[bheadmaster]

To me, it depends on how novel the thing is.

Coming from a C++ background, learning Python required a trial-and-error process similar to what you've described. However, learning Groovy while knowing Python and Java took only a single pass through the Groovy docs - just to figure out what exact elements of Python and Java has Groovy incorporated in what way.

In context of tutorials, a lot of people write them "for themselves" without realizing it - there's just too much implicit knowledge assumed. And it's hard work to expand on all of it, without going down the rabbit hole and ending up explaining the concept of Turing Machines.