Novices will probably not want barrel lenses. View camera lenses, because they can be used on so many different cameras, tend to hang around for a long time. The result is that there are a large and confusing number to chose from. A mediocre camera and a fine lens can made a fine image, but a fine camera and a mediocre lens will likely yield a mediocre image. A good lens is an investment that can be used on future cameras.
Coatings tend to reduce flare, raise contrast, and contribute to overall performance.
They may also be lighter and faster than comparable lenses of the past. Most new lenses are made by Nikon, Fuji, Schneider, and Rodenstock. Older lenses tend to be single coated or uncoated, and their quality will vary depending on how good they were to start with and how well they've been treated since. The AOC is the diameter of the image projected by the lens. If the AOC just barely covers the film, then any movement away from neutral will cause vignetting.