It's easy to pick on Emacs for being unnecessarily complicated.

Emacs is rather different from the average program. Its has a plethora of keyboard shortcuts requiring memorization. It doesn't use the standard Ctrl-X/C/V to cut/copy/paste. It calls its windows "frames". There are some reasons Emacs differs from other programs.

• It is old. Emacs began in the 1970s, so it predates much of modern UI design.

• It does not have a company determining the direction of the software, but is made by a loose collection of independent developers.

But most importantly:

Unlike most software, Emacs puts the expert experience ahead of the beginner experience.

Most software caters to the brand new user. Many websites display the sign up button in a large, weighty display; the log in link is far less imposing. Intellij pops up a "tips and tricks" window upon opening. Many programs expose functionality only through mouse-driven menus, and don't allow interface customization.

Emacs is different.

Like the cockpit of a fighter plane, Emacs's interface is designed for trained experts. People have been using Emacs for years or decades, and the maintainers generally turn down changes that would conflict with what those users are used to, even if those changes are a better design overall.

So Emacs's prefers to make its current users happy, rather than being friendly to new users.

It doesn't take long to go from a new user to an experienced one. With a little patience, you will experience Emacs as a comfortable, powerful piece of software.