Do you read instructions?

13 comments

1. Depends on the product. For most things, it’s quite self explanatory how to use it.

2. Wing it. Consult google if winging it fails.

   If I have to resort to reading a paper manual, the company is way behind the times.

3. If it’s something that needs instructions, sure.

4. I mean, not very the very simple stuff but yeah for most electrical appliances I do.

   Would feel really fucking stupid if I brick my brand new whatever because I was too arrogant to think I might need some instructions! 🤣

5. Only for self assembly furniture.

   Otherwise wing it. If this results in regret, there’s a YouTube video for everything.

6. If I can’t figure it out at a glance then yes. Usually my guesses are right, but I’ve been caught out once or twice and I’ve learned not to be proud. It’s just an extension of “no such thing as a stupid question”.

7. My son demonstrated his technique for mastering any electronic device. He calls it “Poke and learn”. I’m not as adept as him, but I can usually figure it out quicker by just “going at” it relative to looking at instructions.

8. Some Indian guy on YouTube will show me how to do it. Written instructions don’t cut it for this simpleton. I have to see it being done to have any chance of success.

9. Yes. Always. Half the time to my disappointment as increasingly instructions fucking suck nowerdays.

   Half the joy of getting a new thing is figuring out how it works inside and out. Many things also have maintenance schedules that nobody ever does but can extend the life of things.

   I think it started when I was a kid. Video games back in the day would have fucking novels in them that explained a lot of stuff that they couldn’t fully fit in the game due to the limitations of the time. I would read them on the trip back home from the shop. Eventually I started reading them while my parents set things up and it just stuck.

   Half the time now you just get a shitty press the power button and it turns on now look at photos of this other stuff we sell.

10. I at least skim-read them. It doesn’t take long to see if it’s something that needs instructions.

    A new phone mostly needs me to find the SIM and Micro-SD card slots.

    My bike stand requires me to refer to the instructions to assemble it, and last time required youtube to find what the fuck they were talking about.

    If I buy a model kit, you bet I’m following the instructions all the damn way. Cobi kits especially; they’re surprisingly difficult, especially when you’re attaching bits to both sides of an object, oriented upside-down to each other, and matching camo patterns as you go.

11. Yes, I get so frustrated when people just pull things out of the box and then end up spending longer guessing how it works than if they just read the manual!

12. I think you mean “manufacturer’s opinion”

13. Only when I get stuck, so yes.