Macros...

[John]

The automatic thing is what gets you in trouble here.

The idea that hitting save (a completely OOC command) every minute is acceptable and yet having a macro automatically do the same thing is unacceptable. The only thing I can think of is that staff were concerned on the strain this was putting on the server (8-9 years ago is a long time in the IT world. What we wouldn't bat an eye at now would have been terrible 8-9 years ago).

What's next? I get in trouble for having a macro that types in WHO every 5 minutes and yet as a player it's acceptable if I type it in every minute? That's not adding up.

[hyzhenhok]

The automatic thing is what gets you in trouble here.

The idea that hitting save (a completely OOC command) every minute is acceptable and yet having a macro automatically do the same thing is unacceptable. The only thing I can think of is that staff were concerned on the strain this was putting on the server (8-9 years ago is a long time in the IT world. What we wouldn't bat an eye at now would have been terrible 8-9 years ago).

What's next? I get in trouble for having a macro that types in WHO every 5 minutes and yet as a player it's acceptable if I type it in every minute? That's not adding up.

I find it extremely unlikely even 8 or 9 years ago anyone on staff would have thought there was a strain on the system.

It isn't a matter of harm. The principle of the matter is that if the player wants something to happen in the game, he should have to take an action to make it happen. This is a pretty common anti-botting principle in many games. There's no compelling reason to make OOC commands an exception.

[Dan]

The main concern staff side was probably seeing you saving while manipulating items in a save room? Where on a crash it might duplicate items. Other than that, someone had you in a clan and was watching the whole clan, seeing you save every minute would get old if you were just idling.

[Delirium]

The automatic thing is what gets you in trouble here.

The idea that hitting save (a completely OOC command) every minute is acceptable and yet having a macro automatically do the same thing is unacceptable. The only thing I can think of is that staff were concerned on the strain this was putting on the server (8-9 years ago is a long time in the IT world. What we wouldn't bat an eye at now would have been terrible 8-9 years ago).

What's next? I get in trouble for having a macro that types in WHO every 5 minutes and yet as a player it's acceptable if I type it in every minute? That's not adding up.

both of those examples (hitting "save" or "who") which you quoted are perfectly fine. I have a macro that hits 'time' every 5 minutes to keep my router from deciding I need to lag out.

an example of something that isn't perfectly fine:

an elaborate macro that equips your PC, gets a mount from the stable, hitch/mounts it, rides out to the salt flats, grebs for a day, and then rides you back, all without any input from the player.