Way back when, tech gear wasn’t all-so-easy to use. Even Macs, the “computer for there rest of us.” In those days, they were packed with several thick user guides. And, yes, I did read them, cover to cover, several times in fact.
Maybe I was a glutton for punishment.
Not that it made me an instant Mac guru, but I learned enough to make my way around without having to ask for help, at least most of the time. I suppose that’s why some people thought I was some sort of expert, and it did read to a number of writing assignments. So there is — or was — value in reading those manuals, even though most people didn’t bother.