The Spirit Realm

Forage botting is only conditionally in violation of the EULA, based on the mechanism used to accomplish it.

The parts of various macro/bot programs that are against the rules are those that either modify the EQ Client, or interfere in client/server communications. Hacks like warping, looting bodies from anywhere in zone, instant gating, sending hundreds of complex tradeskill combination commands per minute, etc (zek players could tell you more) are violations of this sort. They're highly detectable and anyone using them *will* be immediately and irrevocably banned.

Packet sniffers like the sort that ShowEQ uses to give people "tracking" that even includes GMs are of marginal legality. They're certainly against the spirit of the EULA, but legally, any information transmitted to your computer is yours. Packet sniffers legitimately monitor against unwanted intrusion from worms and the like, so it's merely the use of that information that Sony can object to. Indignant objection aside, ShowEQ and other programs like it are undetectable. You can't be caught or punished for thier use unless you, like, invite GM-Admins into your house to show them. Then you deserve your suspension for being dumb~

The tools most people use for forage botting don't even do what I describe above. Have you watched The Simpson's cartoon? In one episode, Homer sets up a little nodding birdie toy to do his job for him by repeatedly pecking the OK key on his safety machine. On the show this leads to disaster when the toy falls over, but that's not material here, I'm after that bird. See, people who have highly repetetive simple tasks to do in EQ (say, pushing one button for 12-18 hours at a time?) have found ways to automate it. Whether it's motor operated lego toys (oh yes, my roommate four and a half years ago did that one ), or rubberbanding the {X} on a game pad, or running , the effect is just replacing your human finger pushing the button. There is nothing shady about this. No modification of the client, no interference with client-server communications, not even something questionable like packet-sniffing. It's as within-bounds as using a fork on spaghetti instead of sticking your face in the bowl.

Officialdom does still discourage unattended botting. Kids that never ever violated curfew probably shouldn't start it up at bedtime and come back after work the next day. It could lead to bad behavior like tearing the tags off pillows, or something.

That autofire program is good. I was guilded with Hunters for a year (The author of it).

Macroing is not against the EULA - unattended macroing is. I think the test is whether or not you reply meaningfully to the GM (ha) when they catch you. Still, I believe those are the rules, for what they're worth to you.

Ok, maybe I'm dense, or can still be classified as a newb, but why would you want max begging skill?

dont need max begging skill...just need to get up to 151 for a segment of the BiC quest.

and whats wrong with tearing the tags off pillows and mattresses? i do it all the time.
the warnig says "not to be removed except by the consumer under penalty of law ---- once you buy the pillow there is no reason not to rip those tags out