I do use the portal. It also provides a convenient interface to handle things like quickdial numbers (you get a description field). IMO all of the things that you can do without the "Expert" mode are simpler. This includes setting up 7-digit dialing, setting which SP is the default, setting which SP handles 911, and if you have an OBi202, which phone(s) ring on a call.
AFAIK, the approved provider setup only matters when you first set things up with an SP. I am thinking that other things, such as the step to take for SIP scanner prevention, are only done if you delete the SP in OBiTalk and set it up again. For setup of SIP providers that are not on the list (called 'Generic Service Provider), the portal does help set up the generally required items in a way that requires less knowledge.
There are reasons to not use OBiTalk. IMO the danger that they get hacked and send bad things to your OBi is not just paranoia. There are people who would like to do that, and hackers have done bad things that others thought were not a concern.
It is true that the ones who don't use the portal are generally more knowledgeable on how to accomplish even slightly unusual things. And they tend to be a lot more helpful than those who have never used the direct interface.
I use the portal, because it's easier for some things. I generally only go to the direct interface to see the logs. If I hear of the first actual hacking of an OBi via OBiTalk, I will look to change. In the mean time, I opt for the simpler way. What is nice is that I could change at any time.
