[originaltext] To read a new book, you simply need good light, time and the

To read a new book, you simply need good light, time and the right frame of mind. But to read a new software package, you need a thousand pounds’ worth of hardware, considerable computer knowledge, plenty of time and, most important of all, endless determination.
    Generally speaking, all books are very much alike, and the experienced reader has no difficulty coping with an unfamiliar book. But imagine how frustrating it would be if you had to make a mental adjustment, if you had to read in a different way, every time you read a book from a different publisher, yet this is exactly what it is like when you use a new software package.
    Learning to use a new piece of software is like trying to ride a trick bicycle, on which the handlebars have a reverse action. It looks easier than it really is. This is partly because you must first unlearn what you learnt on the last package; no two packages use the control characters on the keyboard in quite the same way. How much easier it would be if there were some standards to which all software writers adhered!
    Since you can’t rely on your previous experience, the only way to understand your new software package is to rely on the manual. Some software manuals are written with the beginner in mind and have explicit instruction, but most assume that you are already an expert, and have complicated explanations which only confuse and irritate you. All require a full set of fingers and thumbs to mark pages while hunting out information. Yes, perhaps the information is in the manual, but where?