Corporate Piracy
Very few people are interested in it. Those that do are probably those that play Pirate Characters anyway.
So making Corporations able to pirate Zoners and Freelancers isn't going to do much other than give those who pirate anyway, more customers.
Just look at how much Corporate Piracy happens in the Taus to see how successful implementing this would be.
Shipping Corporations
There is next to no difference between the OF IDs and the Indy IDs.
With a OF Tag, you do in some way paint a target on your back.
As an Indy, you can basically do what you want with no repercussions ie do smuggling.
Mining Factions
As the Lead for one of the most active Mining Faction I can say:
1) Most of our ships don't actually transport ores to sell points - those Faction Members that do, mainly transport Ores using other IDs.
2) Most of our Customers are Indies flying Corporation ID'ed Ships.
Piracy
Very contentious issue.
1) Pirates complain of AFK Powertraders
2) Traders complain of 5milordie Pirates. I have met a lot of pirates in my travels and most are of this category (it almost feels like they are pushing for a reason to collect that blue). You see them log in just as you enter a system and then log off just as you leave the system after paying them. I always feel cheated in the 0 interaction other than the: 5milordie demand - you try to make some conversation - they say "you have 5 seconds to pay" - you pay the pirate - then carry on with journey.
3) Get an Escort - on a dwindling Community, not always easy to do. From experience, Pirate ignores the Escort and goes for the kill on the Trader anyway.
Pirate complains about using an Escort that scouts out ahead as this is just avoiding interaction.
Now with the Battlezones and potential to earn 100+ million per hour and collect 200+ million worth of guns/thrusters when they drop, Trading doesn't appeal much to people as a way to make credits. You are generally left with those that are new and trying to earn their credits, so they can buy their Battleships (generally hauling Ores) or those who Trade to chill out and mostly just transport normal commodities (oh! and those that are keeping their POBs supplied).
Is there a way to improve it?
I don't really think so.
The whole System would have to be built from the ground up again, where everything would actually be 'balanced' and not where one way is so heavily weighted to attract most of the interest.
'I would like to be half as clever as some people like to believe they are' Life is full of disappointments, it is how we handle them that helps to define us, as a person
