Problem RISC-V has is there's no middle-ground.

The specification for an architecture is meant to be useful to anyone writing assembly, not just to people implementing the spec. Case in point x86 manuals aren't meant for Intel, they're meant for Intel's customers.

There is a lot of cope re the fact RISC-V's spec is particularly hard to use for writing assembly or understanding the software model.

If the spec isn't a 'manual' then where's the manual? If there's just no manual then that's a deficiency. If we only have 'tutorial's that's bad as well, a manual is a good reference for an experienced user, and approachable to a slightly aware beginner (or a fresh beginner with experience in other arch's); a tutorial is too verbose to be useful as a regular reference.

Either the spec should have read (and still could read) more like a useful manual, or a useful manual needs to be provided.