Spring attack and reach

[smetzger]

I think that this feat is devised to let you move-attack-move, not to charge a colossal creature without taking a single attack of opportunity.

That way it is a far too good feat.

Well you can't charge. But you can certainly move in, make your atack, and move back out without provoking an AoO from the defender. Thats how the feat works. I have had no problem with this feat in either 3.0 or 3.5.

This is the ideal feat for the half-orc barbarian wearing light armor against a heavily armed opponent (gnome or such opponents are unable to counterattack...). You can devise an hit and run tecnique against opponents who have a worse initiative than yours... They won't be able to ready an action to attack you!

So, the Spring Attack guy gets to move in past your reach and attack and you don't get your AoO. He could have shot you with a bow (from outside your reach) and you would not have gotten an AoO. It has not eliminated your attack action, just your AoO.