I think you do, or at least, you do if you want to do it properly.

Most people would know how to turn off their WiFi or put their laptop in to airplane mode. However, WiFi cards can still leak some data even when turned off by the OS. So to be sure, you should remove your WiFi card. How many people would be able to open their laptop and even identify the WiFi card, let alone safely remove it, especially if it is built in to the motherboard? Having a guide which says "Remove your WiFi card" is fine, but if someone has never before opened up a computer to look inside (which is the majority of the population) then that isn't really helpful for them. The same goes for other steps, such as installing Linux. A lot of people have never heard of Linux or even really know what an operating system is.

Step by step instructions are rarely detailed enough for the complete newbie, and if there is the slightest error or issue, then they are completely stuck. You don't need any programming knowledge as suggested above, but you do need a certain level of familiarity with computers and hardware.