FFXI was a great game, that I quit years ago after years of play. I hope they take the ideas of what worked and think of how it could be implemented in the world of FFXIV and how much it would need to change and how to fit THIS game, instead of trying to be or completely imitate a 10 year old game.
Uniqueness to classes is a very welcome thought. I'm sure that includes bad ass things only so and so class can do to a certain degree which creates a need for them (hopefully not the kind that nothing can progress without them). I do not wish for a special 30second ability to be implemented to FFXIV that will have a TWO HOUR COOL DOWN! Anyway, please try to have an open mind. We have the ability now to really have what we want to be heard. Please don't ask FFXIV to be turned into FFXI as awesome and great as that game was. If you want, maybe you can ask the FFXI team to update the graphics for that game? But that's another topic.
Final Fantasy has made lots of great games to this date that all differ from each other while they still have that little something we all love and which reminds us of FF. Have faith that this game can in its own way be brilliant.