Animation Lock: Why don't you like it?

[Enma]

I am curious to hear why it is seen as inferior to global cool downs, in terms of immersion/battle/etc.

It has nothing to do with "immersion". Animation Lock could give more reality in a static game, where people don't have to move aroung a mob, or through the batteflield. But as FFXIV 1.0 was and FFXIV: ARR will be, it's not good, because in many fights you can't stand in the same spot for all its duration. With this new concept of fight the Animation Lock looks amiss, something close to FFXI style.