Hmm... I left FFXI in around 2007-ish, mostly because of several things. The lack of solo based activities and the fact that I found the game boring to level (Find a group, find a camp, kill monsters for hours on end... give me quests any day!) where the main reasons, but another was the attitude of many players in regards to class. There were certain classes in which you found very hard to find parties, such as PUP (Which I adored, yet never really got to play much...) and others. Elitism and rude players were entities that I had experienced well before the likes of Dungeon/Duty Finder. I also really didn't like how you had to have a certain sub-class. It was a great system, with lots of room for experimentation, but when it came to leveling and stuff there was no way you could play other then what was assumed to be the 'best' no matter how good you were.

I missed being a RDM/NIN...

Anyway, that is just my experience. I am sure other have indeed had better luck and stuff. Perhaps it was just my server (Ragnarok, if I recall... name was Fred!) but looking back on it, I really do not hold it in such high regards as other former players do. As I said though, could just be me... I hear FFXI has changed a lot since the though. I must check it out again some day...

(Oh, and if every job in this game is the same, then why on Eorzea do I adore playing Summoner and hate playing Black Mage...)