I love your comparison of where issues come from on Linux vs Windows. That’s so apt (heh). Even after 10 years of using Linux, I never really thought of it that way.
It’s frustrating when any computer doesn’t do what you want; but you’re right, it’s infuriating when the problems are engineered to manipulate you into parting with your money, attention, or privacy.
(( insert anti-capitalist rant here ))
Virtual environment? Taking notes of what they did?
Anyway, tell them it’s okay you experiment and mess things up. Show them how to backup their important work. Then walk them through inevitably having to reinstall their distro.
They’ll learn that you can just keep moving forward, fixing and learning as you go.