It is honestly not too bad on the PC client to run 3 boxes, the max allowed for now. Back on the actual Al'kabor server I found the client to be more of an issue. But now it seems a lot more solid. I think Secrets made some changes. I don't have any performance issues with 6gb of ram and an SSD with an i7. Every once in awhile you get a disconnect, or a random crash, but meh that imo is the price that I have to pay to access a classic client restoration and preservation project run by volunteers devs. Everyone does the best they can, with what they have. Sometimes something in the client can't be changed and we are unfortunately stuck with it for now.
As for boxing I use Hotkeynet personally (script is stupid simple if you want it, send me a pm on the Al'kabor boards) and find window switching smooth 98+% of the time. No delay. It is quick and smooth. I also have everything tweaked like people suggest above. To grizzly up above, it is a pain in the ass to move the windows around using the mouse on PC client, no idea why. I arranged them once, clicking on their title bar and slowly dragging them into position. EQW defaults something like CTRL-ALT-R to unlock the mouse, though it can still be a challenge. It may be easier to do it with the client ini as you suggested. Yeah the EQW default is a huge pain in the ass, ALT or whatever it was gets bound up, sticks, and messes everything up. Switch it to / if you're 2boxing, or pickup a hotkey program like HKN, or AHK, or follow Abacabs suggestion there.
Yeah server numbers have been low, but its alpha, all the chars are getting deleted. No one, other then the hardcore, the bug hunters, and the curious want to spend significant time there right now. I did 3 chars to 50, it was cool since I had never done that on a classic server. I get if that is a little old for people who have done it before. We have killed Naggy a couple times and server code with that many people is improving a lot! The real test comes after January 1st 2015, when classic goes live and no more char wipes. The start of the server! It should be a good journey to PoP, maybe slow, but I have confidence the devs will do what they need to do. Cavedude, Secrets, Robregen and others are all working away. CD, RR, and of course Secrets have been involved in EQemu for many years and have done great work on many successful servers. Hopefully people find some charm in this old,clunky version of EQ. No titanium client here! I am hoping for people who are patient with the releases of expansions, want a good community, and enjoy the post velious game, since Luclin and PoP (greatest expansion for many) will be there. All classes/races (no playable frogloks thanks god) from that time period are available at the start, which means PoK is in, as are all the books. Makes travel a little easier for those who are interested in that. If you have any questions or want some plat/items let me know and I may be able to hook you up before new years. I am super busy so I may just give you my account pw temp. Or ask in /ooc, gms/devs I think can give you some plat if necessary.