But manual Arch installation is really more like "teaching a man to fish" -- and in that way is the opposite of gatekeeping. Anyone with the curiosity and patience gets to have their hand held through a learning process with all of the intricacies explained and context given for the user to make their own decisions along the way.

That said, I welcome the installer option as well. Once you've been through the manual process a few times, it becomes less about the journey and more about the destination.