Help please!

I started playing GW when prophecies was first released, and a few months later got sucked into that aweful excuse for a game, WoW. So, I'm basically thinking of coming back to the game and was just wondering if anyone can fill me in on some questions.
1. How casual/hardcore is this game nowadays? (I used to like it for the fact it was pretty casual)
2. In order to be competent in PvP do I need to spend an outrageous ammount of time collecting gear, etc?
3. To anyone who played WoW, are assassins basically like rogues?
4. How's the community?
5. Finally, I played a Ranger/Monk and thought it was a pretty gimp class. Is that true or was it just me noobing it up? lol
Thanks to anyone who helps me out here.

1. It's still pretty decently casual, I'd say. Even more so with the Heroes from Nightfall.
2. No.
3. Pretty much.
4. There isn't much of a Guild Wars community, but you have the Guru community right here. They're a decent bunch. If by community you meant the people playing the game, then I'd have to say the community sucks...Depends on who you run in to.
5. What did you play the ranger with? I'm just curious, because the professions have little to do with the power of the build. It's the skills that make it.

And welcome back!

Bryant pretty much nailed my thoughts.

hit the alt button to see where the jade wind orb collector is

Thanks for the responses