We have a really nice feeling on our server and a lot of the shells actually have made friends with one another and we help one another. Our shell has a good sense of community to the point that we look at one another as more friends/family than people just playing a game together online. We don't make people just though hoops to join and we have about 80-90 members that are active, as do activities a few days a week that people do turn up for. We have dedicated crafter and gatherers that support and help the whole shell.
Actually my shell is a reason why I have stuck around, they are good people and bring the fun and community to the game that it is missing, along with other people on the server from other shells. We have been fighting NM's and had other shells run up and politely ask if we are still killing, we have either told them we are, and will /tell them when we are done, or one time we even told them that we had been killing it long enough and they could have it, then left. That is a good community, and I am lucky to have these experiences.
I've been playing games for over 25 years and I have been playing MMO's... gosh for probably a good 10+ years... lol I have even done text based games before online games were popular. Maybe I am just lucky with my situation, and I do see both sides of the coin because I understand the game needs fixing but I also see that they are trying. Until SE either crashes and burns, or they do bring this game to where it should be as long as I can be with the community I am in now I'll be happy.
As someone who had played many MMOs, quite a few from beta or start... I can say this game was released to early and it does need finishing and polish. They need to add content and fix it up, but the game is not lost... it's a good base and the improvements they have done at this time have helped the game. As long as they keep moving forward I will remain positive about the outcome, but always remember there are improvements needed.