I'll likely wait until release to decide on what server to roll on.
First prize would obviously be to join a server with the majority of SA players. However, I've played quite a few of the smaller MMO's after WoW (Rift, TSW, TERA, LOTRO), and the thing that really destroyed those games for me was low population.
I'm going to choose a server that has enough players on it, even if that doesn't end up being the one this thread decides on. I can't imagine anything more crap than rolling on a server with 100 players on it. Snore-fest.
My recommendation to the community is to:
1) Try and establish how large the SA playerbase will actually be.
2) Decide on a server with an expected population that will result in sufficient players on it to keep the game world alive.
It's all fine and well choosing LC for SA players because it's "unclaimed", but what's the point if there are only 80 of us? Or why choose LC if it's only ZA players, and in 2 months the playerbase goes from 300 to 100?
I would strongly suggest we try the 3 recommended servers and in some way find out population levels. We should be choosing one of the medium to high pop servers, as it is very unlikely that the SA community will be able to fill their own server. At release:
Whiteside will be full.
LC may be empty
PF is my choice based on beta and expected population levels. I don't RP, and I didn't see any RP on the server during the BWEs. I don't understand the resistance to this server type by some of you anyway. I've played many games on RP servers, and very seldom have I come across active RP. Also, to add, those RP servers did particularly well in pvp (maturity lends itself to attracting skilled no-bullshit players, I'd say).
Haven't seen a poll, but I'm provisionally voting PF.