To Tutorialize Or Not

[espmartin]

Tutorials are great in that they help you achieve your project in a
much faster timeframe than it would have taken if you just "read the
manual". But I've found myself recently not searching for a tutorial
on a subject I needed to learn, but just Googling for code snips, and
learn just by dissecting someone's code.

That, as apposed to taking the time to read an entire tutorial on a
subject.

What do you all prefer to do?

[temi]

I am just like that as well, to the extent that when I had problem with my new Vista, instead of ringing the free support that came with the PC i just searched on the net for how to sort out the problem and I did find the solution.

[SkinnerW]

Good step-by-step tutorial with real life example and some descriptive images can save you tons of time and also can teach something you may never discover otherwise.

Most of the time standard manuals are useless - they give you main steps and what "supposed" to happen. If it doesn't - you are on your own...

Googling for relevant info sometimes takes hours and hours and in some cases - no solution.

[logylaps]

If it is coding, as I assume it is, then I would do a few tutorials to get the syntax, proper coding, etc., and then just check the coding manual for the specific function you want to use. The people in the comments section of the php.net function reference are very helpful and what I am looking for is usually found there.

[OldDarkstarAccount]

I have learned how to use Photoshop by reading tutorials. I learned html by reading tutorials. I guess that says it all.

[mamos]

What about video tutorials
I find these a great learning aid

mamos

[xhan]

i tend to search out snippets of code. even for my c# workshops at which I'm a complete novice!

[kineticdc]

I have used manuals in the past. I learned dos with a manual that was 3 inches thick. I watched a video tutorial, they were new at the time, and it was worthless. Tutorials are good for me if it is something new to me. I get a lot out of them sometimes.

Lately I have also gone to the source instead. I prefer to go to the source and try to copy what happened in the code someplace else or to do something completely different.

[BenjArriola]

The fastest way I have learned is by gaining tons of friends through Forums and Yahoogroups that eventually ended up in my IM list. From YM, MSN, AIM, GTalk, Skype and ICQ, my list is soooo long and grouped according to what I want to learn. PHP, MySQL, SEO, Photoshop, etc and since my list is soooo long, almost any minute of the day, there is someone online. It is like a 24x7 support from my friends. Whenever I have a question, I have someone to ask and the fastest type of instruction to me is still a tutorial, but more interactive, question and answer type in real time.