Re: An anonymous IRC user's opinion

[Abraham S.A.H.]

> No. Any software that says that you have to read the manual first is
> doomed to fail for most people.

I think you missed the phrase “or alongside”.  We already know that
one can still use Emacs without reading its manual, though not Emacs’
full potential.

Being well documented is always a great advantage.  And having the
personality to read and consider before action so as well.

Best is to make tools that can be used without reading manuals or
education, as much as possible; while still keeping them
well-documented and well-recorded.

However, most physical equipments (not pieces of software), even very
small or simple ones come with dedicated manuals, which are sometimes
a hundred in pages.  It includes most of the tools that I have in my
home.  Most of them are usable without reading their manual, of
course.  But, if you don’t read the manual, you will never notice some
of their more specialised features.  For slightly more complex
hardware, like microwaves, or AC splits you will definitely can’t
properly use your tool without reading its manual and you will most
probably will break it, sooner or later.

And about software, advanced programs even with much less
functionality than Emacs come with manuals and a user usually needs to
read those to make a proper use of them.  I think more than half of
the programs that I have on my Linux system are useless without their
docs and manuals.  And the matter is even worse on Windows, most
professional applications can’t be even utilized without a proper
Education!  People take courses to understand how to use them.

All these examples of software and hardware don’t seem to be doomed or
going to be doomed.  Any tool needs prior knowledge at some degree.
When it’s more powerful, has and needs more documentation.
Like programming languages which are very powerful and not possible
to be used without reading stuff first.

> You miss people who want their editor to look cool. There are a lot of
> visiual attractions built right into doom and Spacemacs from the start.

True.  They are in “But still there are people using Doom/Spacemacs
not being from those two groups.”

--
Best Regards,
Abraham
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