They are using some interesting interpretations here... maybe it's my time in WoW, Warhammer, etc. but contested areas are 100% connected to the pvp. Changing the definition of a term to suit their hype-sell is kind of silly. This discussion here is really about instanced content. I'd prefer SoE just stay out of pvp with EQnext and not try to be everything to all player niches. (SoE is good at sandbox/casual/raid PVE).

More instancing = less alive/real of a world. You look to progression servers in EQ... everytime those servers hit the era of instancing content the population drops huge. (and yes I get why they instanced Plane of Time). I think the Warhammer example (for some stuff at least) where there was several instances off a hub zone could work. You moved through the live world, often fighting... to get to the "rare bit" that was instanced. This fostered cooperation in the open world rather than stupidity.

For oldschool eq minds imagine if LDoN entrances were active without having to talk to NPC, and there was some of them deeper in the dungeons (so you could have an instance at the end of Old Sebilis for a harder-version Trakanon encounter, a 3rd+ Guk ldon deeper in, etc.).

If their "novel solution" to areas/camps being in high demand is anything like WoW's "phasing" it is a fail plan. Sooo dumb in that game to be in the same zone location as a friend and not be able to see/intereract with them because you are out of phase (super linear world this way too).