Ron may prop up his table with the manual... but I read it. It is how I learned the basics of the program, and how I learn the basics of any program. I also read the "readme" files and other documentation. Manuals are not classes! They are not intended to be classes!!! If you want a class, enroll in one or buy a classroom in a book, or find a series of tutorials. Expecting a manual to do what it was never intended to do and then cursing when it fails to deliver is like entering a cat in the Steeplechase and then yelling and stomping in frustration when it refuses to jump the fences. Yes, it has 4 legs and yes it can jump, but a cat is not a racehorse and a manual is not a textbook. Manuals tell you what the application or program does, not what you can do with the program. "This is the light control panel and this is what each feature does" is verrrrrrrrry different from answering "how do I light this scene so that the spotlight falls where I want it?" In order to really learn a program, you should expect to invest some time, some practice, and some money for separate course materials. As an example, with PhotoShop's manual, The PhotoShop WOW! Book, and the PhotoShop Classroom in a Book, a person has 3 different approaches to any problem... and merely needs to frame the question before reaching for the right book. Oh, none of these books will teach you how to be an artist. Carolly