I was just reading about EQ2, it looks like its more for me.
SOE is in the position of trying to keep market share against the other MMORP in existance. Their own products could leech players from their Flagship EQ. So they will make expansions and change everything as they did LDON to keep the players raiding, etc. As you pointed out it gives them more money to complete EQ2 but also gives a reason for current players to keep on playing EQ (ie the investment of money for expansions, time played, friends on the server, guildmates.) By forcing their fees for name changes, character moving on servers, they are in a win/win situation with Everquest as a money maker. I liken this with any other companies market leader. IMO Everquest can change and grow, however it will never be left to go away and stagnate like WP 5.1 did whilst Microsoft stole the wordprocessor world from under them.
Everquest depopulated alot of Free MUD's.
I have only played EQ LIVE for 2 months (hit level 44 on main) , so I am the New player coming late to their party, I bought all expansions while they were discounted, and ordered LDON on Media ASAP. Did I EverQuest for long? Not hardly, I hate LIVE, I am actually hoping that your project could return enjoyment for the money I spent as I enjoy tinkering with software and projects, and would like to put all the "lore" I had studied to a good use.
Play Everquest till 2007? Well I have a mud that I have played for 8 years and still run on my LAN
EOF