There is a learning curve as with all things, how steep will depend on many factors. The bigest one will be whether the machine is set up with Mach or whether you have to convert it over. I suggest you look at the videos and manuals and also download a copy of Mach and start messing with it, all can be had by using the Download menu at the top of the forum.
As for the text, there is a write wizard in Mach, although I have never actually used it it should do what you want. Simply type the text in the box, put in a few dimensions and it will write the code for you.
Hood