> I know how to use IRC and how to connect with it.

> [...]

> - Figure out how to configure my client.

> - Figure out how to interact with the user account and moderation bots

I disagree with your initial claim. :P

Those are irc basics, things you only have to learn once, and there is documentation online and on the web. It's worth it to spend the time to learn a tool that you can use throughout your profession, even as the proprietary flavor-of-the-month services come and go.