The problem with web-based, forum-based help

In the old days, before all this forum and web posting was so common, folks put a lot of time into developing really good docs. These days, initial instruction is barely sufficient to get up and running. 'Help" often consists of 'go comb the forums, and see what you can find'.

Unfortunately, as the messages increase, that gets to be a daunting task. Put in the wrong search term, and you miss the post.

Developing a coherent user manual, and keeping it up to date, is tedious for developers. I know, because I am one, and when it comes to docs, I need to deliberately put aside dev, and focus on updating docs, because it can be distracted in a heartbeat from documenting.

But I have recognized the usefulness of those docs for a long time. Users spent hundreds of times, collectively,  the amount of time looking for solutions that developers would spend keeping docs up to date.

https://help.gaiagps.com/hc/en-us/articles/115003525547/comments/360001784893

And developers need to recognize when they DO provide gems of knowledge, or users do, those gems need to be promoted to a higher visibility.

In the recent case of map downloads, I have spent way too much time learning the ropes, and in the case of the link, learned just this morning that I should prolly toss all that work, and start over. I do not appreciate the waste of time.