[kmoser]

The concept of a variable is just the tip of the iceberg: the syntax for dealing with variables (e.g. assignment vs. testing equality) is difficult for newbies to grasp.

Next level of difficulty for newbies is arrays: understanding expressions to set and get values in an array; variables that hold indexes; non-numeric indexes; each of these is a potential huge stumbling block for newbies. And remember, these are just basic programming skills. Things get much harder from there.

The concepts of data manipulation, let alone the mechanics, are difficult for many newbies. Some never get past that point.