Just for my clarification: How are we defining what Classic is? Is it the experience/feeling/spirit, the mechanisms through which that experience was delivered, both or something else totally?
I seem to remember having read someplace that Blizzard was planning on releasing content in bunches over a period of time. Why not launch the game without them, see how it goes and, if needed, include them as part of a content bundle?
I propose this for a specific reason. This is the the first time that WoW will exist as a static universe. In other words, there will come a point where there is no gear replacement as old Vanilla gear is made obsolete by TBC gear. Sooner or later, there will be an effect downstream. Items will either begin to clog bank spots or flood the auction house, driving down prices. Gold will become more readily available with nothing to take it out of the game rather than it moving from player to player. Be it one year, two years or five years down the road, if something doesn’t happen Classic will become a watered down mess.
I’m not advocating guild banks as the ultimate solution, but I am saying that at some point serious discussions will likely be needed over how to progress.