Phaedrella wrote:
Look, we're going to have different readings and expectations based on where we're coming from, right? You play on the Bazaar server. Another respondent is coming from EQ2X and so obviously has no objections whatsoever to the cashshopification of the game. I've been playing since 2005 on a standard PVE server, though. I have always had a subscription, I plan to keep one as a gold subscriber (so long as I stick around), and I find these reminders unpleasant, still more when they're clunky and poorly integrated into the existing interface. I am not reconciled to this transition, but it'd be easier if my toons weren't standing on top of a cheesy Shop Now! box at the character select screen.
I've also played since 2005 on a standard PvE server. Apparently this means something?
The button doesn't bother me and it needs to be there for account services/unlocks. I barely even notice it there as I go to char select just long enough to pick a char and login. It's not like I admire myself all day on the character select window; if I wanted to do that I'd do it in game. 
Anyways, the button is about as much of an annoyance to me as the welcome screen (which I by habit now close before it even fully loads). That is to say it's easy to selectively ignore, unless you're someone who wants to make a big deal out of it.