I tend to agree with this article in some ways .. I've been using Linux since the days of the minix-list, and have over the years been bothered by exactly the sorts of things that are described here .. it seems every year/new release of my preferred distro (Ubuntu Studio) I have to re-learn things that are not well explained or documented.

So I've just kind of gotten used to using the source. Seriously! If I find something I don't get, I build the package from source, and debug it. This is really the only way I've been able to survive as long without tearing my hair out in frustration over the years.

Its a glib response to the problem, but actually it really works.