The setup utility prompts the user to create an ordinary user account, and the system defaults to this account when it starts. It's assumed that users will connect to the network via a dialup connection, or as a client workstation on a LAN, and that they'll get their mail from POP3 or IMAP servers. And users won't be able to get themselves into trouble by playing with more risky tools, because those tools won't be on the disk. We've got a Cessna 127 here, and an F16. You know, I think you ought to start with the Cessna.
Bad things happen.
The Linux community must do more to protect new users who are attracted to Linux for all the right reasons. They're attracted to our ideals. We owe them more than they're getting. What I'm proposing is two totally different distributions. Call it Linux Lite, if you like.