I think the RTFM is sometimes appropriate in specific contexts. For example if a n00b pops into a general purpose chatroom or mailing list and ask a stupid question, he will probably get JFGI.

If he pops into a specific chatroom or list devoted to supporting/hacking specific software, or product it is entirely justified to tell him RTFM.

And I do read manuals sometimes. When I’m installing a new big piece of software or compiling it from source I usually print out the relevant readme files, flip through the quick through guide (if avaliable), have the manual booklet nearby if I need it or have my laptop nearby with googled up step-by-step tutorials.

I’m not the only one. The dude who deployed DFS, and tweaked load balancing rules and upgraded bunch of our Win2k3 servers at work had a check list, pages of hand written notes with him, a folder of stuff printed off Microsoft help sites and all kinds of other documentation. Hell, if he didn’t have these things and refer to them I would probably smack him. This was a mission critical installation, and winging it was just not an option. :)

So I’d say RTFM is not dead - it just has a slightly more refined meaning nowadays. :)