I refuse to use the word "simple" in my docs writing for this precise reason. I have come to view the word to seem condescending/elitist, even if that's not the intent.
If something is written as simple, but I as an entrant to something view it as not simple, I'm going to be severely discouraged - "if this is the simple thing, what is the hard thing?"
Same in spoken word; I don't know if this is a regional (western European, expat-English) thing, but a lot of people will interspers their spoken sentences with "basically" and "actually" a lot. It's gratuitous and more of a verbal tic than something that adds to their sentence.
But maybe I'm overthinking it too much. I prefer reading.