[QUOTE=dmlabuda;1455363]....... it is obvious to me that it was written with the goal of providing a Reference Guide and not of helping the user .... QUOTE]
Hence the name......."Reference Guide".
Not "User Guide" , or " Pro Tools For Dummies" , or "Everything to get you Recording"....etc.
There are a ton of great resources out there for using protools..books, dvd's, youtube tutorials..you name it, it's out there. Bite size pieces of all the great features.
But the Reference Guide is the protool bible...tough sledding at times...but it's all there. I can't imagine how large it would be if they tried to make it anything else....
I'm thinking with your background you could put together some guides yourself...and profit from it at the same time.