I don't think I can put it any better than this rant... http://www.anchor.com.au/hosting/development/we_hate_plesk_and_cpanel
I am only an "experienced" command line user because I have persevered and learned it. You don't need to know that much, just a few commands and some basic understanding of fundamentals. In many respects cPanel is harder. The big but though is that cPanel is "simpler" (which I don't think it is) because you are looking at a server through a small, frosty hole. You only get to do certain things. So anything slightly outside of that is harder and slower.
I can completely understand the appeal of systems like cpanel but it's like chopping one of your arms off so you don't have to worry about it any more.
Also, if you've ever had to unravel a cPanel based installation that has gone wrong you would hate it as much as I do