Some tools are "simple and powerful", other tools are "complex and powerless"¹.
The first set is normally seen as "hard", because it is very easy to shoot oneself at the foot with them, and because experts tend to be attracted by them. The second set is often seen as "easy" because the complex features are normally there to stop novices from harming themselves.
The unexpected thing is that "simple" is much easier to learn than "complex", independently of what other adjectives come bundled with them.
1 - Yes, the other 2 combinations exist. "Simple and powerless" does not make the headlines, and "complex and powerful" is very, very rare.
The first set is normally seen as "hard", because it is very easy to shoot oneself at the foot with them, and because experts tend to be attracted by them. The second set is often seen as "easy" because the complex features are normally there to stop novices from harming themselves.
The unexpected thing is that "simple" is much easier to learn than "complex", independently of what other adjectives come bundled with them.
1 - Yes, the other 2 combinations exist. "Simple and powerless" does not make the headlines, and "complex and powerful" is very, very rare.