I wonder if those of us who think the rules and ethics of live play must carry over to on-line play are headed the way of the dinosaur. I bet there are thousands of on-line players who couldn't care less if they use an on-line crutch that could impair their live game play.
Have a look at the response from PokerStars in
this thread. This guy is making the point that online is different than B&M, and is essentially saying get used to it. As a live player guy first, and a recent on-line player, this worries me somewhat. Maybe us live guys will have to reset our expectation or simply recognize that on-line play will not be a level playing field for those that insist on carrying forward old rules into a new environment.
If it turns out that a significant group of players are using tools that others feel badly about using, then I think the poker sites should consider going above board with this stuff and offering ALL players the same tools as part of the package their sites offer. I think the most important concept here is having a level playing field. We will never get everyone to agree that a particular tool is acceptable or not. This does not extend to bots in my opinion - they should be hunted down and exterminated. However, tools that organize and present information available to all just by watching the table may become mainstream if the PokerStars response is any indication.