a style question

[Michael Turner]

On 2/16/2010, "Anthony Shipman" <als@REDACTED> wrote:

[snip]
>I find it useful to read through the reference manual first before diving 
>anywhere.

Reference manuals are typically huge, Erlang/OTP's is no exception, and
we don't all have photographic memories and the patience of Job. 
There's a reason why, for four decades now, I've been hearing "Don't
try to learn ___ from *that* book -- it's a *reference* manual."

There's something to be said for reading the *summaries* of each
*chapter* of reference manuals, I'll give you that.  In fact, doing
something like that is what sold me on trying out Erlang in the first
place.  But retention, not to speak of comprehension and usefulness, is
quite another thing.

-michael turner