Mike on wed 9 feb 11
Arnold's and Mel's post is/are? sage advice. When I was in software
development, we used to get calls from our sales people with the usual
questions/complaints, "It doesn't work", "How do I do that", etc... AND
these were not technologically challenged people forgetting some simple
thing, these were computer professionals who were supposed to be selling
the software. 99 times out of 100 the answer was right there in the
documentation.
After explaining everything politely over the phone, one would hang up
muttering "RTFM, RTFM" to one's self, to the accompaniment of the sound
of chuckling and chortling over the cubicle walls.
For those who may not have heard it before, RTFM stands for "Read The
F*#king Manual"
Then again, if a product comes with crappy documentation (certainly not
unheard of), you really have something to bitch about.
Mike
in Taku, Japan
http://karatsupots.com
http://karatsupots.blogspot.com
Workshop in Taku, Spring 2012: To Be Announced
(2011/02/09 2:50), Arnold Howard wrote:
> On 2/8/2011 10:26 AM, mel jacobson wrote:
>> if you own your own kiln, read the manual, front to back.
>> memorize it. same for your car. read and memorize the manual.
>
> You will actually save time by reading the instruction manual, because
> the typical manual contains distilled information gathered over many
> years. Manufacturers keep track of the questions people ask and the
> mistakes they make, and the answers are eventually added to the revised
> manual. So, questions that will occur to the beginner are answered in
> the manual. Pitfalls are avoided.
>
> One time during a kiln seminar the teacher said, "And now Arnold will
> show you how to replace an element." The students didn't know that I had
> never replaced one before. They gathered around and watched closely as I
> followed the instructions I had read many times. So, the instructions do
> help.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Arnold Howard
> Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
> ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com
>
Steve Mills on wed 9 feb 11
When we ran our Supply business, I always said as I handed the Kit over: "p=
l=3D
ease be the exception to the rule wand read the manual FIRST!"
Watched a friend of mine going through his "I don't need that bumff" routin=
e=3D
with a new gizmo and getting nowhere, I got a great kick out of telling hi=
m=3D
how to work it; I'd read it while he struggled. Boy was he pissed! :-)
Steve M
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
www.mudslinger.me.uk
Sent from my Ipod touch
On 8 Feb 2011, at 22:54, Mike wrote:
> Arnold's and Mel's post is/are? sage advice. When I was in software
> development, we used to get calls from our sales people with the usual
> questions/complaints, "It doesn't work", "How do I do that", etc... AND
> these were not technologically challenged people forgetting some simple
> thing, these were computer professionals who were supposed to be selling
> the software. 99 times out of 100 the answer was right there in the
> documentation.
>=3D20
> After explaining everything politely over the phone, one would hang up
> muttering "RTFM, RTFM" to one's self, to the accompaniment of the sound
> of chuckling and chortling over the cubicle walls.
>=3D20
> For those who may not have heard it before, RTFM stands for "Read The
> F*#king Manual"
>=3D20
> Then again, if a product comes with crappy documentation (certainly not
> unheard of), you really have something to bitch about.
>=3D20
> Mike
> in Taku, Japan
>=3D20
> http://karatsupots.com
> http://karatsupots.blogspot.com
>=3D20
> Workshop in Taku, Spring 2012: To Be Announced
>=3D20
>=3D20
> (2011/02/09 2:50), Arnold Howard wrote:
>> On 2/8/2011 10:26 AM, mel jacobson wrote:
>>> if you own your own kiln, read the manual, front to back.
>>> memorize it. same for your car. read and memorize the manual.
>>=3D20
>> You will actually save time by reading the instruction manual, because
>> the typical manual contains distilled information gathered over many
>> years. Manufacturers keep track of the questions people ask and the
>> mistakes they make, and the answers are eventually added to the revised
>> manual. So, questions that will occur to the beginner are answered in
>> the manual. Pitfalls are avoided.
>>=3D20
>> One time during a kiln seminar the teacher said, "And now Arnold will
>> show you how to replace an element." The students didn't know that I had
>> never replaced one before. They gathered around and watched closely as I
>> followed the instructions I had read many times. So, the instructions do
>> help.
>>=3D20
>> Sincerely,
>>=3D20
>> Arnold Howard
>> Paragon Industries, L.P., Mesquite, Texas USA
>> ahoward@paragonweb.com / www.paragonweb.com
>>=3D20
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