Lonsdale73
Established Member
Just wondering how many on here actually read the manuals that come with their hardware?
RTFM
- Thread starter Lonsdale73
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I do for some things, but to be honest 3/4 of them are useless beyond the assembly stage and half of those are all but useless for that stage. I don't think it is a new phenomenon though, I have some things from the 70s and 80s, the manuals were not much better from back then.
nev
Established Member
If it needs a manual its badly designed! 
lurker
Le dullard de la commune
My petrol chainsaw manual advises me not to stop the chainblade with my fingers, which I thought was a good suggestion.
lurker
Le dullard de la commune
Except a well written manual is an excellent get out of jail card.nev":ohtmh5fq said:If it needs a manual its badly designed!
You cant "read" manuals anymore, you have to be fluent in pictograms. (hammer)
It seems I'm not.
I've just put together a flat pack bathroom vanity unit. I'm impressed with the build quality, and I did try to understand the computer drawings, but trying to get 8 soft close drawer runners into the correct slots was too much for the diagrams. I ended up improvising. :roll: :roll: 8)
It seems I'm not.
I've just put together a flat pack bathroom vanity unit. I'm impressed with the build quality, and I did try to understand the computer drawings, but trying to get 8 soft close drawer runners into the correct slots was too much for the diagrams. I ended up improvising. :roll: :roll: 8)
Trainee neophyte
[Known Putin apologist ]
I have a fondness for Chinese English. I particularly like things written on toy boxes. Instruction manuals can be good, too.
This is an example: https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-chines ... ion-fails/
This is an example: https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-chines ... ion-fails/
AES
Established Member
I'm a boring old so & so. I ALWAYS "read" the manual (though just as sunnybob says, they're often "multi-lingual" pictures - i.e. not able to be clearly 100% understood by anyone) these days.
Mind you, to produce a GOOD manual takes a lot of time and expertise, (very clear and unambiguous text, photos, and/or artwork) and IMO, such are very few and far between - and always have been. Having had to produce the odd Manual or two myself I have some idea of what it takes to produce a reasonable effort.
It's definitely one of the ways in which the cheaper and mid ranges of the market saves the pennies.
But that doesn't stop me having a go at "reading" the Manual 1st time something new comes into the shop (or house). I usually learn something new (even if, as above, it's only the fact that Orientals generally can't get their heads around English grammar - just like I can't for theirs).
Mind you, to produce a GOOD manual takes a lot of time and expertise, (very clear and unambiguous text, photos, and/or artwork) and IMO, such are very few and far between - and always have been. Having had to produce the odd Manual or two myself I have some idea of what it takes to produce a reasonable effort.
It's definitely one of the ways in which the cheaper and mid ranges of the market saves the pennies.
But that doesn't stop me having a go at "reading" the Manual 1st time something new comes into the shop (or house). I usually learn something new (even if, as above, it's only the fact that Orientals generally can't get their heads around English grammar - just like I can't for theirs).
Trevanion
Greatest Of All Time
The manuals that come with the SCM machines are pretty good, very detailed write-ups on certain parts, uses, methods, troubleshooting, etc...
You do pay for it though :lol:
You do pay for it though :lol:
I've recently been messing around with inverters for use as speed controllers and have found that the, typically, 150+ page manuals are excellent for pretty well all of the decent makes. This is true even for inverters costing as little as £100, but may not be so for the really cheap Chinese models - but I wouldn't use one of those unless it came with a free fire extinguisher!
Duncan
Duncan
AES
Established Member
Yup, to add to my disparaging comments above, I must say that the Manual than came with Excalibur scroll saw really is 1st class. There ARE some exceptions about.
woodhutt
Established Member
My favourite was a company I spotted in Hong Kong named "The Wilful Shipping Co."Trainee neophyte":38ux4bwn said:I have a fondness for Chinese English. I particularly like things written on toy boxes. Instruction manuals can be good, too.
This is an example: https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-chines ... ion-fails/
I guess their motto is "We'll send your goods where we want it shipped."
Pete
Robbo3
Established Member
Not only do I read the manuals & store them in folders, I also search for them online & download them so that I also have a copy on the PC. This allows me to print off just a relevant page or even the whole manual to give to someone else.Lonsdale73":1142jajq said:
AES
Established Member
Me too Robbo3. AND I keep the receipts too.
Lonsdale73
Established Member
Recently, I was asked to produce a receipt for something I bought close on 20 years ago! I'll not be able to post my ressponse here.AES":5hhsta2a said:
