Editing RTFM

{{Short description|Initialism for "read the fucking manual"}}
{{Other uses}}'''RTFM''' is an [[initialism]] and [[internet slang]] for the expression "'''read the fucking manual'''"<ref>Sometimes censored as "Read the Friendly Manual"</ref>{{snd}}typically used to reply to a basic question where the answer is easily found in the [[documentation]], [[user guide]], [[owner's manual]], [[man page]], [[online help]], [[internet forum]], [[software documentation]] or [[FAQ]]. 

Usage is variously viewed as a pointed reminder of etiquette to try to find a solution before posting to a mass forum or email alias;<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sqlskills.com/blogs/paul/rtfm-no-seriously-r-t-f-m-then-ask-your-question/ |title=RTFM. No seriously, R.T.F.M. Then ask your question. |date=4 August 2011 |access-date=2021-10-15}}</ref> helping a newer user (colloquially and demeaningly referred to as a [[noob]] within [[internet culture]]) to improve themselves;<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.techopedia.com/definition/13211/read-the-fing-manual-rtfm |title=What is Read The F###ing Manual (RTFM)? |date=15 May 2012 |access-date=2021-10-15}}</ref> as a useless response;<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/linux-and-open-source/rtfm-i-did-and-it-didnt-help/ |title=RTFM: I did, and it didn't help |date=19 November 2007 |access-date=2021-10-15}}</ref> or as a hostile and elitist response.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://compassionatecoding.com/blog/2019/4/17/its-time-to-retire-rtfm |title=It's Time to Retire "RTFM" |date=17 April 2019 |access-date=2021-10-15}}</ref> Polite usages would mention where one has looked when asking a question, and to provide an exact location or link where exactly to RTFM. 

In [[expurgation|expurgated]] texts, substitutions such as "read the frickn' manual", "read the factory manual", "read the field manual", "read the flaming manual", "read the fine manual", "read the friendly manual", "read the [pause] manual" or similar variants are used.<ref>Howard, Michael, David LeBlanc, and [[John Viega]]. ''19 Deadly Sins of Software Security: Programming Flaws and How to Fix Them''. New York: McGraw-Hill/Osborne, 2005. {{ISBN|0-07-226085-8}}.</ref>

If there is no appropriate content in the manual but the answer is frequently seen in the forum, a similar response in [[internet culture]] might be to [[Lurk moar]], meaning to observe the forum for a time before asking questions.

A related phrase is "let me [[Google Search|Google]] that for you" (LMGTFY).  In this case, the "manual" is the World Wide Web, so one of several search engines such as Google could be used to look up the answer.  In many cases, doing so provides an answer in less time than it takes to ask someone else the question.  The range of usage is similar to that for RTFM.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://metatalk.metafilter.com/13526/Let-me-google-that-for-you |title=Let me google that for you |date=22 January 2007 |access-date=2023-09-17}}</ref>

==List of similar initialisms==
* {{Visible anchor|RTBM}} – "read the bloody manual"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://foldoc.org/RTBM |title=RTBM definition |publisher=foldoc.com |access-date=2009-12-08}}</ref>
* {{Visible anchor|RTFQ}} – "read the fucking question"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://medium.com/@daraghkennedy/r-t-f-q-2a3b1a13c66d |first=Daragh|last=Kennedy|title=R.T.F.Q. |website=medium.com |year=2024|publisher=[[Medium (website)|Medium]]}}</ref>
* {{Visible anchor|RTFA}} – "read the fucking/featured article"– common on news forums such as [[Fark]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fark.com/comments/4047872/Routine-traffic-stop-has-man-up-in-arms-Er-caught-red-handed-Er-never-mind-just-RTFA |title=Routine traffic stop has man up in arms. Er, caught red-handed. Er, never mind, just RTFA |publisher=Fark.com |date=2008-11-28 |access-date=2009-01-27}}</ref> and [[Slashdot]], where using "TFA" instead of "the article" has become a [[Internet meme|meme]]{{cn|date=June 2022}}
* {{Visible anchor|WABM}} – "write a better manual" – an answer complaining that the manual is not written well<ref>{{cite web |title=RTFM is a four-letter word |url=http://software.ac.uk/blog/2012-03-27-rtfm-four-letter-word |work=Software Sustainability Institute |access-date=2 December 2013}}</ref>
* {{Visible anchor|RTFS}} – "read the fucking source" or "read the fucking standard" or "read the fucking syllabus"<ref>{{cite web|title=RTFS|url=http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/R/RTFS.html|work=The Jargon File – version 4.4.7|access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref>
* {{Visible anchor|RTFB}} – "read the fucking binary"<ref>{{cite web|title=RTFB|url=http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/R/RTFB.html|work=The Jargon File – version 4.4.7|access-date=8 March 2017}}</ref>
* {{Visible anchor|STFW}} – "search the fucking web"<ref>{{cite web|title=RTFM and STFW: How To Tell You've Seriously Screwed Up|url=http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#rtfm|work=How to ask Smart Questions|author=[[Eric S. Raymond]]|date=21 May 2014|accessdate=17 November 2023}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[User error#Acronyms_and_other_names|User error – Acronyms and other names]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{wiktionary|RTFM|RTFA}}
* {{Commons category-inline}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rtfm}}
[[Category:Internet slang]]
[[Category:Technical communication]]
[[Category:Acronyms]]

* {{Visible anchor|RTBM}} – "read the bloody manual"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://foldoc.org/RTBM |title=RTBM definition |publisher=foldoc.com |access-date=2009-12-08}}</ref>
[[de:Liste von Abkürzungen (Netzjargon)#R]]