RTFM Syndrome

[Barrowboy]

I have to confess that I've had a serious dose for many years that is definitely getting worse with age and wondered how many fellow 'nobbers are similarly afflicted?

Read The F****** Manual!!!!

Having made the decision six months' ago to move from the Canon SLR system to the Olympus Four Thirds system I've been trying to learn a completely new menu and set of controls which, on occasion, has been an infuriating experience but I did print out and ring-bind all 200 pages of the User Manual; so far, so good.

Having shelled out a not inconsiderable sum on a new lens recently I was less than pleased yesterday when it decided it wouldn't 'auto-focus' and I then proceeded to spend two hours early yesterday evening playing with the camera, reading the camera manual, trying alternative lenses, re-reading the camera manual, inspecting the lens for an 'auto-focus/manual-focus switch before finally reaching the decision that the lens was definitely goosed.

This morning, rather p155ed off, I googled the lens and was presented with a range of alternative forums and expert reviews where this issue was highlighted. The focus ring itself moves a couple of millimetres backwards and forwards to select auto/manual focus and i'd inadvertently moved it from the auto position to manual whilst swapping lenses.

Of course if I'd read the manual for the lens in the first place, when I first bought it, this 'feature' would have jumped off the page as an innovative piece of design engineering.

As it was, I wasted two hours of my life and became considerably more grumpy than usual....

Anyone else out there care to share their experiences with RTFM syndrome?

[slate1234]

Originally Posted by Barrowboy

I have to confess that I've had a serious dose for many years that is definitely getting worse with age and wondered how many fellow 'nobbers are similarly afflicted?

Read The F****** Manual!!!!

Having made the decision six months' ago to move from the Canon SLR system to the Olympus Four Thirds system I've been trying to learn a completely new menu and set of controls which, on occasion, has been an infuriating experience but I did print out and ring-bind all 200 pages of the User Manual; so far, so good.

Having shelled out a not inconsiderable sum on a new lens recently I was less than pleased yesterday when it decided it wouldn't 'auto-focus' and I then proceeded to spend two hours early yesterday evening playing with the camera, reading the camera manual, trying alternative lenses, re-reading the camera manual, inspecting the lens for an 'auto-focus/manual-focus switch before finally reaching the decision that the lens was definitely goosed.

This morning, rather p155ed off, I googled the lens and was presented with a range of alternative forums and expert reviews where this issue was highlighted. The focus ring itself moves a couple of millimetres backwards and forwards to select auto/manual focus and i'd inadvertently moved it from the auto position to manual whilst swapping lenses.

Of course if I'd read the manual for the lens in the first place, when I first bought it, this 'feature' would have jumped off the page as an innovative piece of design engineering.

As it was, I wasted two hours of my life and became considerably more grumpy than usual....

Anyone else out there care to share their experiences with RTFM syndrome?

I tend to all the time because I always know better lol , but when I went for my SMSTS (site mangers course) I spent one day a week in the classroom (pub) for 6 weeks doing theory, the first exam 20+ of us were told to read the questions and answer them accordingly, well not one person passed, we had 15mins to answer 20 questions and nobody finished on time the instuctor then told us to turn to the last page and question 20 said now you have read all 19 questions please don't answer any of the above, talk about P...ed off,,,,,and I still do it sometimes