RTFM (was: VERPing and Personalization (was Re: [TriLUG] Ipta bles help))

[Mike M]

On Fri, Mar 26, 2004 at 03:53:15PM -0500, Frye, Matthew wrote:
> What I object to
> is RTFM by itself, and even the specific phrase.  It's more useful to say,
> "Hey buddy, why don't you check out this resource," or "Hey, just google
> it."  "Read The F'ing Manual" is just an ignorant way to communicate and, as
> Brian stated, it can hurt their spirit for learning.

RTFM and STFW are clue-bats whose message is "Wake and stop dreaming." 
They're part of the  Rinzai method of training.  The "f" part is the 
"crack" of the stick.  The Rinzai method does not work for everyone. 
For them there is the Soto school.  Both methods have existed for 
centuries and are quite useful. 

Both schools employ koans - riddles that guide the mind.  Sometimes the
teacher assigns a student a koan (like RTFM).  Sometimes the teacher
gives a talk where concepts are explained in detail. These lengthy
explanations are palative to struggling students. The teacher knows
that true teaching happens when the student struggles with his koan
(What is RTFM?) and sitting in meditation.

Note 1: It's amusing that there are dual methods in a practice devoted to
obliterating dualism.

Note 2: Anyone that is willing to give up learning because they have encountered
an unpleasent answer to a question is watching too much television.

Note 3: Televisions are made in China.
-- 
Mike

When the correction first comes, we tend to underreact. While we do not 
like the surprise, we tend to think of it as maybe a one-time thing. 
Things, we believe, will soon get back to normal. We do not scale back 
our expectations sufficiently. It apparently takes years for this to 
work itself out. - John Mauldin