Jeff, I imagine you could make the same argument for developer tools, frameworks, programming languages, etc. Yet I can’t help notice how much the documentation for some of those things has improved in the last few years. There are similar “intro stages” of various forms and plenty of interactive tutorials, but there are some useful things that I would probably never find without reading the documentation. I actually think there are some cases where you can get a lot more out of a couple hours of reading than you can by watching a Pluralsight course or just hacking away on your own. But everyone’s different, of course.
Trello is an app that does just one thing very well. So keeping an app focused on one task is a way to avoid requiring a manual and training. That seems like a different thing to an intro level though. That’s putting effort into what not to add and probably even removing new features because the “complexity cost” wasn’t worth it. (In fact surprising since that’s where they could monetise it, like a Dev specific version on top with story points etc) And how to measure the gut feel of complexity cost against sales & marketing demanding X features? Requires a hero product owner, and when they depart you get massive phones and computer jewellery.
Slack is more obvious in its intro mode, proactively encouraging you to turn down notifications once it gets noisy. But the bigger factor is less is more.
Think I get it now though. Intro Stage idea is keeping the app easy to get started and use. Boss Stage is making sure it works when they depend on it. 
Other than pleasing your collector’s spirit, did you ever get anything good by reading the manual - considering the time cost? Story sharing time!
You might be interested in Alistair Cockburn’s earlier take: http://alistair.cockburn.us/Software+development+as+a+cooperative+game
I found for vi the best way to learn the basic controls is to play NetHack.
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So basically all newbie pilots should start off with a Wright Flyer simulation and work their way up to a 747?
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It is so interesting how game developers are all learning from each other when it comes to tutorials. I totally agree with the video when people over explain how to do something and how it gets annoying. I think that the future of things that involve technology will be bright with the “intro stage” method of teaching rather than boring the user by explaining in great detail.
I don’t think of it in terms of utility per time cost, especially given we’re talking about game manuals here. Sure, in some cases I got something out of it, but I read them simply as they are part of the package, and not just in the physical sense.
I remember this once, when I was a kid, I began reading the manual for Super NES’s SimCity, after I couldn’t figure out how to make my city into a megalopolis (the ultimate stage, with over 500k people).
It did help a lot when I tried to copy this picture of a megalopole, starting with the map which contained just a river:
I remember I found the map number (1 by 1 out of 1k possibilities, number 67 come to mind, but that wasn’t it) and finally managed to do it, after playing for 48 hours, counting the sleep time and leaving the console ON so the years would keep bringing income.
Granted, reading it didn’t help a bit! 
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How would you define play (as opposed to gaming)? My initial attempt at a generic definition of “gaming” would be “play in the context of a structured rule set,” which is, I think, exactly what Jeff is talking about here; after all, what is software but a structured rule set?
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Probably something seems to be lost or forgotten. That back then, when they delivered games in nice boxes with printed manuals. Those manuals were not just something done out of necessity but because it was a great opportunity to let gamers slide into the game.
Manuals were not only to explain where to click or which button to press. They were books and you read them even if you were not near you computer. They had images and art inside and some of them were telling a story. Or they were expanding the story you were playing.
I would say … Gamers were reading the manuals (books). And a reason why they are not doing it any longer, might be that they became boring and only concerning about clicks and key press.
I know I am in the minority, but I often read game manuals before playing. There are tricks that do not come easily through experimentation that are useful or even necessary to know to progress rather than struggle without a solution through that point. The games of today replace the manual of the past into the first level or a have a tutorial.
I don’t know Jeff, I think the point system has actually become a problem with Stack Overflow and comment sections in general. The last few times I’ve used SO to post questions and to answer other questions, the responses have been almost bully style remarks. So much so, that I’ve removed the answer to one question and removed another question altogether. It’s unfortunate, too, because I completely agree with the principals of SO and SE in general, but the use of ridicule/abuse of “I have more points than you” is chasing users away.
LIKE THIS step 5 should be a sad face in my opinion. 
The usual way to approach this is exactly that. The supplier provides a training data set that allows your staff to learn the software without damaging anything.
Good point. You just forgot to explicitly mention this was good because games were monochromatic blinking dots! 
But then again, they could be just books. No need to explain gameplay if the game got a proper intro stage or something similar.
The whole point in this post, IMHO, isn’t so much manuals suck, tho. It’s just “when you can make a good intro stage, it’s so much better than anything else to teach how to play!”…
Except when you already know how to play and have no way to skip the level one.
Miyamoto on the first level of Mario!
Oh, was it that far back in time 
This could be the reason why I only have so vague memories 
I agree that from gaming only point of view it is not required to have a manual if you have a great way of intro and tutorial.
But for me a game exists outside of the border of the machine, too. And thus it matters to have manuals (and other additional goodies) going together with the game. I like to have some haptic sensation. And I like the smell of printed paper, too
ola achei…bem interessante seu ponto de vista sobre os manuais , para muitos inuteis , para outros uteis e para curiosos podendo lhe oferecer oportunidades (guloseimas rsrsrsrs ) para defrutar de um algo a mais escondido, eu era fã das pistas escondidas em um certo lugar do mapa que voce descobria sem querer , um portal ou algo parecido…nossa eu pirrava rsrsrrs. Atari , mega driver , super nintendo , play 1 2 e 3 … passava horas nas locadoras matando aula para jogar videogames , na blockbuster kkkkk . normalmente vinham nos games para pc, mas lembro das revistas aqui no brasil , onde tinha dicas do inicio ao fim !!! eu era viciado nessas revistas … muito legal , e tbm concordo da importancia dos manuais , e acredito que a força e peso do papel , seu cheiro …é algo diferente , eu gosto !! mas para juventude hj é mais facil , um qrcode e ler no celular , algo que os tornem mais conectados !!! atingir os 2 publicos é uma boa maneira de manter a tradição porem inovador rsrsrrs.
hello, I found your point of view about the manuals very interesting, for many useless, for other useful and for the curious being able to offer you opportunities (goodies lol) to enjoy something more hidden, I was a fan of the hidden clues in a certain place of the map that you discovered by accident, a portal or something similar…wow, I freaked out lol. Atari , mega driver , super nintendo , play 1 2 and 3 … spent hours at the video stores skipping class to play video games , at blockbuster kkkkk . usually came in pc games, but I remember the magazines here in Brazil, where I had tips from beginning to end!!! I was addicted to these magazines… very cool, and I also agree on the importance of manuals, and I believe that the strength and weight of the paper, its smell… is something different, I like it!! but for youth today it is easier , a qrcode and read on the cell phone , something that makes them more connected !!! reaching 2 audiences is a good way to keep the tradition but innovative lol.
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Do you know any tech that reads a manual before trying to install or even use any software? It not in our blood. The DNA states we have a brain of curiosity and in some ‘common sense’ to navigate menu’s.
But you were right in one sense of the word combination. software development is a game and in many cases a matter of collaboration. Today, cloud platforms make it even more strategic for applications to collaborate in a confidential computing environment.
And a note of importance, StackOverflow achieved your objective. I have an interesting story I’ll share offline sometime. For now, I’ll just say thanks, it was an invaluable resource.
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