That doesn't really cut into the main disadvantages of LaTeX, but no matter :) Regarding your point
- "sometimes you have to type too much (begin{itemize} ... \end{itemize})"
this is entirely by design. There is a tradeoff between terse (and easier to type) and understandable (and longer to type). Longer names also have fewer collisions, since TeX and LaTeX don't support namespaces (unfortunately).
Anyway, a good editor will obviate the complaint above. Set up key-bindings or tab-completions or whatever else takes your fancy and you never have to write
\begin{whatever}...\end{whatever}
ever again.
