1. The instructions, tutorials, and refernce information that provides you with the information you need to use a program or computer system effectively. Documentation can appear in printed form or in on-line help systems. From QUECID

2. n. The multiple kilograms of macerated, pounded, steamed, bleached, and pressed trees that accompany most modern software or hardware products (see also tree-killer). Hackers seldom read paper documentation and (too) often resist writing it; they prefer theirs to be terse and on-line. A common comment on this predilection is "You can't grep dead trees". See drool-proof paper, verbiage, treeware. From Jargon Dictionary