ETA on Advanced Class change?

I'm starting to wonder why you care so much.

Wrong. This is a false argument and the definition of hyperbole. You are making things up that have nothing to do with this discussion in an attempt to derail the conversation.

People don't say this when changing spec, so right there your hyperbole fails.

Changing specs is vastly different than changing classes. People do not have to pay to train any new skills, let alone a whole new class worth of skills and all the levels of those skills, when they respec.

But not that much difference from changing advanced classes. As I said before, we are expected to accept that going between DPS and heal or DPS and tank is easy peasy, but going between tank and heal is mind-numbingly difficult?

Going from assassin to sorcerer IS changing class, according to the devs. The last time I checked, they were the ones who made the rules and implemented the mechanics. Unless you were recently hired as the lead designer and programmer for BW, your opinion does not trump that of the devs.

Changing from healer to tank would require a class change. As has been stated before, the devs intentionally designed and implemented the classes so that no single character could fill all three roles at any time, not just at the same time.

Changing class requires the "forgetting" of an entire class worth of skills and the training of an entirely new set of class skills, and the associated costs for that training, where a simple respec within a class does not.

It's changing advanced class, which, as of right now, is no more possible than changing class. As you have been told zillions of times, just because it works that way now does not mean it cannot be changed. Yet time after time, your retort is "That's the way the game works." I'm pretty sure we are all aware of the way the game works in this regard. And most of us are able to accept that it's possible to change it, even if at the moment it seems highly unlikely.

Not if the change were Merc to PT (e.g.). That's an advanced class change, not a class change.

How many times have I stated that the devs cna change the "rules" or mechanics at any time. Just because they CAN do something doesn't mean that they WILL or even that they SHOULD. They are under no obligation to change the "rules" of the game simply because some players don't want to be bothered with using the mechanics already in place to play a new class.

As has been stated many times before, the devs have stated that AC's are different classes. To the best of my knowledge, the devs have NEVER said anything to contradict this. Even that often quoted statement that AC changes would "likely happen" at some undetermined point in the future does not contradict the earlier statements regarding AC's being different classes. Therefore, changing from mercenary to powertech IS changing class, no matter how much you wish it were otherwise.

Then why are you even arguing?

ACs are not different classes, they are difference advanced classes. "Powertech" is not a class, it is an advanced class. And, as stated, right now, we can no more change ACs than we can change basic classes. So ACs are treated as if they are basic classes in this regard, but they are not basic classes, they are advanced classes. Thus the name, "advanced class."

Played SWTOR when it first came out and haven't touched it since January 2012. Maybe because I got to level 50 and did most of content then got bored.
^ If you want quick class changes style of game go play FFXIV when it comes out. I played the beta. It was the only solo journey style of play I didn't like. (my own personal opinion is I would rather have separate classes so I can play with other people. I play MMO's to play with other people. Hench my FFXI party experience. If I wanted to play a solo game, I'd just crack out one of my old SNES RPG's.) I don't know where they are on development for this section of swtor, but based on the end game stuff I've done on SWTOR I would have to rely less on other players for DD tank or healing and just solo everything If I had the option to change classes whenever I wanted.

1. You are arguing your point with the wrong person.

2. "If I had the option to change classes whenever I wanted" indicates you have read nothing else in this thread, other than the post you were replying to.