Some distros are just not meant for people like you...
I don't really like to mess with the command line either, but configuration text-files are very nice IMO. Sometimes I go mad trying to find the place where I can change certain configurations in some Windows application. They're just scattered around the program. But if there is a text-file, you can use the good old invention - search.
Smoother? That's hardly an argument since I can see no difference.