Every time that I've been blown up in Eve, it's happened so quickly that the fight didn't even render on my screen. Just one second I'm in a spaceship, and the next I'm back at my home station. That feeling doesn't make me want to learn combat!

And you were probably travelling in a simple shuttle or cheap frigate, against multiple players or smartbombing idiots. Likely not consensual, and you were probably not expecting combat. Yeah, it sucks, but that too different from other MMOs (WOW, I am looking at you).

Many of my small-scale engagements took several minutes to resolve, one way or the other.

Not to mention fleets. In fact, one of my fondest memories was taking part in Agony Unleashed's PVP classes. That took several hours of intense playtime - we had to have multiple 'bio breaks' for people to be able to go to the bathroom and eat something - while being guarded and with scouts to give early warnings to the fleet. And it was amazing. Instructors teaching game concepts and military-like tactics and command and control (and actually enforcing discipline).

I've never seen a game getting even close to that sort of organization and discipline. CCP should hire those guys as teachers to introduce players to more advanced game concepts.

Mirrors what I experienced when I played. EVE teaches strategy and tactics to a level that is unmatched in pretty much any other game i've seen.