I would buy it. The new features are well worth it IMHO. As for the community, well, it is the same as it has always been. Feast or famon. Right now there are a lot of new posters posting, and they have taken over and refreshed the forum. The rest of us, those that have been here posting for a while (Generals) we're still here and posting, though on reduced schedule.
Its not that the game is "dying" it is more that it has evolved and many of use are focused on newer, more interesting, facits of the game. Also, PBW is where many people are at now. Playing the game at PBW can be all the contact a player my need for weeks.
Just remember that as long as there are people here posting, the game will remain active.