Just wanted to say, Good job Jagex!
And now that your actually reading this post because everyone not praising you doesn't exist...
Forget the fact this goes completely against what you originally stood for, forget the fact it destroys the game economy, forget the fact you're alienating 98% of your loyal customers. That's all been said and resaid, but think of this..
Just yesterday, there was some noob in GE ranting that he was hacked for 1m, feeling slightly generous, I gave him 300k... his immediate reply was "but I lost 1m, that's only 300k! give me more!"
And while noobs like this have existed since the dawn of time, they were minimal, and ignoreable, because soon they would realize it wasn't a "gimme game" and they would quit, then be replaced by some like them, and many that were willing to work their way up on their own, and eventually get to the point that they could help new players get started, in which the glorious runescape cycle would thrive.... but Jagex... with all of your gimme content.. your getting the wrong people to quit, making all of your customers the "gimme gamers" destroying the community because everyone is out for their own, not helping each other, and pretty much having a ge filled not with ppl selling stuff, but begging for stuff... eventually we will have no earned max capes, no earned phats, but those freely given, or bought with dad's money...
And if The Gower brothers are still out there... I just have to say... how could you let this happen to your baby? I hope you're disgusted with it as I am.. I came in to it at 2007, after it's hey day, but it was still a community game back then.. the only place I've actually spoken to a nice person in game in months was in Runespan (which even though it gave ppl 99 rc, is actually good for community, so good job on that one)
Like many have already said, this would be the best update year ever, had you not had to come up with S.O.F.
29-May-2012 11:43:29