New Players and Observers

[Thorin]

Heh, I also started with no clue, and some would argue I still don't have a clue

Its pretty easy to pick up

Based on my experience, though, I do encourage brand-new-to-the-rules players to start with a low (1st or 2nd) level character.  As characters progress, they get more and more complex, which makes it harder to get a handle on everything the character can do.  And the sooner you get a handle on everything your character can do, the sooner you can figure out whether you're actually having a good time or not.

[Mr. Analog]

I just get the feeling that if the D&D characters were fighting on the roiling deck of a ship they'd have to crack to book to find out what their AC is if their Dex modifier changed, whereas with d20 they might already have it figured out...

Ah well...