Auto-attack is a step backward.

[Nabiri]

I like manual-attack but look forward to auto-attack. It will be nice to be able to type more than one word while in a party. Silent parties are really a bore.

That many/most past MMOs had an auto-attack (including FFXI), is something many people started complaining about because it made combat feel too hands-off to them... In FFXI in particular, a common complaint is "You sit there, watch your character auto-attacking, and hit a Weapon Skill once in a while when you have the TP."

All I can say to this is, I was always doing something and very busy in a party in XI no matter my job.
I never understood how people had the ability to concentrate on a movie or other game at the same time. I was constantly pressing buttons. If I were only engaging and hitting weapon skills I wouldn't be doing my job very well.