Having had the pleasure to train on a steam driven system then move to Eurocat X (like AUS TAATS) there was a lot of apprehension about all the worries posted here.
Typing a heading in the free text line takes as much, if not less, time than writing on a strip. It takes about a shift to get used to. And you don't look away to search for the strip. Ditto for Alt/FL inputs. This is done with a drop down menu and a mouse click.
Anotherthing - You can have as many columns as you like. Pending, Starting, Inbound, Arr. sequence, Active, you name it. Active strips are always on your main window. You can have strips and a second radar display (any range) on your second screen. You can move strips around in one box, but you can not move it to another box, this is done by the system.
Tired-flyboy - When it comes to handover time, all aircraft on headings have it displayed on the label. No pointing to each individual on a heading and confirming the heading/Alt. What you see is what you get. The free text goes with the label on handover from one sector to another. You hand the label to Area, it flashes on the screen and when the Area guy accepts it he sees the heading/speed in the free text label.
Some units allow silent co-ord. This is done via the ICM (Inter Console Message). Approach will request a higher level from Area by typing it on his own screen, sending it to the relevant Area sector. The message pops up on the Area screen and Area responds in the same way back to Approach. It takes about ten seconds and you can co-ordinate without having to stop controlling. That is if you're a woman, us men can't multitask
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The odd thing I realised after about a year though, is that you tend to use the EFPS less and less. Eventually you stop using it alltogether and work on the label and main screen only. Because the system reduces workload in many ways you have more time to mess around with your labels.
Sorry for the VLP.