OK read this KDE Neon developers if you would like the opinion of an attempt to install it unsuccessfully.

Remember if one person mentions these problem thousands more likely think so too.

So for the purpose of trying to help - ONLY, here I go.

As a ~10 year Linux User I have tried many many distros, and am currently writing from a happy place in Ubuntu-Gnome but tried in the past hour to install KDE Neon, as I wanted to re-try the KDE Plasma DE, which I had dabbled in 3-5 years ago when at the time my biggest complaints were, 1/ bloated software (ALL starting with the letter "k"), oddly fell in love with Dolphin the only Software not starting with "k", LOL. And the panel editing never appealed to me and STILL doesn't though not a deal breaker. What attracted me then to KDE, was the idea that the "Plasma" (awesomely named) Desktop could handle Gaming in Full Screen better. As well it indeed overall seemed quite SLICKER. I forget what finally drove me to Linux Mint (hating Unity) at the time, but I digress.

Now here in 2016, todays attempt was quite unfair I admit because: 1/ it was beside Ubuntu-Gnome and sharing the /home folder, and 2/ I have limited patience as i would like to be using a Distro that is easy for me and more importantly the many I turn "ON" to Linux, to a/ Install and b/ Use.

This brings me to the Biggest Deal Breaker. No GUI for "Additional Drivers", same as todays Debian! (another failed attempt last month). So many say use the CLI, but seriously! have a reliable option with a GUI. The GUI has made proprietary graphics Install/updates SOOO easy and more importantly RELIABLE.

Similarly, I could not get a driver for my WiFI! These 2 things bring me back to 2008 HORRORS.

and actually I will stop here, less is best sometimes.

Trying to help, as a Newbies Perspective should always be seriously considered, because only newbies have this fading perspective.

Cheers, Mark

Without minimizing your completely legitimate concerns and problems, is it a necessity for each an every distro to be so-called newbie friendly"?
The User edition is merely months old, maybe they will write/modify and maintain a driver manager eventually, but is it really a bad thing if they didn't or took a while to get one?

Only one advice, better do not use 'Additional Drivers'. If you have nVidia graphic card is the only one closed source driver which is better. As Linux user, open source is best decision.