I don't know how simsport and the social features are connected. I guess you're right about the being patient part. That's mostly my problem I can never wait. And in this case it's also because I don't know if I will get it. I've heard so much negative stuff about it on official sims forum that I got a lot of doubts... At first I thought the social media ment that my sims would get an ingame facebook or something and keep in touch with other townies Back then I was really excited.
I myself aren't too clear on the social stuff, because you're right - they are very vague about that. It can't be that we can share stuff on Facebook, because we can already do that with the memories, so my guess is that the profiles we made on thesims3.com are going to become a lot more useful and perhaps we will be sharing our sims' lives on there. However, the descriptions given also talk about sims being able to message each other? I still think it will all be connected to the official site.. perhaps we will only be able to connect with our friends from there, and somehow if we have an internet connection, and have enabled the social features, we can contact them as they are 'online' and playing? And chat with them or something?That's what I picture it as, but as these assumptions are coming from very sparse information I'm probably wrong.
As for the official forums - they complain about everything. And remember that everyone there has received the exact same information that we have here, they have not got any more knowledge of it than we do, so how can they complain when they know just as much as we do - very little? Really, I bet they'll all end up loving it when it's released.
There is no need to be 'worrying' about whether it's a good EP or not right now. Just wait till it's released, and come onto this forum every day and read what people post about it! As soon as the thing is released you'll have a massive influx of commenters telling you all you need to know, and from that you can see to buy it or not.
Also, call me biased, but I just wouldn't bother listening to the official forums' opinions. This forum is just way better.