Is the F2P/Preffered system too prohibitive, and if so, what should change?

This is my point, or one of them anyway. The game seems to alienate the free population in some aspects, and I say why not allow them to speak among THEMSELVES openly. They should only be restricted from unfettered access to chat with subs as they are to discourage gold sales IMO.

Removing or hindering a social aspect for the sake of an attempt to drive sales is not a good tactic in an MMO IMO.

The one thing that ticks me off about the F2P restrictions is not getting loot when I finish a quest.
It really seems unfair to restrict things like lock-boxes. I understand that I can't have purple stuff and I'm already making less XP but to keep loot away just sucks. I hate finishing a mission/quest and have the box pop up and say Select your reward and none are available.

I want everything for free. Our American politicians have taught me that I should have everything handed to me

... so make with the free stuff.

I'd be on board with everything mentioned in the OP.

I believe that restrictions do need to exist in order to make subbing worthwhile, but the ones you've listed don't feel like they should be part of the "sub-only" package and would constitute a significant QoL improvement for preferred and f2p.

I think if you could unlock everything in the F2P model using CC that you would usually pay a sub for, there would be no need to adjust it. You could always sell an entire season of unlocks for some LARGE amount of CCs. Basically, work it out so it costs $10 more to unlock everything in F2P than it would to just sub. Then, if people want to stay F2P, they shell out an extra $10 a month and everyone wins. Odds are, they will find the sub package more attractive and sign up for it.

Actually RIFT does the same thing. And, the bottom of that explanation where it mentions the gold farmers? Well, I can say that if Wildstar turns out to be even half as successful with it's "CREDD" as RIFT is with "REX" (which is the same exact thing) then... The gold farmers have no market, because I can be sure I can count the number of times I've seen gold seller spam on RIFT with one Quarian's hand (for those that aren't Mass Effect fans, Quarians have three fingers).

That's actually a good idea... maybe make a channel called "FreeTython" (or Korriban, or Mantell, or Hutta) separate from general? Then, I am a subscriber, right? So I can choose to go into FreeTython and be like "hey anyone doing x heroic" however, if I as a sub am a jerk and don't want to play with the F2P people (I am not, just saying... the only time I have a problem with the F2P crowd is those who complain that they aren't getting enough free stuff. It's free. Stop complaining.) I can just stay out of the FreeTython channel and ignore all the f2p players and gold spammers too. Then, we can report and ignore the gold spammers, but if the subs are "bothered" by them, just don't go in the starter planet chats.

In fact, as a subscriber? I WANT THIS. If only so that I don't get what I now realize was a gold spammer inviting me to group so he could give me his ad (his name was obviously a gold spammer... like asksjkijkjjjjjjj) and at the time I was like wondering why there were no spammers then why this idiot invited me to group... now I know why.

Plus, I like to go to the starter planets and give free lightsaber crystals to the new players (yellow and red are most popular... yellow so you can get it without havng to get dark side points, or red for those wanna be dark jedi... or they just like red... I dont' judge them... my lightsaber is pink) but alas even if I am willing to mail them to free players, they can't tell me they want one.

Really, what this has done is compartmentalized free players. The reasons, if to discourage gold sales seems reasonable IMO, but I see no reason they should be restricted from communicating among themselves.

And, as others have mentioned, subs can CHOOSE to communicate with them using the chat box they have, or just shut it off.

One of the most ridiculous addons of F2P is that vendor prices are increased for F2P and PSP'ers. That really should change. More of EAware trying to alienate their F2P in order to be subs in order to see the CM and attempt to gouge them.

Your post is very confusing. Are you trying to say that EA wants to make F2P players into subscribers so they can see the cartel market? I thought F2P players already could see it. Isn't that how F2P become Preferred - make a purchase?

Further, I think you need to learn the definition of the word, "gouge". Here, I'll help you. The economic definition of the term, as found at mirriam-webster.com is:

Could you please explain how people could ever be extorted or subject to undue exaction in a game, and specifically how this game does it? (More specific than "Cartel Market Sucks, yo!" please.) Thanks.