People learn in a variety of different ways, and I'm also a developer who always prefers a reference manual over learn-by-example techniques. You may not be one of those developers, but that doesn't mean we don't exist. I imagine there are plenty of people who don't learn by the reference manual but would prefer to have it available - if it was available - as well.
"It's 2012, nobody reads dry reference manuals cover to cover" speak for yourself and stop making sweeping assumptions when you actually have no clue.
I don't read them cover to cover, but I need info on specific subjects quite often, and some tools just don't have it.
Re:WTFM - Write The Freaking Manual
by mememememememe on Saturday September 29, 2012 @02:08AM
(#4588952)
People in the hardware or embedded system industry have to read it page by page, word by word because they do. People who actually design compilers have that too. People who actually work with specs like Mozilla have a big manual too. People who actually use a 3rd-party product and integrate them into their product have to read those manuals a hundred times including meeting with the vendor.
If you are only doing your own product using Python libraries, then certainly you don't.
Reference manuals are still nice to have of course for clarifying edge cases and solving language lawyer disputes. However claiming that they are a superior learning and time-saving tool than the learn-by-example techniques is way out of touch with how most people actually learn.