I'm on a 56k modem - crappy phone lines in this godforsaken state.

I suppose I shall never be the greatest of bards - I do two songs when I
can - but quite often lag is so bad, I can't even keep two up at the same
time from the hot keys.

Here is my list of things that bug me about the interface/user
functionality of the game, fwiw.

1. No slot for my instrument - lag makes it torture to try to switch
between two weapons and an instrument - why don't we have a slot and a
button like a ranged weapon? I could well imagine myself in this situation
- I'd have my instrument on my belt at my waist - not buried in my backpack
- and I could sure switch out at least as effectively as a ranger does with
weapons and a bow.

2. Perhaps there is a way - and I just missed it, do we ever get to weild
one weapon and an instrument? I could have sworn I saw a higher level bard
doing just this once, but could never get it to equip. I figured I might be
able to do this once I got dual wield, but if there is one that lets us do
it, I've not found it yet.

3. Even as long as I've been playing (about 3 mths now) I STILL autoloot or
examine someone when trying to turn with the mouse. Why aren't looting and
looking at someone commands instead of automatic? I only have a 2button
mouse - but would gladly invest in a three button if say, the middle button
could be programmed for this. I don't know how many times I've accidentally
looted when simply trying to turn.

4. Autorun is almost as bad, I have to find a button on my keyboard, and
quite often - where I am is so twisty - you just run into things and the
mob has you, if you aren't constantly navigating with the mouse. Like most
folks, I'm right-handed, trying to find things with your left hand on the
RIGHT side of your keyboard isn't the easiest thing to do, especially when
running for your life. Perhaps in the nice open zones this isn't a problem,
but in dungeons, twisty hilly zones, it is. Autorun could easily be
incorporated into the mouse - say holding down both buttons at the same
time so the same piece of equipment does both functions.

5. Why oh WHY are some critters so hard to target? I'll be in unrest - 2
darkbones banging on my crew - a deeth beetle at my feet - and the dam
deeth beetle is the only thing I can manage to target? I try to use assist,
but it seems very, very buggy - more than half the time - it just doesn't
work. Is there some reason that F8 couldn't CYCLE thru the nearest mob's,
instead of only the one IT thinks is closest?

6. I truly wish there was a quicker way to loot your own corpse - right
clicking drops it into your inventory instead of putting it on your body. I
think a check should be made of whether you can wear an item first, drop it
there, THEN drop anything else into your backpack. Be a simple matter - all
your worn gear is always at the top first anyway.

I love EQ, and I love my bard - but these are interface problems that make
me sit back and go "Why did they do this like this?"

Perhaps I notice it a little more with my bard simply because there is
already so much busy work on the keyboard and mouse that I am expected to do.