John D. Cook writes:
The slang “tl;dr” stands for “too long; didn’t read.” The context is often either a bad joke or a shallow understanding.
What bothers me most about tl;dr is the mindset it implies, scanning everything but reading nothing. I find myself slipping into that mode sometimes. Skimming is a vital skill, but it can become so habitual that it crowds out reflective reading.
I despaired when I read in the comments that someone used this as their entire review of an ebook version of “Moby Dick.” I have read it more than once and didn’t really notice the length, other than to be disappointed with I reached the end.
On the other hand, I have read short conference proposals that required me to force myself to the end of a three page abstract. Being uncertain at the end if the authors actually had a point or were trying to conceal some point.
Reflexive reading isn’t encouraged by some user documentation, which is written carelessly, inconsistently and apparently for the purpose of claiming it exists.
To avoid seeing the use of “tl;dr” on your work, convey some of your excitement about it by caring enough to write well. Readers will recognize your writing as a cut above the average and may consider that as a good sign about your software.