I have mixed feelings about this. I do find it annoying that Ubuntu HOWTOs frequently take you from Ubuntu CD in hand through inserting it, installing the OS (with LOTS of screenshots), before finally mentioning the two steps I need to get something to work. It also assumes a particular desktop environment, usually Gnome, when the DE affects the concept of the solution very little.

That said, I'd much rather wade through too much information and pictures than to have nothing. I can see that they're trying hard to debunk the notion that once you abandon Windows there's no hand-holding. So they adopt the form and style of Windows help (when you can find it).

On the other hand, because of the style adopted by many Ubuntu HOWTOs, I get the bulk of my information from the Forums. The same quality of information is usually available there in a more digested form. I've rarely felt totally abandoned.

At the risk of rambling... Throughout my career as a developer I've seen tech writers adopt more and more of a condescending style that assumes users are idiots. Rather than describe the concept of a tool or application component, they guide your mouse through menus and buttons, show you lots of pictures, and then tell you where to "click". But unfortunately they're probably meeting the expectations of the market. I just wish the market knew better.