Well, ok, I took this skill. So I might be a bit biased here. But still.

The help file states:
"This additional training in the art of hiding allows thieves to do more while remaining in the shadows. For example, thieves with this level of skill have been known to communicate with others and to open and close doors without coming out of hiding."

What we have in reality.
You can open doors without stepping out of the shadows.
You can use "tells" without stepping out of the shadows.

As for everything else...
You still step out when you unlock the door.
You still step out when you are using "gtells", "cabal", "say", whatsoever.

May be I had my expectations a bit high but for 4 thief points I would expect at least ability to manipulate the doors and use all the channels without stepping out of the shadows.

I might be a dreamer, but I would expect stepping out of the shadows less in general (when failing hide while running along the Easterns, for example).

And I might be really biased here, but IMHO if I am really that good in hiding, could I at least manipulate my inventory, eat, and drink without having to re-hide each time.

I mean I am a thief after all. And I specifically took this skill to be stealthy.

Could we please discuss it? Why is it so poor and still mildly expensive? May be it might be changed some way?

If you don't agree, could you please specify why not? And what is the use of wasting 4TPs when you can take something useful like, I don't know, weapon trip instead.

Thanks for your input! (whatever it is

One perk of the Empire shadow sect (and possibly village scouts, not sure) is the ability to use cabal channels (sect channel in the case of shadows) without stepping out. To give all thieves with improved hide that ability seems...unfair.

It would also make improved hide "worth more" to caballed thieves vs. uncaballed thieves, even though both of them would pay the same price for it.

I could see the argument for having it work with gtell, though. Just not cb, et. al.

You can sneak in on people who are behind closed doors, and close the door again to make it so they can't flee immediately.

And being able to use "tell" without coming out of hiding is useful for all kinds of reasons. For starters, it helps keep your presence online as secret to those that can't see you.

You're thinking of covert. Improved hide just lets you open/close without stepping out of the shadows. The guy will still get echoes for the door opening and closing.