Want sourdough, but worried it's too hard?

[Major Nikon]

6. The ideal temp is something of a moving target depending on what yeast you want to cultivate

There's a dozen or more wild yeasts that you could potentially be culturing. Some of those are going to do better at colder temps and some will do better at warmer temps.

Lactobacillus sanfransicensis which is what makes San Francisco style sourdough propagates best at about 90F, which is considerably warmer than most kitchens. Many people will leave their culture in an oven that's off, but has the light on. My oven has two lights and will get up to about 95F if the door is closed. I can prop the door open a bit and adjust the temperature, but it's a bit tricky to get any degree of consistency and accuracy.

Some people like to keep their starter cooler in order to better cultivate other wild yeasts besides Lactobacillus sanfransicensis. So for them, your kitchen temperature probably is closer to ideal. By experimenting with different temperatures and different hydration levels and feeding flours, you can vary the end results significantly.