Gear Swaps were like the most awesome thing about FFXI imo.
And what's up with all those silly arguments?

"It takes so long to write macros"
"It takes away individuality"
"It isn't realistic"

Seriously, If you complain about having to write macros, then the problem is your lazyness.
If you think it takes away individuality and that you are 'forced' to equip certain gear,
turst me, that's not cause of the gear swaps, you will see that with or without gear swaps.
And about it being not realistic... this is a game.

I wonder what I'm to do in this game at all if there are no gear swaps.
So like, you get 1 set of gear and then people quit the game?

The most important factor to FFXI's longevity was the gear swaps imo,
there was always a goal, a motivation that keeps you going.

What are your plans in this game, once you get your desired set of gear?
The Story will end at some point, Dungeons wlll get boring at some point,
HNMs will get boring at some point, especially if you don't rly get rewards for it anymore.

I'm all in for gear swaps and the motivation that comes along with swaps.