I fully agree with your proposal about the buddylist

As for the counter-spell, I don\'t think it\'s really necessary. For one, even though you may carry a mindstone, it will not always be \"activated.\"
Hm, I thought about camouflage from beeing tracked by chars you dont want to know your position... It wouldnt make much sense to have an extra spell to detain everybody to locate you, since deactivating the mindstone will do that without manadrain

Second, mindstones will be shared between players, and not automatically given to everyone, including people you haven\'t ever met.
I didnt consider the sharing of mindstones... interesting idea

I disagree that mindstone wont be given to people you never met. Naturally it wont be an automatic item, but everyone can buy a sword or a glyph, why not a mindstone?
So persons could have you in their buddylist and listens to your mindstone, but you dont even know that they exist...
I think to find out -who- is doing the tracking should require even more work (and another mana-drain). So it becomes a bit more complicated.
Agreed

I\'m no longer sure that it\'s less work
Considering the amount of time, training, dedication, practice, and failures that a character must endure to become proficient at location magic, it doesn\'t seem quite as easy as using /tell and asking where another is. But it\'s roleplay, and it\'s fun 
You didnt consider that there also can be many items which could help you in training, give you skills...
Take the idea of a magic cap to camouflage for example... Or a magical map which can be used without special knowledge but only with manadrain. There are many possible ways to gain magical advantages without the disadvantages you said... but they should be very hard to get (quests, money...). Considering that all players can be happy, not only professional mages

cu,
amogorkon
Edit: An example where a dummy could be useful:
You remember my approach about the hunter-snake? The aggressor uses much energy to locate and attack you... but its the wrong position
