PHPBuilder.com has a new article posted today about something that (surprisingly) a lot of people just miss about PHP until their eyes are opened - how to use the PHP.net manual.

It might seem ridiculous to write about something as simple as how to use the online manual at PHP.net, but for two reasons I believe it's not really so absurd.

This is a non-technical article written for new ('newbie') PHP practitioners about close reading at PHP.net. This is a continuation of the previous article I wrote called Learning PHP Using the DIY Method. At the end of this article is a short collection of reading material at PHP.net that may be of value if you are having a difficult time getting started on the finer points of PHP.

I'm continually surprised about how many people just don't take the time to go and use the manual for all of their questions. Honestly, before you go to anyone and ask *any* kind of question, you should always, always, always always (always) go to the manual first...the PHP manual is one of the finest in the Open Source community - use it!