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Read the docs, yes, but a little kindness goes a long way.

I want to preface this by saying that this isn’t a “Linux is too hard” post. I generally don’t like engaging in this type of discussion, but I’ve seen this issue too often, and I think it needs to be addressed.

I read documentation. I research issues. I watch tutorials when needed. Because of that, I personally haven’t run into this problem much, but I’ve repeatedly seen it happen to other people who are trying to switch to Linux for the first time.

When new users ask for help on forums, subreddits, or distro-specific communities, a very common response is simply:
“Go read the documentation.”

To be clear: pointing someone to the docs is not wrong. Documentation is important, and learning how to use it is a valuable skill on Linux. The issue isn’t that people say this; it’s how it’s often said and what comes with it.

Very often:

The person responding clearly knows the answer because they know it’s in the docs
They refuse to give even a brief explanation
The tone becomes condescending when the user didn’t already know where to look

Follow-up replies often turn into things like:

“If you did a bit more research, you’d figure it out”
“If you didn’t bother to read the documentation, you don’t deserve an answer”

At that point, it stops being about teaching or encouraging learning and starts feeling like gatekeeping knowledge.

Part of the reason for this is that Linux culture still carries a “prove yourself” mindset.
A lot of this comes from Linux’s roots:

UNIX culture
Academic environments
Early hobbyists had to struggle because there was no alternative

For many people, that struggle became a rite of passage, and unconsciously, they expect newcomers to “pay the same price.” That’s where the gatekeeping comes from.

The problem is:

>What was once necessity has turned into ideology.

New users aren’t wrong for seeking* help. The ecosystem has changed, and communities that cling to this old “prove yourself” mindset risk driving new users away.

This type of behaviour negatively impacts Linux adoption. If we want better software support, better hardware compatibility, and better game support, we need new users to stick around. Being dismissive or condescending doesn’t push people to learn; it pushes them away.

There’s also an irony here: many of the same people complain about users turning to AI tools for help with Linux issues. But if the community response is often unwelcoming or dismissive, can we really be surprised? AI explains things without judgment, sarcasm, or attitude.

Documentation and community support don’t have to be mutually exclusive. A response like:

>“This is covered in the docs under X, but the short answer is Y. If you want more detail, check section Z.”

Still encourages self-learning without shutting people out.

This isn’t an attack on Linux or its documentation. It’s a call for helpful community behaviour.

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