There have been a lot of separate but related issues raised on this thread:
1. Interdiction mechanics are broken.
Interdictions are harder to win than they used to be, I mostly don't bother trying and just submit. However, we've all had that submission that just didn't take. This is clearly a bug and it's not helping matters, it just needs fixing.
2a. Combat logging in Open/Group
Technically, given the peer-to-peer model, there is very little Frontier can do beyond what they are already doing. A single combat log event cannot be reliably distinguished from a network (disconnect) or client issue (crash) so instead they have to collect suspect instances and only if/when they form a clear pattern can they act upon it.
Given that, it is definitely too harsh to punish a single event. However, I am not sure what level of confidence is required for a punishment to be applied, nor am I sure of the various types of punishment which are handed out. It may be possible to create more and less severe punishments, for example:
If someone has 3 suspect combat log events then ban then from Open for 7 days.
If this sounds harsh, then increase the 3 or decrease the 7 until it feels right. This will always be a subjective process, there is no right answer here. Banning from open solves 2 problems; First, if they are guilty; they cannot combat log on another player. Second, if they are innocent; their poor connection will not adversely affect other players.
From here, if further events occur you escalate punishments. Bans are one option. In game credit deductions are another - hit em where it hurts I reckon. If a trader is combat logging to avoid losing credits then deduct credits the next time they login with a message popup saying the "galactic federation does not tolerate cowardice" or something equally in-game.
2b. Solo logging
Personally, I would not track/punish combat logging in Solo mode. I do not think anyone should care what another player does with their own time when it has no effect on anyone else's enjoyment (NPCs do not feel). Elite has never been about who has the biggest credit balance or the best ship so who really cares how they got there. Reasonable people may disagree on this point.
3. PKers
"Play the way you want to play" cuts both ways. If a player wants to kill other players for no other reason than they enjoy the (imagined) salty tears then so be it. Personally, I think it's reprehensible but that's completely beside the point.
However, if we as an (in game) society want to discourage this sort of play there are several "solutions":
- Increase in-game penalties for this sort of thing. I believe Sandro floated some ideas a while back.
- Form a player group who actively pursues/punishes this. This could use some more in-game help, like the ability to pay for information on other players whereabouts (not exact, but "last sighted" or similar).
4. Arena
Not really "on topic" but related only by virtue of being PvP. I would play it more, if I could get a match more consistently. I think it's a shame this has not caught on more.
5. Negativity
I really do not understand the comments stating that Frontier "do not care" or are intentionally "ruining" the game. There is absolutely no motivation for that to be the case and every motivation for the opposite to be true. Frontier want Elite to be the best game possible, they have a strong financial motivation but aside from that, as a developer myself, I can tell you that there are always more things you want to do than you have time to do and whatever your personal priorities there may well be higher level concerns which trump them. Not to mention that a project of this size, which needs to co-ordinate this number of people, will be planned months in advance and getting even a small change scheduled in that environment is tough, it has to be a really, really, really important thing to jump schedule.
6. General
Just one last general comment or two. It is my impression that "play the way you want to play" is one of Frontier/Elite's primary concerns and I think this is an ideal they should hold on to at all costs. Do not allow one type of player to dictate how another type of player must play. Personally I spend most of my time in solo. I am a single-player gamer, have been for 26 years and I'm not likely to change. I have tried a bunch of MMO games and I just did not get anything out of the player interaction experience that I valued. I do enjoy playing with a few friends every now and again, so Private Group mode suits me fine. My play time is restricted and I want to enjoy all of it so sometimes I just do not feel like dealing with other players getting in the way of the personal goals I have set myself. I am not "afraid" of other players or combat, I am actually fairly handy tho I don't have any real PvP experience to speak of so if I chose to get into it I would likely be terrible for a while, as with anything really.