I've heard several people recommend against trying to install Debian without an expert on hand, whereas the ambition at least of Mandrake et al is to allow a novice to click 'next' the whole time and get something working at the end.

Sorry, I took it as a comment on the way most modern Linuxes expect you to use new installation media and fry the entire installation for every upgrade. I think Debian is unique in its solution to that. Debian's *ambition* is to make the installation simpler. It's just a bit further away from that than the others, I think. It can be added, as Corel did, though. MJR