1) depends on your objectives. You can do a lot of things for a long time with 1-2 hours a week, or a lot of things for the time of a patch with 5-10 hours a week. 1-2 hours a week may be short to try the raids though.

2) There are many servers still actives. I think Ultros is still fairly active now

3) Depends. find a few friends and it will be good. Party with strangers and you can get bullied pretty hard if you don't meet their standards.

4) In MMOs you used to. Not anymore, and even less in FFxiv. It helps though.

5) Balmung I'd say, but ultros should be fine

6) positive : graphics
negative : sometimes I feel like a bot or in a solo game due to the mechanics

7) When my static was still existing, blind runs in the new dungeons at every new patch. Saying crap, dieing to stupid stuff, and joking about it.