Kovabon
Now, as I have played for a while, I do know how to not get my @$$ kicked all the time. I do not recall what was available at first on Silan, but I imagine that all that information, which (I guess) 90% of people ignore, is/was available in/on Silan.
Maybe.....
The education system in Silan didn't improve in the years between Gidget's reign of chaos starting and my arrival to the adventuring world. Most of what I learned is what my big sister taught me outside the classroom. Thankfully, she taught me enough of the things that the Silan trainers never mentioned to avoid making the mistakes she made when she first left the safety of NPC-hood.
Many new arrivals to Silan do not have the benefit of a big sister or the willingness to seek the wisdom of their elders though. They must make do with only the speeches of the Silan trainers... without the benefit of taking notes! I have an encyclopedia, but that is the only real reference material available unless one is willing to expend the effort you did.
I would love to see a book full of what experienced Atysians would consider "refresher notes" given to new arrivals. It would greatly benefit those who may not have been paying attention the first (and only!) time the information is presented, are not motivated to do the research you did, and are not comfortable asking the community for their wisdom.