I started mining in mid 2013 without really any knowledge. Some cheapo ebay asics, bfgminer, Slush pool and an old pentium laptop. Difficulty spiked and we sold of the gear and sold out. I came to nostr last year, poring over the spec and starting work on my software. I still don't _really_ understand bitcoin the way I understand nostr, although I've been holding bitcoin for a while now. I only started running a real node very recently. 

I don't know that we do have a higher barrier to entry in nostr, definitly not for development. The only reason bitcoin might be "easier" is bit exchanges exist. 

I really want people to come here without any knowledge of bitcoin.