One nice thing about having too much light is that its easier to reduce the light intensity than it is to increase it. This can be accomplished by raising the fixture up off of the tank a few inches. You can also use something to diffuse the light, like a glass panel in between the light and top of the tank. Also, on the nicer fixtures, they have separate switches for the bulbs, so you can control how many are on at a time.
Makes things much easier if you need to dial it back a bit.
I agree that having too much light is something that hinders a lot of beginners into planted tanks.