If your need for security is immediate. Look at using Tails OS. Which has a lot of excellent documentation on how to use it effectively. As does Whonix.
There is a been a great deal of effort, good results, in improving the documentation.
I believe the problem some have in using documentation is that only documents one narrow thing, and does not cover things that are documented elsewhere.
For a newcomer, that sometimes means they end up searching for one thing, then to understand/implement part of that, they have to go to another part of the documentation.
There is a bit of what did that term actually mean. or was it just a vague metaphor. After learning ones way around part of using Qubes. then the documentation becomes quite valuable and accurate.
There are youtube videos on how to do almost anything, although some refer to an earlier version of Qubes.
Qubes might be described as a tool kit rather than a finished Operating System.
The developers, in my opinion, and I think correctly, focus their efforts on creating a xen that is secure, minimal size Qubes of OS’s, to save RAM, and to make them more secure.
As those OS Qubes, such as, Fedora templates, Debian Template, Whonix, and their resulting app Qubes, have their updates, security, documentation accomplished those respective OS websites. Allowing our developers to focus on our security needs, and the Debian, Fedora, Whonix to focus on their own respective work that might effect, Privacy, Security, Anonymity.
Qubes can be frustrating, but, as Qubes is uniquely able, with careful operating Security, Op Sec, how you r hoose to use it. OpSec being as important can be as important to achieving you goals as Qubes, itself. You can still destroy your own, privacy, security, anonymity by using Qubes incorrectly. You can still shoot yourself in the foot.
Qubes is uniquely able to allow us to keep malware off our own computer. Minimize its effect on our life.
Perhaps the first question for a newcomer to ask themselves is what is their goal, their risk factor. Your “threat assessment.”
Burning the install, USB can be challenging. I suspect using Fedora Media Writer will likely work, from many Operating Systems, including Windows. I am vague because I have not tried all, and things keep changing.
Mostly you will be your own technical support, and the effectiveness of your Qubes install, is in your own choices. Mistakes.
Best Wishes, Have fun
