I will have to disagree...

Could FFxiv do things better? sure could. but being unfriendly to new users? I have played quite a few mmo's and I would have to say that FFxiv is one of the more,if not the most friendly to new players.

the experience guides you fairly well through most things you need to know. is it perfect? nope, but with many many many different playstyles being catered to, it would be impossible to create a one size fits all experience. I dont know of any mmo that will show you how to "improve" your gameplay above average competency. taking 8 months to want to do so suggests a bit of laziness on your part. improvement past a certain level is on the player to do.. not on the game developers to provide.

not sure who you hang out with, but I have yet to find people in a large amount that are "incapable to clear normal content above ARR".

so yeah, I disagree on almost all points.