It's not as much stripped down as it is "wizarded" out. I live, eat, and sleep with photoshop... elements basically makes complicated tasks easier for people who have never used PS.. and yes it is stripped down. My dad uses it a lot and has no problem using it for making business flyers and the such, he loves it. If he can use it.. anyone can use it. The other day he asked me why when he ejected a disk, files that were on the desktop from the disk dissapeared.. anyone ever try having to explain that every disk has its own desktop file? wooooweeee that's a tough one...